FontMaster — User Manual

For designers using FontMaster day to day. Written 2026-10-09. Testing site: https://fontmaster.princezanora.com · Future production site: https://fontmaster.io

Contents

1. What FontMaster does
2. Key ideas in two minutes
3. Getting started
4. Which browser? What works where
5. Finding your way around
6. Browsing and filtering fonts
7. Font cards explained
8. Your catalog and Sync
9. Trying fonts without installing them
10. Installing fonts
11. The FontMaster Agent
12. Favourites, projects, compare and pairing
13. Licenses
14. Recipes — common tasks step by step
15. Troubleshooting & FAQ
16. For administrators

1. What FontMaster does

FontMaster is your font library in the browser. It lets you:

• see every font you have — installed on this computer, stored in your personal cloud catalog, and all of Google Fonts — in one place;
• filter by look and feel: weight, serif/sans, scripts (Latin, Cyrillic, Greek…), and AI style tags like retro, elegant, geometric, for branding;
• preview any text in any colour, compare fonts side by side, get pairing suggestions, copy the CSS;
• keep a catalog of all your fonts in the cloud, so they're available on all your computers — even ones where they aren't installed;
• try downloaded font files instantly without installing them;
• install fonts onto a computer in bulk, and see each font's license status at a glance.

2. Key ideas in two minutes

3. Getting started

1. Open the site and click Register (top right). Confirm your email address using the link you receive, then Login.
2. Click All fonts in the left rail to open the explorer.
3. In Chrome or Edge: open the ⇅ Manage tab in the right sidebar and click ⇅ Sync. The browser asks permission to see your installed fonts; allow it. Your fonts are uploaded to your catalog. The first Sync can take a few minutes on a large font collection.
4. In Safari or Firefox: install the Agent first (see §11), then Sync. Without the Agent, these browsers can only show a catalog that was built from Chrome/Edge.
5. Over the next minutes or hours, AI tags appear on your fonts automatically (a ◌ classifying… chip shows which ones are still waiting).

Tip: theme (dark/light) is switched with the Theme button at the bottom of the left rail.

4. Which browser? What works where

Safari on Mac + Agent: this combination is still being tested. If Safari can't connect to the Agent, use Chrome or Edge on the Mac.

5. Finding your way around

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ FontMaster                                              👤 name  Logout    │  ← account
├──────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────────┤
│ Home     │ [Search fonts…]  Local | Catalog | Google   │ ◎ Explore ⇅ Manage│
│ All fonts│  ⇅ A–Z ▾   ▤ Cards  ▦ ☰        123 / 456    │                   │
│ Favourit.│ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐         │  Preview          │
│ Projects │ │ card │ │ card │ │ card │ │ card │         │  Weight           │
│          │ └──────┘ └──────┘ └──────┘ └──────┘         │  Classification   │
│          │ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ …                         │  Style, Script…   │
│ Theme    │                                             │  AI Visual Style  │
└──────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────┴───────────────────┘

• Left rail: Home · All fonts · Favourites · Projects (plus admin pages for admins) · Theme toggle.
• Top of the explorer:
  • Search (font name).
  • Source tabs:
    • Local: this computer + tried fonts + catalog fonts.
    • Catalog: only your catalog.
    • Google: all Google Fonts.
  • ⇅ Order: A–Z or Added (newest first).
  • ▤ Cards: rich or simple cards.
  • Grid/list view.
  • The count "shown / total".
  • When your install basket has fonts in it, a ⬇ Install (N) button.
• Right sidebar, two tabs:
  • ◎ Explore — everyday tools: Preview, filters, Find Similar.
  • ⇅ Manage — occasional chores: Sync, Agent, Try fonts, Install, Catalog, Licenses, Projects. A number badge on this tab means something needs attention: new unsynced fonts, catalog fonts missing here, or fonts waiting in the install basket.

6. Browsing and filtering fonts

All filters live in the ◎ Explore tab and combine with each other.

