Brand font exploration
Find a small, distinctive font shortlist and test it at the depth the user requested. Keep licensing, local installation and rendered results as separate evidence states.
Choose the scope
- Research only: return candidates, sources, license status and fit. Do not download or install fonts.
- Specimen comparison: render candidate fonts on the actual brand text in an authorized design file or local specimen.
- Installation and Figma verification: install only the selected fonts, then confirm that Figma lists and renders them.
Research requires web access to foundry or distributor sources. The documented installation route uses Font Book on macOS and Figma Desktop. Other operating systems need their own verified font-management route; do not assume these steps are portable OS automation. Figma in a browser may require its local-font helper.
Set the brief and preserve the baseline
Resolve brand spelling and capitalization, initials/monogram variants, intended uses, required languages and glyphs, desired tone, weights and licensing budget. Use supplied sources and the current design file before asking questions.
For a design comparison, duplicate the existing treatment or create a separate exploration frame. Preserve the approved original. Compare identical brand text, size, color, alignment and starting tracking. Add initials, numerals, punctuation or body text only when relevant to the intended use.
Research and check licenses
Search by tone and use, then trace each candidate to its foundry, designer or reputable distributor. Preview the exact brand name rather than judging a promotional specimen alone. Shortlist fonts with different strengths.
Record the family/style, source, relevant license terms, glyph coverage, weights and reason for selection. Mark personal-use, demo or unclear licenses exploration only. Distinguish desktop/logo use from webfont, app embedding or client redistribution when relevant. Do not infer permission from a free download button. A font license purchase is a separate user decision.
Do not bundle font binaries in a delivered package unless their redistribution terms allow it.
Install only when requested
Inspect shortlisted archives and license files. Use only the intended OTF/TTF files; ignore unrelated executables and scripts. On macOS, preview the font in Font Book, check its actual internal family/style name and install at user level. Address duplicate or validation warnings before proceeding. Preserve existing fonts and downloads unless cleanup was requested.
Confirm the family appears in the local font manager. Return to Figma, search the exact family/style name and render the specimen on the canvas. A successful installation dialog does not prove Figma can use it.
If the font is absent, check enabled status, internal naming, font-helper availability and a safe application refresh. Save current work before restarting. Report the unresolved state instead of claiming the font works.
Compare and conclude
Check repeated letters, joins, counters, spacing, small-size readability and the brand's initials or monogram. Change one variable at a time and record tracking adjustments. Reject candidates that require missing glyphs, unsuitable licenses or unreadable spacing.
Return a concise table with candidate, source, license status, installation status, rendering status, fit and recommendation. Use not requested for skipped stages, not failed or verified.
A research-only request is complete when the shortlist and uncertainties are clear. A Figma-verification request is complete only when each recommended finalist is actually rendered in the specified file, or the remaining blocker is reported. Cite the relevant frame/file when available.