written by Erwin Denissen, published July 3, 2019, updated July 14, 2020

Introduction

MainType uses a database and a vault to store font information, which allows for fast access to your fonts. The font manager comes with a utility (FmsConfig) to make and restore backups.

The user interface contains several panels, that you can move, reposition, resize, and even hide to your liking. When you have all panels in place for a specific task, do save the layout so that you can easily switch between specific layouts as needed.

The font list shows the fonts based on the selected view or group. When the Active Fonts view is selected, it will show all active fonts. Active fonts are either installed or loaded, thus available to all applications. The toolbar contains a Preview Text combo box through which you can change the text shown in the “Preview” column.

By default, MainType displays thirteen columns in the fonts panel. If you right-click on any column header you can change the visibility of the columns and restore them to their original size. If the name of a column is checked, it will appear in the panel.

Add Fonts to MainType

MainType will automatically detect all installed fonts, but you need to tell where to look for more fonts on your system. To add fonts to your MainType font library, select Library from the main menu, and then click Add Font Folder. Click the Browse button to select a folder that contains (part of) your font collection.

If you want to maintain groups within MainType, we recommend to create groups. If you prefer the way your fonts are organized on your file system, then it is best to use “Keep in sync” folders.

OpenType Layout Features

Use the Sample panel to select which features you want to apply to the preview text, so that you can test a font’s OpenType layout features directly in MainType. To enable this mode, click the X₂ button. As a bonus it also supports color fonts!

Font Tags

If you provide your fonts with meaningful tags, you'll be able to quickly find the perfect font for your next project. The Font Tags panel allows you to add one or more tags to the current selected font(s).

To add a tag to a font, right-click the font and select one of the available tags shown in the Tags submenu. Alternatively, if the Tags panel is visible, click on the ball to the left of the specific Tag. If it is not visible, go to the View menu and select the Tags panel from the Panels submenu.

There are more advanced ways to add tags, and that is covered in the user manual.

Use the Tag Search panel to find fonts based on one or more tags. To begin a search, simply click on one of the balls in front of the tags.

Character Grid Panel

The character grid shows all characters available in the selected font. For your convenience, the characters are grouped into Unicode blocks. This panel also allows you to view all glyphs. To enable this, click the "Unicode" button on the toolbar.

Right-click a character, to copy it to the clipboard, so you can paste it in other software, like a Word document, Cricut, InDesign, etc.

Feedback

Your feedback, suggestions for improvements, and questions related to this and other tutorials are welcome; please post them to the High-Logic Font Forum.

written by Erwin Denissen, published January 16, 2026

Introduction

When multiple users work on the same documents, layouts, or production files, font consistency is critical. Missing fonts or different versions of the “same” font can cause substitutions, reflow, and unexpected output. With MainType, you can create a shared team font library and use font synchronization so every workstation stays aligned.

Why a shared team font library matters

A shared font library helps your team:

• Open projects on any computer with the same fonts available
• Avoid layout changes caused by version mismatches
• Reduce production mistakes and rework
• Standardize your workflow across multiple users and workstations

How font synchronization works in MainType

MainType is a font manager that can keep multiple computers consistent by using a shared folder as the “source of truth.” Instead of syncing directly between PCs, the team syncs to the same shared location, such as a shared network folder, Dropbox, Google Drive or any other file-sharing solution.

Each workstation adds the same shared folder to MainType and enables Keep in sync, so the font library stays updated automatically.

Set up a shared font library across computers

Create one central folder that contains your approved team fonts. This can be on:

• a shared network drive
• Dropbox
• Google Drive for Desktop
• another file-sharing utility

On each computer, open Library → Font Folders from the main menu and click Add.

