How to convert TTF to PFB
- Add your .TTF file - drop it in the box above or click to browse.
- Convert it to .PFB in a few seconds.
- Download your new .PFB file.
What to expect
- Quadratic TrueType outlines are approximated as cubic Type 1 curves, so glyph shapes are very close but not identical.
- TrueType hinting and advanced OpenType-style features do not carry into Type 1; the PFB is a simpler font.
- Type 1 is legacy: a PFB often needs a companion metrics file, and modern OSes may have limited or deprecated support.
Frequently asked questions
What changes converting TTF to PFB?
The font is rebuilt from TrueType (sfnt tables with quadratic Bezier outlines) into a PostScript Type 1 font, whose glyphs use cubic Bezier curves. FontForge converts the outlines, which are approximated between the two curve models.
Why convert a TTF to PFB?
PFB is Adobe's legacy Type 1 format from 1985, still required by some older PostScript printing and prepress workflows. Converting lets a modern TrueType face feed into tools that only accept Type 1.
How do I install or use the resulting PFB?
A Type 1 font typically needs the .pfb plus a companion metrics file in the same folder before it installs. Type 1 is a legacy format, and some current operating systems have deprecated support for it.
Is the conversion perfectly faithful?
Not exactly. Converting quadratic TrueType curves to cubic Type 1 outlines involves approximation, and Type 1 supports fewer glyphs and advanced typographic features than TrueType, so hinting and some characters may be simplified or dropped.
Programs that convert TTF: Fontographer · TypeTool · Fontographer for Mac · TypeTool for Mac · FreeFontConverter · Online font converter
