How to Easily Install Custom Fonts for Note-taking on iPad (or iPhone)

When it comes to note-taking on the iPad, you must check Goodnotes, Noteshelf, or similar note-taking apps. These are great for writing work notes, organizing your schedule, projects, or clients, and writing beautiful personal notes using your favorite typeface.

Why add fonts on iPad or iPhone?

Most people use custom fonts for different types of notes – for example, they might use a serif typeface for notes on a book they’re reading and a sans serif font for their daily to-do list.

But let’s be honest, who has time to find new fonts on the internet when you’re handling an intense work schedule?

There’s no excuse now because…

I’ll show you how to easily install fonts on your iPad (or iPhone)

Adding a handwriting font to Goodnotes is a great way to add a personal touch to your notes and journals. Plus, there are many free fonts available online so you can constancy add fonts on the iPad or iPhone, for note-taking in Goodnotes (Noteshelf, Notability or similar apps).

Just remember: if you’re using a custom font on your iPad, you must also install it on the iPhone, or else your digital notes may look messy when viewed on the iPhone.

How to add fonts … in less than 7 minutes

In this tutorial, I’ll show all the steps to add fonts on the iPad or iPhone, from downloading the font app to installed fonts so that even those without much technical know-how can create beautiful-looking documents.

Plus, there are a few reasons why you’ll want to use only the fonts you love:

1. your notes will look more unique and stylish

2. you can use a custom font for a custom purpose to organize your notes better(i.e., title, headings, body text)

3. make notes easier to read

But before I move forward, I want to make sure you know what a digital planner on the iPad is…

A digital planner is like a paper planner, just on the iPad

You can use your iPad as a digital planner to take notes, plan your day-to-day tasks, and organize your thoughts. Digital planners are usually easier to carry around with you, and they allow you to quickly and easily search through your notes or share notes with others.

Technically, a digital planner is a PDF file with navigation tabs that you can annotate. To start, you’ll need an iPad with a compatible Apple Pencil, a note-taking application (like Goodnotes, Noteshelf, or Notability), and a PDF digital planner template (try my FREEBIES Vault with 17+ free digital planner templates).

Warning: it may get addictive to using these pdf planner templates

Next, let’s see how to make your notes beautiful using a custom typeface.

Step 1: Use an iOS font app to install new fonts on your iPad or iPhone

There are a few different font apps that you can use on the iPad for system fonts installation and as a font manager. These include iFont, Font Diner, AnyFont, and more, and you can download them from the App Store.

This tutorial will illustrate how I use iFont as a font manager and system fonts installation to get fonts installed faster.

How to download the iFont app to install new fonts

To download iFont, open the App Store, search for “iFont,” then tap on the “Get” button to download and install the app’s free version.

Once the installation is completed, open iFont and get familiar with its layout before you start to install fonts.

Step 2: Find & download custom fonts on the iPad

I bring good news: you’ll find tons of great font libraries across the internet. A quick search for “free font iPad” will give you plenty of results.

The most popular free fonts websites are DaFont, FontSpace, Creative Market, Google Fonts, and 1001 Free Fonts. Take some time to look through these resources and pic your new font for commercial use (use it for work) or personal use (use it for personal notes).

How to download fonts on the iPad?

You have two options to add fonts on your iPad or iPhone. You can download a system font directly from a website or use third-party apps to download the new fonts.

Option 1: Download a system font from a website

Start by browsing through the internet and once you’ve found a font that you like, download it to your iPad’s Downloads folder as a zip, .ttf, and .otf format.

However, downloading a font file on the iPad is not enough! So, keep reading …

Next, open the iFont home screen, (1) tap “Import,” and (2) select the font’s ZIP file to import. Confirm the font selection by (3) taping “Import” again. That font will get added to the list with installed fonts and fonts to install (4). 

Repeat this step for every font you’ve saved on your iPad.

Option 2: Use third-party apps to download the new fonts.

Use the iFont to download fonts from Google Fonts, Dafont, Fontspace (or tap “+” to add other resources).

You can also use the iFont to install a previously saved font, as long as you know the location you saved it at.

Open the iFont and in the Installer tab (home screen), (1) tap the “Find fonts to install” blue button, then (2) pick the fonts’ source (eg: Dafont) and browse the list until you find a font to love.

Once you’ve found a font, (3) tap the download button (it’s a color gradient button) to get started. 

A pop-up window will open and display the font details. Tap the “Import” blue button if you’re done with your font search or “Import & Continue Browser” if you want to find and download more fonts.

Where to find downloaded fonts in the iFont app

The recently saved fonts will appear as a list in the Installer tab. 

If a font shows the Install button, it means you have to install it.

If the font displays the Installed button, it means that the font is successfully installed and ready to use.

Step 3: Install your favorite fonts

How to install a single font

In the Installer tab, locate the font you want to install (from the list with saved fonts) and tap “Install” (the blue button).

A series of pop-up windows will appear to continue the installation process. Tap the “Continue,” then tap on all the confirmations buttons to complete the process. Lastly, you’ll be prompted to open the Settings app and continue with the configuration profile settings.

In the iPad (or iPhone) Settings, tap “Profile Downloaded,” then tap “Install” (a few times) until you finish installing the font. Hit “Done” when you’ve finished, then go back to the iFont to see if the new font was successfully installed.

How to install multiple fonts at once

If you’re a typeface addict, you’ll want to know how to select and install the fonts in bulk. In the Installer screen, (1) tap “Select” on the top left corner and (2) select all the downloaded fonts you want to install. Under the list with the fonts to install, you’ll find the “Install” purple button. 

(3) Tap “Install,” then (4) hit “Next” in the pop-up window, and follow the confirmations screens until you’re prompted to open the Settings app and continue with the configuration profile settings.

In the iPad Settings, tap “Profile Downloaded,” then tap “Install” (a few times) until you finish installing the font. Hit “Done” when you’ve finished, then go back to the iFont to see if the new font was successfully installed.

Note: when installing multiple fonts at once, only one font will appear as installed in your iPad’s Font Profile; however, you’ll notice that all new fonts are already available in Goodnotes or similar apps.

Step 4: Check Goodnotes and locate the new fonts

In the Goodnotes app, open a notebook and pick the Text tool. Now you’ll be able to tap the list with fonts and locate the newly installed fonts you’ve recently added. 

Now you’re ready to choose the font you want to use and enjoy taking fancy notes inside your digital planners.

Did you find this article helpful? Let me know.

New to digital planning on the iPad?

If you’re just starting and you’re not sure which app to look into, grab a coffee and discover:

— best practices to create, manage and navigate digital notebooks: Goodnotes vs Notability vs Noteshelf side-by-side part 1
— how to take notes, use images and shapes: GoodNotes vs. Notability vs. Noteshelf part 2

Also, don’t forget that you can try my BESTSELLERS digital planner templates for free.

Or check my individual products:

EXTRA Goodies…

Handwriting is a lovely experience with the right tools. Once you choose your annotations app, writing with the Apple Pencil on the iPad is as close as it gets to writing on paper. And there’s an extra thing you can do to make your experience even better:

• apply a paperlike screen protector
• use the cleaning kit to keep the screen clean
• use a paperlike pencil grips to keep a good grip on the pen.

If you have any questions or comments, them in the comments section below.