Most of the educational institutions are still using Microsoft Fonts. I am not sure about other countries. But in Tamilnadu (India), Times New Roman and Arial fonts are still being widely used by almost all sorts of documentation works, projects, and assignments in colleges and schools. Not only the educational institutions, most government and private offices, small organizations, and shops are still using MS Windows Fonts. Just in case, if you are in a situation where you need to use Windows fonts, here is how to install Microsoft Windows fonts in Ubuntu Linux desktops.
Disclaimer: Microsoft has released its core fonts for free. However, Please be aware that usage of Microsoft fonts is prohibited in other operating systems. Read the EULA carefully before installing MS Fonts in any Linux operating system. We (OSTechNix) are not responsible for any kind of piracy act.
Install Microsoft fonts in Ubuntu 18.04 and 16.04 LTS desktops
Install MS TrueType Fonts as shown below:
$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install ttf-mscorefonts-installer
Microsoft's End user agreement wizard will appear. Click OK to continue.
Click Yes to accept the Microsoft agreement:
After installing the fonts, we need to update the font cache using command:
$ sudo fc-cache -f -v
Sample output:
/usr/share/fonts: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 6 dirs /usr/share/fonts/X11: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 4 dirs /usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1: caching, new cache contents: 8 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/X11/encodings: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 1 dirs /usr/share/fonts/X11/encodings/large: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/X11/misc: caching, new cache contents: 89 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/X11/util: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/cMap: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/cmap: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 5 dirs /usr/share/fonts/cmap/adobe-cns1: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/cmap/adobe-gb1: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/cmap/adobe-japan1: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/cmap/adobe-japan2: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/cmap/adobe-korea1: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/opentype: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 2 dirs /usr/share/fonts/opentype/malayalam: caching, new cache contents: 3 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/opentype/noto: caching, new cache contents: 24 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 46 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/Gargi: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/Gubbi: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/Nakula: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/Navilu: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/Sahadeva: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/Sarai: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/abyssinica: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu: caching, new cache contents: 6 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/droid: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-beng-extra: caching, new cache contents: 6 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-deva-extra: caching, new cache contents: 3 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-gujr-extra: caching, new cache contents: 5 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-guru-extra: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-kalapi: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-orya-extra: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-telu-extra: caching, new cache contents: 2 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/freefont: caching, new cache contents: 12 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/kacst: caching, new cache contents: 15 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/kacst-one: caching, new cache contents: 2 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/lao: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/liberation: caching, new cache contents: 16 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/liberation2: caching, new cache contents: 12 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-assamese: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-bengali: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-devanagari: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-gujarati: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-kannada: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-malayalam: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-oriya: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-punjabi: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-tamil: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-tamil-classical: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-telugu: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/malayalam: caching, new cache contents: 11 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/msttcorefonts: caching, new cache contents: 60 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/noto: caching, new cache contents: 2 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/openoffice: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/padauk: caching, new cache contents: 4 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/pagul: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/samyak: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/samyak-fonts: caching, new cache contents: 3 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/sinhala: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/tibetan-machine: caching, new cache contents: 1 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/tlwg: caching, new cache contents: 58 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-khmeros-core: caching, new cache contents: 2 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/truetype/ubuntu: caching, new cache contents: 13 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/share/fonts/type1: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 1 dirs /usr/share/fonts/type1/gsfonts: caching, new cache contents: 35 fonts, 0 dirs /usr/local/share/fonts: caching, new cache contents: 0 fonts, 0 dirs /home/sk/.local/share/fonts: skipping, no such directory /home/sk/.fonts: skipping, no such directory /var/cache/fontconfig: cleaning cache directory /home/sk/.cache/fontconfig: cleaning cache directory /home/sk/.fontconfig: not cleaning non-existent cache directory fc-cache: succeeded
Install Microsoft windows fonts in dual boot with Linux and Windows
If you have dual boot system with Linux and Windows operating system, you can easily install the MS fonts from Windows C drive. All you have to do is mount the Windows partition (C:/Windows).
I assume you have mounted the C:\Windows partition at /Windowsdrive directory in Linux.
Now, link the fonts location to your Linux system's fonts folder as shown below.
ln -s /Windowsdrive/Windows/Fonts /usr/share/fonts/WindowsFonts
After linking the fonts folder, regenerate the fontconfig cache using command:
fc-cache
Alternatively, copy all Windows fonts to /usr/share/fonts directory and install the fonts using the following commands:
mkdir /usr/share/fonts/WindowsFonts
cp /Windowsdrive/Windows/Fonts/* /usr/share/fonts/WindowsFonts
chmod 755 /usr/share/fonts/WindowsFonts/*
Finally, regenerate the fontconfig cache using command:
fc-cache
Test and use windows fonts in Ubuntu
Open LibreOffice or GIMP after installing MS Fonts. Now, you will see there the Microsoft coretype fonts.
That's it. Hope this guide useful.