• Preview:
  • Type your own text and set the size.
  • Pick Text and Bg colours; ↺ resets them.
  • When you filter by a script (e.g. Cyrillic), the sample text switches to that alphabet, unless you typed your own.
• Weight: Min/Max sliders, 100 (thin) to 900 (black).
• Classification: Serif · Sans · Mono · Display · Script (handwriting).
• Style: Normal (upright, non-handwriting) · Italic · Cursive.
• 🌍 Script: Latin, Cyrillic, Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, Devanagari, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese…
  • Your installed fonts are checked glyph by glyph in the background; the progress shows as "Scripts: N%".
• 🇷🇸 Cyrillic Origin: Serbian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, or Any Cyrillic.
  • Based on which national letters the font actually contains (e.g. Serbian needs ђ ћ џ љ њ…).
• 🤖 AI Visual Style: one row of tags per category (Yesteryear, Future, Shape, Decorative, Mood, Themed, Style, Special scripts, Characteristics, Use case).
  • Pick at most one tag per category. Picks in different categories combine (e.g. Mood: playful AND Use case: packaging).
  • Tick Show AI tags on cards to print the tags on every card.
• Find Similar: type a font name and click Find. Fonts are re-ordered by similarity, with a % bar on each card. ✕ Clear ends it.

Search matches the font family name.

7. Font cards explained

Hover a card to show its buttons.

The coloured dot (availability)

Hover the dot for the exact explanation.

Badges

• ☁ In catalog: a copy is stored. The font works in any browser and on your other computers, and can be installed.
• Not synced: only on this computer. Press ⇅ Sync to store it.
• ⚠ Too large: the file is over 25 MB, so it can't be stored or classified.
• ☁ No own file: part of a font collection or variable family whose file is stored under a related font.
• ☁ No file: not uploaded from any computer yet.
• License: ✓ Free · ◐ Conditional · ● Paid · ? License · ✓ Licensed (see §13).
• ◌ classifying…: AI tags are on their way.
• 🏷 N: click it to show this card's N AI tags; click ▲ to hide them again.
• In rich mode cards also show weights, it (has italics), VAR (variable font), scripts and Cyrillic origins. Simple mode hides those.

Buttons

"No preview…" messages tell you honestly why a card can't show the font. Usually the font isn't on this computer and no copy is stored; Sync from the computer that has it. If an installed font draws blank, FontMaster shows your catalog copy instead and says so.

8. Your catalog and Sync

• Your catalog = every font you've ever synced from any of your computers, plus copies of their files, stored privately on the FontMaster server. Other users can't see it. Only the AI tags and general font facts are shared.
• Sync (Manage tab → ⇅ Sync). When it says ⇅ Sync (N new), N fonts on this computer aren't in your catalog yet.
  • Chrome/Edge: reads installed fonts directly (permission prompt the first time).
  • Any browser with the Agent: the Agent supplies the list. There's no prompt, and it works in Safari/Firefox.
  • Only files the server doesn't already have from you are uploaded. Re-syncing is quick.
• Sync only adds. Uninstalling a font doesn't remove it from your catalog. Its dot turns red or grey instead. To remove a font from the catalog, use ✕ on its card.
• Limits: 25 MB per font file, 512 MB of stored fonts per account. If storage is full, Sync reports "storage full".
• Catalog filters (Manage → Catalog):
  • All
  • In catalog
  • Not synced
  • Tried
  • Under assessment: still being classified.
  • Hide fonts missing from this machine: shows only what you can actually use here.
• Each computer counts separately. FontMaster identifies a computer by a random id saved in that browser. A different browser, or cleared site data, counts as a new computer.

9. Trying fonts without installing them

Downloaded 50 fonts and want to see them before installing?

