Glossary A–ZLetter F
Font licence
A font licence governs what a typeface may be used for; font files are usually not bought outright but licensed on defined terms.
The licence sets out the purposes, the number of devices or users and whether the font may be passed on.
There are usually separate licences for desktop use, meaning designing print and images on one's own computer, for web, for apps and for embedding in software or devices. For digital signage the difference is crucial: if a font is only rendered into an image or video, a desktop licence is often sufficient. If, however, the font file is distributed to players that render text themselves, as with HTML5 content or templates, this frequently counts as embedding or redistribution and needs a separate licence.
Operators should check the licence terms of the corporate typeface before it is distributed to many screens; some licences count devices or screens. Free fonts under an open licence usually allow redistribution explicitly. Loading a font from third-party servers also has consequences: data is transferred, and without a connection the font is missing.