Installing fonts in Windows can be a non-stop click fest without some handy shortcut actions. Typically, the process involves navigating deep into the operating system’s substructure followed by a series of pull down and scroll down options, similar to calling a major corporation and getting caught up in their round robin of recordings.

While there are programs available to help ease the strain of installing fonts, font tasks can be accomplished easily with the right know-how and no special programs at all. Let’s set up some shortcuts.

Create the shortcut

Go to the Control Panel (Start › Control Panel or Start › Run › Type “Control” › Click “OK”). Right click on Fonts and choose Create Shortcut. Choose Yes when asked to put a shortcut on the Desktop. Minimize your windows to see your Desktop and the newly created “Shortcut to Fonts” folder. You can optionally rename the folder — I’ve named mine “Install Fonts”.

Shortcut 1 – Add an Install folder anywhere. Drag ‘n drop.

The “Install Fonts” shortcut folder can now be moved anywhere, or left on the Desktop. To install a font, drag the font file (somefontfile.ttf) and drop it onto the “Install Fonts” folder. The install process will begin immediately.

Shortcut 2 – Send to the “Send To” menu.

Thumbnail: click to view

This is my favorite method and even faster than the previous method.
Right click on the new “Install Fonts” folder and choose Cut. Navigate to your Send To folder, usually located at C:\Documents and Settings\«username»\SendTo. Once in this folder, right click and choose Paste to drop in the shortcut folder.

To install a font from now on, right click on the font file (somefontfile.ttf) and choose Send To, then “Install Fonts”. The install process will begin immediately.

Tip: You can select multiple font files to be installed all at once.