1. Drag and drop files, ZIPs, or whole folders anywhere onto the FontMaster window. Or use Manage → ＋ Try font….
2. Supported: .ttf .otf .woff .woff2 and ZIPs containing them (including .ttc).
3. Tried fonts appear first in the Local tab with a blue dot. They behave like any font (preview, compare, filters) until you close or reload the tab.
4. Installable ones (ttf/otf/ttc) are automatically put in the install basket. If you like them, click ⬇ Install (N) / ⬇ Install selected (N). Untick ⬇ on cards you don't want.

Tried fonts are not uploaded and not added to your catalog.

10. Installing fonts

Browsers can't install fonts by themselves, so there are two ways:

With the Agent: click an install button, and the fonts are installed instantly and turn green. That's it.

Without the Agent: FontMaster downloads a ZIP containing the fonts and an install script.

1. Unzip it.
2. Run the script for your system:
   • Windows: install-windows.cmd
   • Mac: install-mac.command
   • Linux: install-linux.sh
   • Fonts are installed for your user only; no admin password is needed.
3. Fully quit and reopen your browser. A page reload isn't enough. Then Sync.

The install buttons (Manage tab):

If some fonts couldn't be installed, an Install bundle report lists each one and why. A common reason is web-only .woff/.woff2 files, which the operating system can't install.

Already-running design apps (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign…) only notice new fonts after you restart the app. This is true for every font manager.

11. The FontMaster Agent

A small helper app for Windows (system tray, near the clock) or Mac (menu bar, top right). It's optional.

What it gives you:

• Instant, one-click installs. No ZIPs, no scripts, no browser restarts.
• An always-current list of installed fonts, with correct dots right after installing or uninstalling.
• ⚡ Use: activates a catalog font for all apps on this computer, temporarily. It's ideal for licensed fonts you don't want permanently installed.
• Sync in Safari and Firefox.

Install it:

1. Manage tab → Agent section → ⬇ Install the Agent (vX).
2. Run the download.
   • Windows: double-click FontMaster.Agent.exe.
   • Mac: open FontMaster.Agent.zip, then double-click FontMaster Agent. macOS may ask once whether to open an app downloaded from the internet; click Open.
3. A message confirms it's installed and running. Keep the FontMaster page open: it connects by itself.
4. The Agent asks "Allow https://… to list, install and remove fonts…?" Click Allow. The page shows ✓ Connected.

No admin password is needed at any point. On Mac, the Agent is Apple Silicon only for now (M1 and newer).

If the Agent was already installed earlier, click 🔗 Pair with Agent instead. When a newer version exists, the button reads ⬆ Update the Agent; your pairing is kept.

The Agent menu (tray / menu-bar icon):

• Open FontMaster
• Deactivate all activated fonts
• Forget pairings: disconnects all sites; they'll have to ask again.
• Uninstall FontMaster Agent…
• Quit

The Agent starts automatically when you log in to your computer.

Activated fonts (⚡ Use) are listed under Manage → Agent, each with ✕ to deactivate, plus ✕ Deactivate all. They stay active across restarts until you deactivate them.

Privacy: the Agent only talks to FontMaster pages you've explicitly allowed, and only on your own computer. It never touches system fonts. It installs and removes only your personal fonts.

12. Favourites, projects, compare and pairing

• Favourites: ★ on any card. Open them with Favourites in the left rail.
• Projects (e.g. "Client X branding"):
  • ◆ Proj on a card opens the picker. Tick projects, or type a name and + Create & add.
  • Open your projects with Projects in the left rail; each project is a folder card. ◂ All projects goes back.
  • Manage → Projects lists, creates and deletes projects. Deleting doesn't ask for confirmation.
  • A project lists font names. Fonts that aren't available on this computer are listed but can't preview; Sync them from where they are.
• Compare: ⚖ Cmp on as many cards as you like. The bar at the bottom shows them all with your preview text, and each has its own ✕.
• Pair: suggests up to 3 contrasting fonts (e.g. a serif for a sans) and 2 from the same family, shown as heading + body text.
• CSS: copy-ready font-family CSS. Google fonts include the @import line.

