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Wingdings Font Download: Do You Need It, and Is It Legal?

Before downloading a Wingdings font file from a random site, check whether you already have it, and whether you need the font at all.

By Wingdings Translator Pro Editorial Team · Updated · 2 min read

Searching for a Wingdings font download leads to dozens of sites offering a free wingding.ttf. Before you download anything, it is worth knowing where the font actually comes from, whether you already have it, and whether you need the font at all.

You probably already have Wingdings

Wingdings has been included with Microsoft Windows since Windows 3.1 in 1992. If you use a Windows PC, it is almost certainly installed. Wingdings 2 and Wingdings 3 were distributed with Microsoft Office, and Webdings has shipped with Windows since the late 1990s.

How to check on Windows

  1. Open Settings, Personalization, Fonts, or open the folder C:\Windows\Fonts.
  2. Type “Wingdings” in the search box.
  3. You should see Wingdings, and possibly Wingdings 2, Wingdings 3 and Webdings.

How to check on a Mac

Open Font Book and search for “Wingdings”. If Microsoft Office for Mac is installed, the fonts are usually available to other apps too. If you do not find them, see the alternatives below.

Wingdings, Wingdings 2, Wingdings 3 and Webdings are owned by Microsoft and licensed as part of its products. Microsoft does not offer them as separate free downloads. The copies on free font sites are usually taken from Windows installations, and redistributing them may breach the licence. These sites can also bundle adware or malware with downloads.

We do not host the font files, and we recommend getting them only through Windows or Microsoft Office. This is not legal advice; if you need the fonts for a commercial product, check Microsoft’s licensing terms.

Do you even need the font?

For most people, no. The font only matters inside apps that let you choose fonts, such as Word or PowerPoint. Everywhere else, the Unicode symbols are what you need, because they display without any font installed:

  • Chats and social media: use the Wingdings translator and paste the result.
  • Google Docs: it does not offer Wingdings at all, so paste Unicode symbols instead.
  • Single symbols: copy them from the Wingdings chart.
  • Word and Excel: the font is already there, and the Alt codes page lists every character.

Installing fonts you already own

If you have a legitimate copy of a font file from your own licensed Windows or Office installation and need it on another computer covered by the same licence:

  • Windows: right click the .ttf file and choose Install, or drag it into Settings, Personalization, Fonts.
  • Mac: double click the file and click Install Font in Font Book.
  • Phones: iPhone and Android do not let you switch the system font to Wingdings for typing. Use the translator in your browser instead.

What about websites?

Do not rely on font-family: Wingdings in a website. Visitors without the font, including most phone users, will see plain letters. Use Unicode characters or SVG icons. Our guide to typing Wingdings explains the options.

Free alternatives

If you want a picture font for design work and do not have Wingdings, open source symbol fonts such as Noto Sans Symbols and Noto Sans Symbols 2 from Google cover most Wingdings pictographs as Unicode characters, under the SIL Open Font License. This website uses a small subset of them so every symbol displays.

Frequently asked questions

Is Wingdings free to download?

Microsoft does not offer Wingdings as a separate free download. It comes with Windows, and Wingdings 2 and 3 came with Microsoft Office.

Is Wingdings on my computer already?

On Windows, almost certainly. Search for Wingdings in Settings, Personalization, Fonts, or in C:\Windows\Fonts.

Can I use Wingdings without installing the font?

Yes. The translator outputs Unicode symbols that display without the font in chats, documents and web pages.

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