Update 1:
Mscorefonts comes preinstalled in Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS desktop. So, I guess the latest Ubuntu 18.04 LTS desktop users need not to install it.
Update 2:
If you accidentally rejected license agreement during upgrade from Ubuntu 16.04 LTS to 18.04.3 LTS, you can reinstall the installer to get the license agreement by running the following command:
$ sudo apt-get install --reinstall ttf-mscorefonts-installer
Thanks Arno77.
34 comments
Awesome blog. Everything is so well detailed.
Thank you. Your kind words encourages me to write more. Keep visiting and share a word about our site in your social networks. Thanks again.
Thanks for the info
Like a chorus, thank you for this!
Thanks, it worked just fine!
Great tutorial! Thanks a lot!
Tutorial is excellent but I’m not at all technical and stuck. Using ubuntu 16.04 LTS. ran ‘sudo apt-get install ttf-mscorefonts-installer’. When license agreement appeared, I scrolled to its end, clicked on . But it’s is not clickable. Nothing happens when clicked upon. Can’t get to window that accepts license agreement to continue installing. Any tip would be appreciated as I sure would like these fonts.
Please disregard this question. Strangely I was installing a program from the ubuntu software center and in the process the Microsoft acceptance window for these fonts appeared. I accepted, and continued the above process. I now have these fonts. Thank you very much for this tutorial.
Late but.. use the arrow button and then press enter.
Many thanks!
In Ubuntu 17.10 (Zesty) clicking the button has no interaction. Instead you must use blind user controls: push Tab to select the button and the space bar to press it. Left and right arrow keys to choose yes or no and then space again.
“If you have dual boot system with Linux and Windows operating system, you can easily install the MS fonts from Windows C drive.”
But what should we do if it is not a dual boot?
Install “ttf-mscorefonts-installer” package as described in the first method.
Thank you so much. Greetings from Mexico
Gracias!! Me salvaste!!!! Saludos desde Argentina!!
De nada, mi amigo!
anyone have install font new garrret on libre office, os ubuntu 14.04?
Thanks a lot, it’s work!
Thanks, that work for me !
In my case, the process hangs at this stupid system about Eula license.
At first try, after many tries on , it started and stopped at about 40%
At second try, no way to get out of the licence screen…
It would be nice to have the liste of these fonts also, so that we can just install them manually from Windows partition when we have a double boot installation like me.
Not working
(Found solutuon)
Apparently there is a bug in sourceforg when it says
E: download failed
But I found a way to install theme anyaways
Hope this helps :
https://sourceforge.net/p/corefonts/bugs/34/
🙂
Thanks Buddy Work for me 🙂
Very useful, thank you.
However, I’ve got a problem: I manged to install the package through terminal and I also managed to update the cache… after some seconds a message tells me that I need to download the fonts, but after I entered my password, it doesn’t work. Is there any solution? I opened Libreoffice and the fonts aren’t there.
Thanks in advance.
After accepting the EULA & Licence, I get:
Err:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/arial32.exe
Redirection from https to ‘http://downloads.sourceforge.net/mirrorproblem?failedmirror=netix.dl.sourceforge.net’ is forbidden [IP: 87.121.121.2 443]
E: Failed to fetch https://netix.dl.sourceforge.net/project/corefonts/the fonts/final/arial32.exe Redirection from https to ‘http://downloads.sourceforge.net/mirrorproblem?failedmirror=netix.dl.sourceforge.net’ is forbidden [IP: 87.121.121.2 443]
E: Download Failed
I’ve tried it repeatedly with no success.
Thank you, worked perfectly.
What theme are you using on your terminal?
My pleasure. It is Deepin Terminal. I use Deepin DE on Arch Linux.
I use Libre Office Version: 6.0.7.3
Build ID: 1:6.0.7-0ubuntu0.18.04.9
I tried those command but could not have the Times New Roman in there.
Mscorefonts comes preinstalled in Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS desktop. So, the latest Ubuntu 18.04 LTS desktop users need to install it. Which Ubuntu version are you using?
Thanks a lot!
Great. Thanks.
Accidentally rejected license agreement during upgrade from Ubuntu 16.04 LTS to 18.04.3 LTS. So had to install the fonts manually after upgrade was finished.
In that case you need to reinstall the installer to get the license agreement running:
sudo apt-get install –reinstall ttf-mscorefonts-installer
(Found this info in )
Did not need to update the font cache.
Thanks for the tip. I updated the guide with your input.
it works! thank you very much…
Thanks for sharing. I use an alternative procedure. However, some fonts cannot be copied to Ubuntu. At the terminal the message “cp: cannot stat ‘/media/MyComputer/OS/Windows/Fonts/vgaf874.fon’: Input / output error”. There are many messages displayed like this. Could you explain to me why that happened? Thanks for your answer.
At our college, Times New Roman and Arial fonts are used in all documents. Thanks for the advice on Ubuntu.