In the Add Font Folder dialog, click Browse and select the shared folder. Then set the following options:

• Index recursively – Scan the folder and all subfolders.
• Keep in sync – Keep MainType’s groups aligned with the folder structure on disk.
• Synchronization Interval – Set how often MainType refreshes the folder (0 = manual only).
• Automatically install all fonts… – Ensure the same fonts are installed in Windows on every workstation.
• Smart install – Replace similar installed fonts to prevent “same name, different version” issues.

Updating fonts for the whole team

To roll out a change, add or replace font files in the shared folder. On the next refresh (automatic or manual), MainType updates the library and installs new and updated fonts across the team.

MainType does not automatically uninstall removed fonts

Team synchronization is designed to keep the shared set available and current, but it does not automatically uninstall fonts when they disappear from the shared folder. This avoids breaking personal or legacy projects that may still rely on those fonts and prevents unexpected disruption.

Identifying fonts installed by synchronization

When MainType installs fonts through this mechanism, it adds a tag named AutoInstall, making it easy to filter and review the fonts that came from your team synchronization setup.

Tip: Use the AutoInstall tag as your “team set” view inside MainType.

written by Erwin Denissen, published January 19, 2026

Introduction

Over the years, your font collection can quietly grow into a mix of multiple versions of the same typeface, coming from downloads from different sources, older backups, updated releases, Windows updates, and shared project folders. While Windows won’t typically install true duplicates side-by-side, those extra files can still live in your font library and folders. MainType helps you spot outdated versions and clean up your library so you keep only the best font files.

Step 1 — Choose what you want to scan

MainType can detect duplicates within the exact part of your library you’re working on:

• Scan the entire library
  In the Views panel, click Library to scan your complete font collection.
• Scan another view (from the Views panel)
  In the Views panel, click any view you want to check (for example Active, Recent, or a custom view). MainType will scan only the fonts shown in that view.
• Scan a specific group (from the Groups panel)
  In the Groups panel, click the group you want to check (for example a project group or category). Only fonts in that group are scanned which can be perfect for a focused cleanup.

Step 2 — Select duplicates automatically

Go to Library → Select Duplicates.

MainType analyzes the current scope (Library, a View, or a Group) and automatically selects duplicate font files so you can review them immediately.

What MainType selects (and what it keeps)

When multiple similar fonts exist, MainType generally keeps the best candidate unselected and selects the others, so you can clean up faster without guesswork. Quick rule of thumb:

• Unselected fonts = recommended to keep
• Selected fonts = duplicates to review/remove

MainType determines which version is most important based on these criteria, in order:

• Version - Higher version number is considered more important
• Variable - Variable fonts are prioritized over static fonts
• Modified - More recently modified fonts are preferred
• Created - More recently created fonts are preferred
• Glyphs - Fonts with more glyphs are considered more complete
• Characters - Fonts with more characters have better coverage
• File size - Larger files may contain more data

Step 3 — Compare duplicates in Details View (optional, but recommended)

Want to double-check before deleting? Details View makes it easy to compare versions side-by-side.

In Details View, each font is displayed on its own row. By default, MainType shows thirteen columns, but you can customize the list:

• Show/hide columns: right-click a column header and toggle columns on/off
• Resize columns: drag the vertical separators between headers
• Reorder columns: drag a column header left/right
• Sort: click a column header to sort by that column

These are all available columns:

State, Preview, Full Font Name, Family, Style, Type, Regular, Italic, Symbol, Mono, Embedding, Glyphs, Characters, Kerning, Features, Classification, Sample Text, Weight, Width, Version, Foundry, Rating, Note, Tags, Grouped, Date Created, Date Modified, Date Added, and File Size.

Columns that are most useful for duplicate cleanup

Enable a few key columns so “best version vs outdated version” becomes obvious at a glance:

Version, Date Modified / Date Created, File Size, Glyphs / Characters, Foundry, Embedding, Features / Kerning, Type, Full Font Name, Family, Style, State

Adjust the selection (if needed)

If you prefer a different version than MainType’s choice:

Ctrl+Click any font to toggle its selection.

