How To Add Delete Font Davinci Resolve

Customising your video titles and graphics in DaVinci Resolve starts with having the right fonts. Unlike some creative software, Resolve doesn't have its own font manager. Instead, it cleverly uses the fonts already installed on your computer's operating system. This guide walks you through the complete process of how to add and delete fonts for DaVinci Resolve on both Windows and macOS. We'll cover finding safe fonts, installing them correctly, and removing the ones you no longer need, ensuring your workflow is smooth and your projects look professional.

Fast Answer

Where to add/delete: In your computer's system settings (Windows) or Font Book (macOS), not inside DaVinci Resolve.
Key Action: You must restart DaVinci Resolve after installing or deleting a font for the change to take effect.

5-10 Minutes Time needed

Beginner Difficulty

System font deletion Watch out for

Before You Start

Administrative Access: You will need administrator permissions on your Windows PC or Mac to install and remove fonts system-wide.
DaVinci Resolve: Ensure the software is installed. This process works for both the free and Studio versions.
Font Files: Have the font you want to install downloaded, typically in .TTF (TrueType Font) or .OTF (OpenType Font) format.
Internet Connection: Needed to browse and download new fonts from online libraries.

Check first: Never delete fonts that came pre-installed with your operating system. Removing system fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, or Helvetica can cause serious problems with how your computer and other applications display text. Only delete fonts that you have added yourself.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Find and Download Safe Fonts

Your first step is to find the font you want to use. It's crucial to download from reputable sources to avoid corrupt files or malware. Good sources provide clear licensing information, which tells you if you can use the font for personal or commercial projects.

Some reliable places to find fonts include:

Google Fonts: A massive library of free, open-source fonts that are safe for commercial use.
Adobe Fonts: Included with an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, offering thousands of high-quality fonts.
Font Squirrel: Curates free fonts from various sources and verifies them for commercial use.

Once you've found a font, download it. It will usually arrive as a .ZIP file. Find the ZIP file in your Downloads folder and extract it. Inside, you will find the font files ending in .ttf or .otf.

Tip: Pay close attention to the font license. A "free for personal use" font cannot be used in a monetised YouTube video or a project for a client. Look for fonts with an "Open Font License" (OFL) or clear commercial use permissions.

Step 2: How to Install a Font on Windows

On a Windows computer, installing a font is a straightforward process. After you've unzipped your downloaded font folder, locate the .ttf or .otf file.

You have two main options for installation:

Install for Current User: Simply right-click the font file and select Install. This makes the font available only for your user account. This is the most common and recommended method for most users.
Install for All Users: For the font to be available to every user account on the computer, right-click the font file and select Install for all users. You may be prompted for an administrator password.

After a brief installation window, the font is now part of your Windows system. You can verify it by going to Settings > Personalisation > Fonts and searching for its name.

Step 3: How to Install a Font on macOS

For Mac users, the process is managed through a built-in application called Font Book. It's just as simple as on Windows.

After downloading and unzipping your font, find the .ttf or .otf file in your Finder.
Double-click the font file. This will automatically open a preview window in the Font Book app.
In the bottom-right corner of the preview window, click the Install Font button.

Font Book will install and validate the font. It is now available to all applications on your Mac, including DaVinci Resolve. You can see all your installed fonts by opening the Font Book application from your Applications folder.

Step 4: Making DaVinci Resolve See the New Font

This is the most important step and where many people get stuck. DaVinci Resolve only scans for system fonts when it first starts up. If Resolve was open while you installed the font, it won't see it yet.

You must completely quit and restart DaVinci Resolve. Simply minimising the window is not enough. Go to DaVinci Resolve > Quit DaVinci Resolve from the top menu or use the standard close button.

Once you reopen the software and go to a project:

Add a Text+ node or title to your timeline.
Select the title and open the Inspector panel.
In the 'Font' dropdown menu, you can now search for or scroll to your newly installed font. It will appear in the list alphabetically.

Tip: If the font still doesn't appear after a restart, reboot your entire computer. This forces a complete refresh of all system services and ensures the font is fully registered with the operating system.

Step 5: How to Delete a Font on Windows

Keeping your font list clean helps you find what you need faster. To delete a font you've added on Windows, you must uninstall it from the system settings.

Close DaVinci Resolve and any other applications using the font.
Open the Settings app (you can press Windows Key + I).
Navigate to Personalisation and then click on the Fonts section.
In the search bar under 'Available fonts', type the name of the font you want to remove.
Click on the font's card when it appears in the search results.
On the font's detail page, click the Uninstall button. Confirm the action when prompted.

The font is now removed from your system. The next time you open DaVinci Resolve, it will no longer be available.

Step 6: How to Delete a Font on macOS

On a Mac, you'll use the Font Book application again to manage and remove fonts. It's a safe process that prevents you from accidentally deleting critical system fonts.

Close DaVinci Resolve.
Open the Font Book application (found in your Applications folder).
In the search bar in the top-right corner, type the name of the font you wish to delete.
In the list of fonts, right-click (or Control-click) on the font family you want to remove.
From the context menu, select Remove "[Font Name]" Family.
A confirmation dialogue will appear. Click Remove to permanently delete the font.

Like with installation, the font will be gone from the list in DaVinci Resolve the next time you launch the application.

Warning: If you open a DaVinci Resolve project that used a font you have now deleted, the software will automatically substitute it with a default font. This can ruin the look of your titles. Be certain you no longer need a font in any existing projects before deleting it.

