Inter is a free open-source font made for computer screens.13 It is for people who want clear text in documents, apps or on a website, with the letter files kept on a machine they control. On a site you run, placing the files on your server means a visitor’s browser does not have to ask Google for the letters.
Last checked October 28, 2026.
At a glance
- What it is: A free sans-serif typeface for screens, documents and websites.
- Works on: Windows, macOS and Ubuntu Linux, as files you install. The variable font may not work in every app.2
- Price: Free.14
- Licence: SIL Open Font License 1.1.4
- Best for: People who want a clear screen font on their own computer, or on a website they host.
- Official site: rsms.me/inter
What Inter does (and how it protects your privacy)
Inter is a sans-serif, letters without small feet on the strokes. The project calls it a workhorse for interfaces and signage.1 It has over 2,000 glyphs, covers 147 languages, and runs from weight 100 to 900, with italics and with text and display optical sizes.1 The small-text designs use a tall x-height, the height of a letter such as x.1 Rasmus Andersson is the designer named in the Google Fonts catalog record, and the readme records Inter as his trademark.83
A font is a file of shapes. Installed, your apps read it from the computer. On a website you run, the browser loads it from your server. Google’s FAQ describes the other path. A Google Fonts Web API request includes the visitor’s IP address, the URL asked for, and headers with the user agent (browser and operating system) and the referer (the page showing the font).5 Google says the API does not set or log cookies, does not use this information to profile end users or for targeted advertising, and uses the IP address to answer the request and for security.5 When the files come from the site operator’s own server, Google says it receives no visit data from that load.5
The project also offers a stylesheet at rsms.me, delivered over Cloudflare’s CDN, a network of servers near the visitor.1 The browser then contacts rsms.me. The readme’s web example sets the font to Inter, and it says to use the Google Fonts copy only if you have no other choice.3
Key features of the Inter font
- Italic styles at both ends. The readme lists Thin Italic at weight 100.3 It also lists Black Italic at weight 900.3
- Variable and static files. The variable font takes any weight and optical size. Inter.ttc holds fixed styles for older software.2
- Numbers that line up. A slashed zero separates 0 from o, and tabular numbers share one width for columns.1
- Punctuation and fractions. Contextual alternates adjust punctuation to nearby shapes, and a fraction feature can set 1/3.1
- A display size. Inter Display Medium is the static style at the largest optical size and weight 500.2
- Free to use and embed. The SIL Open Font License 1.1 allows use in software you sell. The font files may not be sold on their own.4
Pros and cons of Inter
Pros
- Free of charge, including inside a product you sell and in ordinary documents.4
- Drawn for screens, with a tall x-height for small text, plus italics and display sizes.1
- Tabular figures, a slashed zero and fractions are built in.1
- Published install steps for Windows, macOS and Ubuntu Linux.2
- The source repository is public and is not archived.6
Cons
- The variable font may not work in every program. Use the static files in older software.2
- Fonts you host yourself are yours to update. Google notes that its Web API delivers updates without that manual step.5
- Other copies can lag. The readme says they may be out of date, and it calls the Google Fonts copy outdated and without italics.3 The Google Fonts catalog record includes an italic file and a weight axis from 100 to 900, and a CSS request for Inter returns italic at weights 100, 400 and 900.89
- The rsms.me stylesheet is delivered through Cloudflare, which is a request outside your own server.1
- A modified font may not be named Inter. The name is reserved by Rasmus Andersson.3
- The newest published release is 4.1, from 16 November 2024. The last repository push was 19 November 2024.76
Is Inter safe and private?
On your computer the letters are a local file. On a site you host, Google says it receives no visit data from that font load.5
Copyright is The Inter Project Authors (2016).4 The readme calls Inter a trademark and reserved font name of Rasmus Andersson (RSMS).3 The GitHub repository is public, not archived, under the SIL Open Font License 1.1.6 Release 4.1, the file Inter-4.1.zip, was published on 16 November 2024, and the last push was 19 November 2024.76 The font may not be sold by itself. A document set in Inter is not bound by the licence.4
How to get started with Inter
- Open the official download page and take version 4.1. It links to Inter-4.1.zip on the project’s GitHub release.2
- Unzip it and keep Inter.ttc, InterVariable.ttf and InterVariable-Italic.ttf.2
- On Windows, select those three files, right-click, and choose Install for all users. Remove an older copy first.2
- On macOS, open Font Book, choose File then Add Fonts, select the same three files, and press Open.2
- On Ubuntu Linux, copy the three files into a .fonts folder in your home directory. The page says recent systems also use .local/share/fonts, and that .fonts still works. If the font is missing, run fc-cache and restart the app.2
- Reopen your writing app and choose Inter. If the variable font is missing, pick a static style such as Inter Regular, or Inter Display Medium for large text.2
- For a website, put the files on your own server.5 The readme’s CSS example names Inter.3 Fontsource packages fonts so the site serves them. The rsms.me stylesheet is the Cloudflare path.1
Who should use Inter (and who might prefer something else)
Inter suits people who want one free screen font on their own computer, and people publishing a site who do not want a call to fonts.googleapis.com. Google’s FAQ says you can self-host by downloading the fonts and uploading them to your server.5 Inkscape can use the installed font in drawings you keep editing. Penpot is a shared design tool with a choice of hosting, and it can use Inter once the files are installed.
The fonts that came with the computer are enough when any clear sans-serif will do. A site that ships many typefaces may prefer Fontsource. A page that must match a Google Fonts embed can keep that API. The Inter project still asks for its own files unless there is no other choice.3
Frequently asked questions
Is the Inter font free?
Yes. The project calls it free and open source, and the licence is free of charge.14 You may bundle it with software you sell and embed it in documents. You may not sell the font files alone, and a modified font may not be named Inter without permission.4
Is Inter private?
Yes, when the file stays on your computer or on your server. Google says a font loaded from the operator’s servers sends Google no visit data.5 The Google Fonts API does send the IP address, the URL, and headers such as the user agent and referer, and Google says it does not use that for profiles or targeted advertising.5 The rsms.me link is served on Cloudflare’s CDN.1
Does Inter work on Windows, Mac and Linux?
Yes. The download page lists Windows, macOS and Ubuntu Linux.2 A web page can name Inter in its stylesheet when the page supplies the files.1
Should I install Inter from Google Fonts?
The readme says no, unless you have no other choice, and calls that copy outdated and without italics.3 The Google Fonts catalog record names Rasmus Andersson as the designer and includes an italic file.8 A CSS request for Inter returns italic at weights 100 and 900.9 Use the 4.1 zip for the project’s own release.2 Self-hosted files are updated by you, not by Google’s API.5
