TTF File Format (.ttf)
A TTF file stores a font's glyph outlines as quadratic Bezier curves, along with the hinting instructions that adjust them for small on-screen sizes.
TTF at a glance#
| Full name | TrueType Font |
|---|---|
| File extension | .ttf |
| Category | Fonts |
| Developer | Apple |
| First released | 1991 |
| MIME types | font/ttfapplication/x-font-ttf |
| Compression | Uncompressed |
| Specification | TrueType Reference Manual |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads and writes this format |
What a .ttf file can hold#
These are the things a TTF file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.
| Embedded metadata | Yes |
|---|
Strengths and limitations of TTF#
What TTF does well
- Supported natively by every major operating system without installing anything
- Hinting instructions keep small text legible on low-resolution and unhinted rendering paths
- Simpler and smaller than OpenType's CFF variant, since outlines use only lines and quadratic curves
Where TTF falls short
- No OpenType layout features, so ligatures, small caps and language-specific substitutions aren't available the way they are in OTF
- Quadratic outlines need more control points than PostScript's cubic curves to describe the same shape
- Not compressed, so it's a poor choice for a web font compared to WOFF or WOFF2
Use TTF for a font installed locally on a desktop, where every operating system already knows how to render it.
Convert TTF to WOFF2 before serving a font on a website, since browsers load a compressed web font format far faster than a raw TTF.
How to open a .ttf file#
A .ttf file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts TTF into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.
| Platform | Programs that open it |
|---|---|
| Windows | Windows Font Viewer, FontForge |
| macOS | Font Book, FontForge |
| Linux | GNOME Font Viewer, FontForge |
| Web | FileFlip |
TTF questions people ask#
Can I use a TTF font on a website?
A browser can load a TTF file with @font-face, but it downloads uncompressed, which makes the page slower to load than serving the same font as WOFF2. TTF on the web only really makes sense as a fallback for very old browsers that don't support WOFF.
Does converting a font change what its license allows?
No. Converting a TTF file to another format changes its container, not its license, and most commercial font licenses restrict web embedding or redistribution regardless of file format. Checking what the original license permits comes before converting a font, not after.
What's the difference between TTF and OTF?
TTF stores glyph outlines as quadratic Bezier curves, the format Apple designed in the early 1990s. OTF extends the same font structure with an option for PostScript-style cubic outlines and adds OpenType's advanced typographic features, like ligatures and language-specific substitutions, that plain TTF doesn't have.
Why does Windows preview my TTF font but some programs won't use it?
Windows Font Viewer previews any valid TTF file, but a program that reads fonts through a stricter API, or checks the embedding permission bits inside the font, can refuse to use it even though it displays fine. That embedding restriction is set by the font's creator and travels with the file regardless of what it's converted to.
Converting TTF files#
Convert TTF to another format
Convert another format to TTF
Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.