Step 4 — Delete the selected duplicates

Once you’re happy with the selection:

Press Delete (or choose Edit → Delete).

In the Delete dialog, select the options you want (for example removing from groups/library and deleting font files from disk).

Confirm to complete the cleanup.

In minutes, you’ve removed outdated font files and made your MainType library easier to maintain.

We recommend to download and install the above 64-bit version, but you can also download MainType 32-bit in case your Windows version does not support 64-bit software.

If you are having issues with our products please visit the support page which helps with frequently asked questions, tutorials, and the user manual.

Check out our forum as it contains tips, tricks, and a lot of solutions to common problems. The forum is a place where users of our software share their knowledge.

We recommend to download and install the above 64-bit version of our font manager, but you can also download MainType 32-bit in case your Windows version does not support 64-bit software.

This update includes several improvements and bug fixes. For a detailed list of changes, please visit the changelog page.

MainType has many features that allow you to manage your fonts. These tutorials will explain both basic and advanced topics.

Check out our forum as it contains tips, tricks, and a lot of solutions to common problems. The forum is a place where users of our software share their knowledge.

We recommend to download and install the above 64-bit version our font manager, but you can also download MainType 32-bit in case your Windows version does not support 64-bit software.

MainType 13 delivers a fresh browsing experience and a host of workflow refinements—everything you need to manage even the largest font libraries with ease.

Brand-new Grid View

Switch instantly between the classic Details View and the new Grid View to scan fonts as large, uniform thumbnails—perfect for spotting duplicates or choosing the ideal weight at a glance.

Enhanced OpenType Layout Handling

Kerning, stylistic alternates, and complex-script shaping are more accurate than ever, ensuring faithful previews before you activate.

Theme & Usability Refinements

Broader UI-language coverage and dozens of subtle tweaks make daily font management smoother all around.

Upgrade to MainType 13 today and explore the new Grid View, smarter export options, and Unicode 17 readiness. Questions or feedback? Join the conversation in our forum!

MAINTYPE is copyright © 2004-2024 by High-Logic B.V. (hereinafter "HIGH-LOGIC"), all rights reserved.

IMPORTANT-READ CAREFULLY: This End-User License Agreement (hereinafter the "EULA") is a legal agreement between you (either an individual or a single entity) and HIGH-LOGIC for MAINTYPE, which includes any associated software components and any "online" or electronic documentation (hereinafter the "SOFTWARE"). By installing, copying, or otherwise using the SOFTWARE, you agree to be bound by the terms of this EULA.

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November 2024

Quick Start Tutorial

This short and easy font manager tutorial explains how to get started with MainType. Is explains how to add fonts to the MainType library, how to show OpenType layout features, tag fonts, and how to copy and paste characters.

How to Find and Remove Duplicate Fonts

Over time, you can collect multiple versions of the same fonts. Learn how MainType helps you find, compare, and delete duplicate font files to clean up your Windows font library fast.

Export Project Fonts for Clients and Printers

Learn how to export and package project fonts with MainType. Create organized font folders for clients, printers, and design teams while preserving folder structure. No more missing font chaos!

Shared Font Libraries for Teams

Keep fonts consistent across your team by syncing one shared font folder to every workstation. Ideal for avoiding missing fonts and version mismatches.

FmsConfig

MainType comes with a utility that allows you to make backups. This tutorial shows how to make and restore backups, and also covers some more advanced features.

FmsProxy

FmsProxy is a small program that runs in the background. It usually runs without issues, but if it no longer runs, read this tutorial.

Video Tutorials

A list of several video tutorials made by MainType users. They explain all about font folders, groups, tagging, custom views, sorting columns, creating font catalogues, printing and exporting fonts, and more.

No More Plugins

This tutorial explains why MainType 9 no longer includes plug-ins, and provides other ways to ensure your documents use the correct fonts.

650K Font Library

We consider a library with over 50,000 (fifty thousand) fonts a large library, but some of our customers have over 650,000 fonts which they happily manage with MainType.

