Free online PFB to TTF converter

Modern operating systems and applications may reject legacy Type 1 fonts stored as .pfb, while accepting TrueType fonts for installation, editing, embedding, or document exchange. Converting the font creates a single .ttf file that is easier to use in current software, provided the matching metric data is available.

What the PFB format is

PFB is the binary form of an Adobe Type 1 PostScript font. It contains the font program and encrypted glyph outlines, but it normally does not contain all of the metrics and encoding information required for reliable use by itself.

A complete Type 1 font package commonly includes files with the same basename, such as MyFont.pfb and MyFont.pfm. The Windows Printer Font Metrics file (.pfm) supplies character widths and other installation metrics. An Adobe Font Metrics file (.afm) is an ASCII metrics file often used by font software and may contain more detailed data, including kerning pairs.

PFB files are found in legacy Windows font packages, older desktop-publishing collections, and fonts made with tools such as Fontographer, FontLab, and earlier Adobe software. A PFB file alone may be insufficient to reproduce the original spacing, encoding, or character set.

What the TTF format is

TTF, or TrueType Font, stores scalable glyph outlines, metrics, character mappings, and optional TrueType hinting instructions in one file. Windows, macOS, Linux, office software, browsers, design applications, and many printers support it directly.

TTF is useful when software does not recognize Type 1 fonts, when a font must be installed on a current operating system, or when a single-file font is easier to distribute and archive. Conversion changes the font format; it does not improve the original artwork, remove licensing restrictions, or guarantee identical rendering.

How to convert PFB to TTF

Using FontForge on a computer

1. Install the desktop version of FontForge.
2. Put the PFB file and its matching .pfm or .afm file in the same folder. Keep their basenames identical, for example MyFont.pfb and MyFont.pfm.
3. Open FontForge and select File → Open, then open the .pfb file. If FontForge asks for a metrics or encoding file, select the matching file supplied with the font.
4. Inspect representative glyphs, accented characters, punctuation, and spacing. Open Element → Font Info to check the family, style, copyright, and naming fields before generating a new font.
5. Select File → Generate Fonts, choose TrueType as the output format, specify a filename ending in .ttf, and generate the font.
6. Reopen the generated TTF in FontForge or install it temporarily for testing. Check ordinary text, accented characters, kerning, line spacing, and small-size rendering before replacing the original font.

FontForge can also be scripted from a terminal:

fontforge -lang=ff -c 'Open($1); Generate($2)' input.pfb output.ttf

Keep the associated metric file beside input.pfb. A conversion that uses only the PFB may produce incorrect widths or missing kerning, depending on the font.

Using 101convert.com

For a no-install conversion, upload the PFB file to 101convert.com, select TTF as the output format, start the conversion, and download the result. If the service provides an option to include associated metric data, add the matching .pfm or .afm file. Do not upload a font when its license or distribution terms prohibit third-party processing.

Quality and compatibility limitations

Type 1 hinting is not the same as TrueType hinting and cannot always be transferred exactly. Text may therefore render differently at small sizes, particularly on low-resolution displays. A converted TTF can also expose malformed outlines, duplicate glyphs, missing metrics, or incomplete encoding data that was tolerated by older software.

Review warnings reported by FontForge before generating the file. Test the complete character set and compare widths and kerning with the original Type 1 font. Some fonts need manual correction of naming, encoding, outlines, or spacing after conversion.

Check the font license before installing, embedding, modifying, or distributing the TTF. Conversion does not grant permission to redistribute a commercial or restricted font. For new font development, OpenType is often preferred over TTF, but TTF remains appropriate when a program specifically requires it.