While it is tempting to use a variety of fonts in your designs, using too many can actually make your layouts look cluttered and unprofessional. If so, you’re not alone. Font organization can be a daunting task, but with a little bit of effort and some simple tips, you can have everything neatly sorted in no time. Here are five tips for organizing your fonts so that you can easily find the right one for the job.
#Tip 1. Declutter the current font library
If you aim to reduce the number of fonts on your computer, it’s essential to start by decluttering your current library. Begin by removing any fonts you no longer use or duplicates. This will help to cut down on the clutter and make it easier to find the fonts you need.
You can also delete any fonts that are damaged or corrupted. These fonts can cause problems with your computer and may even lead to data loss. To remove these fonts, open the Fonts control panel and select the font you want to delete. Then, click the Uninstall button.
#Tip 2. Structure folders
When organizing fonts, it is essential to group them into categories. It is advisable to use only a few fonts for professional work, so categorize them according to their purpose. For example, you might have a separate folder for serif fonts, sans-serif fonts, and decorative fonts. This will make it easier to find the right font when you need it.
If you have a lot of fonts, you can also create subcategories. For instance, within your serif folder, you could have folders for styles such as old style, modern, or blackletter.
#Tip 3. Structure folders by project or client
Another way to organize your fonts is by separating them into different folders based on projects or clients. If you’re working on various projects or with many other clients, this can be a great way to keep things sorted and easy to find.
For example, you might have a folder for all the fonts used in a particular project or for all the fonts used in designs for a specific client.
#Tip 4. Organize fonts based on their license
When browsing through a cluttered list, a designer’s main priority is choosing aesthetically pleasing and relevant characters, but they may forget about checking if they’re eligible under various licensing agreements. This would lead him or herself into some bothersome matters.
To avoid these problems, categorize your designs by personal-use license font and commercial license fonts to help you not end up fighting copyright claims.
#Tip 5. Create a descriptive library
The more you contemplate, the better ideas for folders arise. You can even step further and create descriptive categories to organize your fonts into separate groups that match what kind of style they are intended for.
The great thing about this suggestion is that there won’t be any problems when trying out new typography because this system gives clear instructions on where each font should go without guessing.
#Tip 4. Use font management software
If you have a lot of fonts, it may be helpful to use font management software. Font management software can be an app that turns fonts ON and OFF for you, so they’re not constantly running in the background of your computer. Besides, it has many more functions.
This software can help you to organize your fonts, activate and deactivate them as needed, and even preview how they will look in your designs. There are several font management software programs available, such as Fontcloud, FontBase, Typeface, RightFont, and more. Fontcloud, in particular, is a cloud-based tool that allows accessing PUA-coded characters and has 2GB of free data to store your backup besides other features.
#Tip 6. Back up your fonts
As with any critical data on your computer, it is essential to back up your fonts. This way, you will not lose all of your fonts if anything happens to your computer. You can back up your fonts by copying them to an external hard drive or using cloud storage.
There are various ways to back up your fonts, including using an external hard drive or burning them to a CD.
#Tip 7. Keep it tidy
Finally, one of the best tips for organizing your fonts is to keep things tidy. This means taking a few minutes each week to sort through your fonts and delete any that you no longer need. It also means keeping your folders labeled and organized so that you can find the fonts you need when you need them.
Summing up
Font organization is an essential part of the design, especially when you want to create a hierarchy or emphasis certain words or phrases. Using the five tips we’ve outlined in this post, you can quickly and easily organize your fonts for any project, big or small. Have you utilized any of these methods before? What has been your experience? Let us know in the comments below!