TTF vs OTF vs WOFF2: which font format should you use?

Fonts come in several file formats, and the differences are not obvious from the names. If you have ever wondered why one download has TTF and another has OTF, or why web developers keep asking for WOFF2, this guide explains it in plain language.

TTF: TrueType

TrueType (.ttf) was created in the late 1980s by Apple and later adopted by Microsoft. It is the most widely supported font format. Almost every operating system, office program and design tool can use it. TTF stores the shapes of the letters with quadratic curves, which are simple and fast for screens to draw.

Use TTF when you want a font that works everywhere with no surprises, such as documents, presentations and general desktop use.

OTF: OpenType

OpenType (.otf) was developed by Adobe and Microsoft as a more capable successor. An OpenType font can contain either TrueType-style outlines or PostScript-style outlines, and it supports many more typographic features: ligatures, alternate letters, small capitals, fractions, stylistic sets and support for many writing systems in a single file.

Use OTF when you work in a design program such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator or Affinity, or when you want a font's extra features. Most modern word processors support them as well.

A common misunderstanding is that OTF is always better. The file extension does not guarantee quality. A well-made TTF can look just as good as an OTF. The extra features only matter if the font designer included them.

WOFF and WOFF2: fonts for websites

WOFF (Web Open Font Format) is a wrapper that compresses a TTF or OTF file for use on websites. WOFF2 is the newer version and compresses much better, often making the file around 30 percent smaller than WOFF. Smaller files mean pages that load faster, which matters for visitors and for search engines.

Every modern browser supports WOFF2, so for new websites WOFF2 alone is enough. You cannot install WOFF or WOFF2 files on your computer as regular fonts.

Use WOFF2 when you add a font to a website with the CSS @font-face rule. Our TTF to WOFF2 converter turns a font file into WOFF2 in your browser, without uploading it.

Variable fonts

A variable font packs a whole range of weights, widths or slants into one file, so you can set any weight from light to black with a slider rather than installing several files. Variable fonts exist in TTF, OTF and WOFF2 forms. They are especially useful on websites, where one file can replace many.

Quick comparison

• TTF: most compatible, fine for everyday use.
• OTF: best for professional design work and extra typographic features.
• WOFF2: best for websites, smallest file size.
• WOFF: an older web format, only needed for very old browsers.

Which should you download?

For a design program, choose OTF if both are offered. For general office use, either works. For a website, choose WOFF2, or convert a TTF or OTF to WOFF2 yourself. Do not install both TTF and OTF of the same font at the same time, because many programs then show the font twice.

Before you use any font on a website, check its license. Some licenses allow desktop use but do not allow embedding the font on a website. Our guide to using custom fonts on a website shows the setup step by step.