Quick Reference

Situation	Use This Method	Why
Font not appearing in Resolve	Quit and restart DaVinci Resolve.	Resolve only loads the system font list on startup. A restart forces it to rescan.
Want to remove a font	Use Windows Settings > Fonts or the macOS Font Book app.	Fonts are managed by the operating system, not by DaVinci Resolve directly.
Installing multiple styles of one font (Bold, Italic, etc.)	Install all the separate .ttf or .otf files for the font family.	DaVinci Resolve needs each specific font weight/style file to be installed to use it.
Concerned about breaking something	Never delete a font you didn't install yourself.	System fonts are required for your computer and apps to function correctly.

Common Problems When You Add or Delete Fonts in DaVinci Resolve

Even though the process is simple, a few common issues can pop up. Here’s how to troubleshoot them.

Problem: The New Font Is Not Showing Up in DaVinci Resolve

This is the most frequent issue. 99% of the time, the solution is to completely close and restart DaVinci Resolve. If you've done that and it's still missing:

Restart Your Computer: A full system reboot can solve stubborn caching issues.
Verify Installation: Check if the font appears in other programs like Microsoft Word or Apple Pages. If it doesn't show up there either, the font didn't install correctly in the operating system. Try installing it again.
Check Font Compatibility: Very old or poorly made font files can sometimes be incompatible. Try a different font from a reputable source like Google Fonts to see if the issue is with that specific file.

Problem: DaVinci Resolve Crashes on Startup After Installing a Font

This is rare but indicates a corrupt or badly-coded font file. The font is causing an error when Resolve tries to load it. The fix is to remove the font you just installed.

Follow the steps above to delete the most recently added font from your Windows or macOS system.
Try starting DaVinci Resolve again. It should now launch correctly.
Find a different version of the font or an alternative from a more reliable source.

Problem: A Deleted Font Still Appears in an Old Project

If you delete a font, DaVinci Resolve will substitute it with a default font in any project that used it. The text will still be there, but it will look different. There is no "missing font" warning like in Adobe apps. You need to be mindful of this and select a new font for those titles manually. This is why it's a good habit to archive project assets, including the specific font files used, with your project backups.

Advanced Tips for Managing Fonts in DaVinci Resolve

For editors and creators who use many different fonts, a few advanced practices can save time and prevent system clutter.

Use a Font Manager Application

Having hundreds or thousands of fonts installed can slightly slow down your computer and make font lists in Resolve unwieldy. A dedicated font manager like FontBase (free and paid versions) or Typeface (Mac-only) can help. These tools let you:

Activate/Deactivate Fonts: You can turn fonts "on" or "off" without uninstalling them. Activate a font just for a specific project, and then deactivate it to keep your system clean.
Organise Fonts: Create collections for different clients, projects, or styles (e.g., 'Sci-Fi Fonts', 'Wedding Fonts').
Preview Fonts Easily: Quickly type out sample text to see how it looks in hundreds of fonts at once.

When using a font manager, you simply activate the font you need, then restart DaVinci Resolve for it to appear.

Understand Font Licensing for Video

As a video creator, you must be aware of font licenses. Using a "free for personal use" font in a video for a client or on a monetised YouTube channel can lead to legal trouble. Always check the license file (often a .TXT file included in the download) or the website's terms. Look for keywords like "100% free," "commercial use allowed," or licenses like the SIL Open Font License (OFL) which are safe for nearly any project.

Archive Fonts with Your Projects

To future-proof your work, create a folder named "Assets" or "Fonts" inside each DaVinci Resolve project folder. Copy the .ttf or .otf files for every custom font you use in that project into this folder. If you ever need to reopen the project on a new computer or after a system reinstall, you'll have the exact fonts you need, ready to be installed.

How To Add Delete Font DaVinci Resolve FAQ

Can I install fonts directly into a DaVinci Resolve folder?

No. DaVinci Resolve does not have its own font folder. It relies exclusively on the fonts registered and installed at the operating system level (Windows or macOS).

What font file types work with DaVinci Resolve?

DaVinci Resolve supports any font format your operating system supports. This universally includes TrueType Fonts (.ttf) and OpenType Fonts (.otf). These two formats will cover virtually all fonts you can find online.

Do I need DaVinci Resolve Studio to use custom fonts?

No. The ability to use custom system fonts is a core feature and works perfectly in the free version of DaVinci Resolve as well as the Studio version.

Where can I find free fonts that are safe for commercial use?

Google Fonts is the best resource for high-quality, free fonts that are licensed for commercial projects. Font Squirrel is another excellent site that curates and verifies commercially safe free fonts.

What happens if I send a project to someone who doesn't have my custom font?

When they open the project, DaVinci Resolve will substitute the missing font with a default system font. The text will not be missing, but the design will be broken. To collaborate effectively, you must send the font files (.ttf or .otf) along with the project file so the other editor can install them.

Final Checklist for Adding and Deleting Fonts

You downloaded your font files from a reputable, safe source.
You checked the font's license to ensure it's suitable for your project (personal vs. commercial).
You correctly installed the font in your Windows or macOS system settings, not in Resolve.
You completely quit and restarted DaVinci Resolve to load the new font list.
You verified the font appears in the 'Font' dropdown menu in the Text+ inspector.
Before deleting a font, you confirmed it is not a protected system font.
You understand that deleting a font will cause it to be substituted in any old projects that used it.