Before consulting this list, please check to make sure you are running the latest version. Please consult the MainType changelog to see the current version as available for download. To see the version within your software, do open the About box which is available through the Help menu item.

If your question isn't answered here, do visit our forum as it contains useful information and it allows you to post questions that are likely to be answered within a couple of hours.

Our font manager is used by many people, but there are still way more people who never heard about it. Since you seem to like MainType, it would be great if you took a minute or two to let your friends know about it.

We kindly ask you to tweet about it, or if you know an appropriate Facebook group, let them know. It really helps us, maybe one or two people decide to buy a license, which will allow us to continue to improve our software, so thank you for your support!

Last but not least, if you really love our font manager, please take a couple of minutes to write a short recommendation here:

https://alternativeto.net/software/maintype/about/

Thank you for your support!

In case you do have issues with our font manager, do let us know. We are here to help and we always want to improve our software.

MainType Product Details

MainType is packed with tons of intuitive features. Here is a list that shows the most important features and benefits. For more detailed feature descriptions, do consult the manual and the forum.

• Load, install, and uninstall fonts without a User Access Control (UAC) prompt—MainType works even for users with restricted rights
• Switch instantly between Details View and the new Grid View to browse fonts as large thumbnails or in a tree list
• Font activation for all your software, including Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Microsoft Word
• Preview and browse fonts without installing them first
• Variable-font support with on-screen axis sliders
• Show all available OpenType layout features—now with tighter shaping for kerning, alternates, and complex scripts
• Team synchronization through keep-in-sync folders
• Full Unicode 17 support for the very latest symbols, scripts, and emoji
• Can easily handle huge libraries—we’ve tested with more than a million fonts
• Select duplicate fonts
• Detect invalid and corrupt fonts
• Resolve font conflicts
• Export Groups with Folder Structure—right-click any group to package fonts while preserving the original hierarchy
• Ignore Fonts you don’t want to see, without uninstalling them
• Character grid with Unicode-block navigation
• Network support lets you use fonts stored on a network drive
• Refreshed foundry list applied automatically on new installations
• Custom font notes
• Custom font rating
• Advanced font tagging
• Advanced categorizing and search capabilities
• Print and print-preview your fonts
• Supports all popular font formats and more: TrueType (TTF), OpenType (OTF), TrueType Collections, OpenType Collections, Variable Fonts, Color Fonts, PostScript Type 1 fonts
• Insert characters into background applications
• Font-export wizard generates an HTML overview of all your fonts
• Automatically install fonts from watched folders
• Import and export font ratings and tags
• Easy backup and restore of your font library

MainType Product Details

MainType runs on Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7. It does not have an expiration date as it runs in free edition mode.

Click here if you want instant access to the download.

If you own a license for a previous version of our software, you can download such older version through the retrieve lost registration code(s) page.

MainType Product Details

Version 13.0.0.1365 released on July 29, 2025

MainType is a powerful but easy to use font manager and font viewer for Windows, that takes the frustration out of managing your fonts. It is packed with tons of intuitive features that makes it simple to find, manage, preview, organize, install, and print your fonts. MainType is the only font manager for Windows that fully supports variable fonts and OpenType layout features.

MainType is designed for graphic artists, typographers, and other power users who demand high-end functionality such as network support, advanced categorizing, and complex searching capabilities. The font manager provides immediate system-wide font synchronization, with no need to refresh font lists or reboot the computer after installing fonts. Unlike most other font managers, MainType runs without administrator credentials. This eliminates the frustrating elevation prompt when managing your fonts.

Switch from the traditional list to a crisp, visual grid that displays every font as a large thumbnail—perfect for rapid browsing when inspiration (or a deadline) strikes.

Use the Sample panel to select which features you want to apply to the preview text, so that you can test a font’s OpenType layout features directly in the font manager. To enable this mode, click the X₂ button. It also supports color fonts!