Amharic
Amharic fonts: free fonts and how to use them
Free, legal Amharic fonts (Noto Sans Ethiopic, Abyssinica SIL and more) and how to install them for Word, Google Docs and design apps.
Do you need a font at all?
Amharic is written in the Ethiopic (Ge'ez) script, which has its own place in Unicode. Text typed on bhala.app, on a phone or in Word is ordinary Unicode, so it shows on any device that has an Ethiopic font. Current Android phones, iPhones, Windows and macOS all include one. You need a new font when you want a different look, are designing for print or the web, or are using an older computer.
Free fonts you can share
These fonts are released under the SIL Open Font License (OFL) 1.1. You can use them for anything, embed them in documents, apps and websites, and pass them on to others; you may not sell the font file on its own, and a changed version must take a new name.
Noto Sans Ethiopic
Google's Noto project. A clean sans-serif in many weights and widths, good for screens and everyday documents. Free from Google Fonts.
Noto Serif Ethiopic
The serif partner of Noto Sans Ethiopic, for books and formal print. Free from Google Fonts.
Abyssinica SIL
From SIL International. A traditional, calligraphic style that covers every Ethiopic letter in Unicode, including those used for Ge'ez in church texts. Free from software.sil.org/abyssinica and Google Fonts.
Menbere
Ethiopic designed by Aleme Tadesse, with a matching Latin by Eben Sorkin (Sorkin Type). A modern, even-stroked style in seven weights. Free from Google Fonts.
Fonts already on your computer
These come with the system and can be used freely in your own documents, but they are licensed with Windows or macOS: do not copy the font files to other people.
Nyala (Windows)
An Ethiopic typeface Microsoft ships with Windows, designed by John Hudson of Tiro Typeworks; light and open, easy to read on screen.
Ebrima (Windows)
Windows' default font for several African scripts, Ethiopic included.
Kefa (macOS)
Apple's Ethiopic font, included with macOS and used for Ethiopic text by default.
Install a font on Windows
1. Download the font from Google Fonts or SIL. It arrives as a .zip file. 2. Right-click the .zip and choose Extract All. 3. Right-click each .ttf file and choose Install (or 'Install for all users'). 4. Close and reopen Word or any open program; the font now appears in its font list. You can also drag the .ttf files into Settings > Personalisation > Fonts.
Install a font on macOS
1. Download and unzip the font. 2. Double-click the .ttf file. Font Book opens and shows a preview. 3. Click Install. 4. Restart Pages, Word or the program you are using.
Use an Ethiopic font in Google Docs
Google Docs only offers Google Fonts; fonts installed on your computer do not appear there. 1. Open the font menu (it shows 'Arial' by default) and choose More fonts. 2. Search for Noto Sans Ethiopic, Noto Serif Ethiopic, Abyssinica SIL or Menbere. 3. Tick the font and click OK. It now stays in your font menu for every document.
Use an Ethiopic font in Word
1. Install the font on your computer (steps above), or use Nyala or Ebrima on Windows and Kefa on a Mac. 2. Select your Amharic text and choose the font from the font list. 3. If you send the file to someone who may not have the font, embed it: in Word for Windows go to File > Options > Save and tick 'Embed fonts in the file'. Open Font License fonts allow this. Word on the web cannot use fonts you install yourself; it shows Amharic in a font from its own list.
When the letters look wrong
If an older document shows Latin letters or symbols instead of fidel, it was probably typed in an older, pre-Unicode Ethiopic font. Installing a Unicode font will not fix it; open it on a computer that has the original font, or convert it to Unicode. Text typed today with bhala.app, Windows' own Amharic keyboard or a phone keyboard is Unicode and has no such problem.
Sources
- Google Fonts / Noto: Noto Sans Ethiopic and Noto Serif Ethiopic (fonts.google.com/noto), licence OFL 1.1 per Fontsource (fontsource.org)
- SIL International, Abyssinica SIL: software.sil.org/abyssinica (SIL Open Font License)
- Fontsource, Menbere and Abyssinica SIL pages (fontsource.org): designers, licence OFL 1.1, Google Fonts as provider
- Microsoft Learn, Typography: Nyala font family and Ebrima font family (learn.microsoft.com/typography/font-list)
- University of Washington, Language Learning Center: Windows Ge'ez font instructions (depts.washington.edu/llc)
- W3C i18n archive (2025): Kefa as the macOS system font for Ethiopic
- SIL Open Font License 1.1 (openfontlicense.org)
Type it with the Amharic keyboard.
On your phone, Bhala has every letter built in.
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