How do I use custom fonts in Adobe Animate?

To use custom fonts in Adobe Animate, you first need to install them on your operating system, and then crucially, embed them within your Animate project file to ensure they display correctly across different systems and in your final published output.

1. Install Custom Fonts on Your System

Before Adobe Animate can recognize and use a custom font, it must be installed on your computer's operating system (Windows or macOS).

For Windows:
1. Download your desired font files (typically .ttf, .otf).
2. Right-click the font file(s) and select "Install" or "Install for all users."
3. Alternatively, drag the font files into the C:\Windows\Fonts folder.
For macOS:
1. Download your desired font files.
2. Double-click the font file. This will open Font Book.
3. Click "Install Font" in the dialog box.

After installation, restart Adobe Animate if it was open, so it can detect the newly installed fonts.

2. Embed Fonts in Adobe Animate for Reliable Playback

Embedding fonts within your Animate project is essential, especially when publishing to formats like SWF or HTML5 Canvas. Without embedding, viewers might see a substitute font if they don't have your custom font installed, leading to an inconsistent look.

Here's how to embed characters from a font into your Animate project file:

Open the Font Embedding dialog box using one of these methods:
- Go to Text > Font Embedding.
- From the Library panel's options menu, select New Font.
- Right-click in an empty area of the Library panel's tree view and choose New Font.
In the Font Embedding dialog box, you will configure the embedding settings:
- Name: Give your embedded font a unique name within Animate. This helps differentiate it, especially if you embed multiple styles of the same font.
- Original Font: Choose the custom font you want to embed from the dropdown list of installed fonts.
- Style: Select the desired style (e.g., Regular, Bold, Italic) if available for your chosen font.
- Character Ranges: This is crucial for optimizing file size. Select only the character sets you need:
  - Uppercase (A-Z)
  - Lowercase (a-z)
  - Numerals (0-9)
  - Punctuation
  - Standard Ascii (a common set of basic characters)
  - All (embeds every character, leading to larger file sizes but full flexibility)
  - Custom: Allows you to type specific characters you know you will use, further minimizing file size.
- Embed Glyphs for Shared Characters: (For SWF) If you use the same characters across multiple embedded fonts, this option helps to optimize file size by sharing glyphs.
- Font Hinting: (For SWF) Adjusts font rendering for clarity, particularly at smaller sizes. Try Auto or experiment for best results.
Click OK to embed the font. The embedded font will now appear in your Library panel under the "Fonts" section.

3. Apply Embedded Fonts to Text Fields

Once embedded, you can apply your custom font to text fields in your Animate project:

Select the Text tool (T) from the Toolbar.
Draw a text field on your stage or select an existing one.
In the Properties panel, under the Character section:
- Click the Font Family dropdown menu.
- Embedded fonts are usually listed at the top or clearly marked (often with an asterisk or a special icon). Select your newly embedded font.
- Adjust other properties like size, color, and style as needed.

Static vs. Dynamic Text and Font Embedding

Understanding the difference between static and dynamic text is vital for font usage and embedding in Animate.

Feature	Static Text	Dynamic Text
Purpose	Content that does not change during runtime.	Content that changes via ActionScript or data loading.
Font Embedding	Always recommended for custom fonts. Animate can automatically embed required characters.	Required for custom fonts to display correctly. Manual embedding is usually necessary.
Performance	Generally faster rendering as text is pre-rendered.	Can be slower, especially with many instances or updates.
Flexibility	Less flexible, fixed content.	Highly flexible, content can be updated programmatically.
File Size	Can be larger if many unique static fonts are used without embedding optimization.	Embedded dynamic fonts add to file size based on embedded character sets.

For dynamic text fields, ensure the character ranges you selected during embedding cover all possible characters that might appear in your dynamic content. If a character is not embedded, it will appear as a square or a default font substitute.

Best Practices and Considerations

File Size: Embedding fonts, especially the "All" character range, can significantly increase your project's file size. Only embed the characters you absolutely need.
Font Licensing: Always be mindful of font licensing. Ensure you have the right to use and embed the font in your projects, especially for commercial use. Many free fonts are only free for personal use.
Test Thoroughly: After embedding and applying fonts, test your Animate project across different platforms and browsers (if publishing to HTML5 Canvas) to ensure consistent display.
Web Fonts (HTML5 Canvas): For HTML5 Canvas, you can also consider using web fonts (e.g., Google Fonts) loaded via CSS in your HTML file for more flexible web deployment. Animate's built-in font embedding handles this automatically when publishing, but manual integration is also possible for more control.
System Fonts: While convenient, relying solely on system fonts means your audience must have those specific fonts installed, which is unreliable. Always embed custom fonts for consistent results.

By following these steps, you can effectively use custom fonts in Adobe Animate, ensuring your creative vision is accurately represented in your final animations and interactive content.