13. Licenses

Every catalog font gets an automatic license status, read by the AI from the font's embedded license text:

To mark fonts you've bought, go to Manage → Licenses → ⚖ Manage licenses…. Search, select fonts, then click ✓ I own these or ○ Not owned. Free fonts need no marking.

The AI status is a helpful hint, not legal advice. Check the actual license for important commercial work.

14. Recipes — common tasks step by step

Set up a new computer with all my fonts

1. Log in on the new computer.
2. Optional but recommended: install the Agent.
3. Manage → ⬇ Install missing catalog (N).
4. With the Agent, you're done. Without it, run the install script from the ZIP, restart the browser, then Sync.

Use a licensed font in Photoshop today without installing it

1. Install and pair the Agent.
2. Find the font in the Catalog tab and click ⚡ Use.
3. Start (or restart) Photoshop. The font is there.
4. When you're finished: Manage → Agent → ✕ next to the font.

Sort through 100 downloaded fonts

1. Drag the folder or ZIPs onto FontMaster.
2. Compare, filter, and untick ⬇ on the ones you don't want.
3. Click ⬇ Install (N).

Find a retro Cyrillic display font that supports Serbian

1. Explore tab → Cyrillic Origin Serbian.
2. Classification Display.
3. AI Visual Style → Yesteryear → pick a tag.
4. Optionally Hide fonts missing from this machine.

Collect fonts for a client: use ◆ Proj → Create & add on the first font, then add the rest. Open it via Projects in the left rail.

Use a font Figma says is missing (Figma plugin, in testing): run the FontMaster plugin in Figma → Open in FontMaster → the Agent activates the fonts → Rescan in the plugin.

15. Troubleshooting & FAQ

I installed a font but FontMaster still shows it as missing (or the other way round).

• Without the Agent, browsers only read the font list at start-up. Fully quit the browser (all windows) and reopen it, then Sync.
• On Windows, a font can't be uninstalled while a browser is previewing it. Close the browser first.
• The Agent removes this problem entirely.

Safari/Firefox shows no "Sync" button.

• These browsers can't read installed fonts by themselves. Sync once from Chrome/Edge, or install the Agent.

A font shows "⚠ Too large" / has no AI tags.

• Files over 25 MB can't be stored, so they can't be classified.
• Fonts without a stored file stay "◌ classifying…" until a Sync uploads one.

My install bundle had fewer fonts than I selected.

• Look at the Install bundle report: it lists every skipped font and the reason (usually web-only woff/woff2 files, or no stored copy).

I installed a font but Illustrator doesn't show it.

• Restart Illustrator. Design apps read fonts only at start-up.

The page is stuck on "⏳ Waiting for the Agent…".

• Make sure you actually ran the downloaded file.
• On Mac, look for the menu-bar icon. If macOS blocked the app, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway.
• You can Cancel and later use 🔗 Pair with Agent.

The Agent says "not paired" / ✓ Connected disappeared.

• Someone used Forget pairings, or the browser's site data was cleared. Click 🔗 Pair with Agent again.

I didn't get the confirmation email.

• Check spam. An administrator can confirm your account on the Users page.

Is my font collection visible to others?

• No. Your catalog and font files are private. Only general font facts and AI tags are shared.

16. For administrators

Admins see two extra pages in the left rail.

• AI Classifications (/admin/classifications):
  • Whether the AI key is configured.
  • How many fonts are waiting, and an estimated cost (~$0.014 per font).
  • ⚡ Classify all now: processes the whole queue immediately.
  • Which fonts are held and why (no stored file, too large).
  • The latest tags.
• Users (/admin/users):
  • Confirm a user's email.
  • Grant/revoke admin. The last admin can't be removed.
  • Reset a password; a temporary password is shown to you.
  • Mark a user Paid. Their fonts get classified first. There's no billing yet; it's a manual flag.
  • Delete a user, together with all their data.
• On a brand-new server, the first person to register becomes the admin. Register right after deployment.