How to: add more fonts for AutoCAD

October 16, 2012 by Edwin Prakoso 

Annotation is a component that we must have in a drawing. And most of the annotation use text. Windows and AutoCAD already provide many types of font, but sometimes we feel they are not enough. If you want to install additional fonts to use them in AutoCAD, this is how you can do it.
Before you start, you should know that there are two types of font that AutoCAD support. True type fonts and SHX fonts.

True Type Fonts

True type fonts are Windows fonts. You must install true type fonts to Windows to let AutoCAD recognize it. True type fonts will also be recognized by all Windows applications. So you can use it too in Microsoft Words, Excel and other Windows program.
To install true type fonts, you can find font you want to install in Windows explorer. Select it, right click and choose install from context menu.



You might need to restart AutoCAD if AutoCAD still don’t list the font. Exit AutoCAD then start it again.

SHX fonts

SHX fonts are specific for AutoCAD. If you install it, then only AutoCAD can use it. The SHX fonts are stored in support folder. You can see where your AutoCAD store it in AutoCAD option, files tab.



In this example, I use AutoCAD 2013. My SHX fonts are stored in C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2013\Fonts.
To let AutoCAD recognize the fonts, simply copy SHX fonts to that folder.

Where I can find additional fonts?

There are many websites that provide free downloadable fonts. Try to search them on Google search with search term: “true type font download” OR “shx font download”.
You should see dozens of websites in search result. I don’t download fonts often, so I don’t have a preference. Feel free to share your favorite website to download fonts in comment section.
Most of my drawings use default fonts. Do you need to add more fonts for your drawing? Why do you think default fonts are not enough?