BirdFont

NOTES: (1) v5.3.0 is the LAST version to work with macOS 13 Ventura. It is ARM native. (2) v5.4.0 was the first version that requires macOS 14 Sonoma. (3) The commercial use license costs $4.99. (4) The "Plus" license costs $9.99. It is also for commercial work and adds the ability to create Color fonts using OpenType SVG, OTF fonts (OpenType CFF), Color fonts using COLR/CPAL, Single stroke (CNC) fonts and Variable fonts. (5) Donations of any size are accepted.

Where is the bird ?

BirdFont v5.2.1 is the current version. It's still Intel only but is listed to run on M1 ARM Apple Silicon Macs via Rosetta. "It works with 12.0 and later versions of Mac OS with M1 the chip. Download birdfont-5.2.1-free.dmg if you have Mac OS 10.15 or later or if you have an Intel CPU. Download birdfont-4.17.0-free.dmg if you have an even older version of Mac OS (10.12 or later)." Note that BirdFont is Open Source Donationware. Release Notes are here: https://birdfont.org/#release

Where is the bird ?

Hi, v4.21.1 is for Mac OS 12 M1 and v4.21.0 is for 10.15, 11, and 12 Intel. Is there a way for me to update this page? Maybe v4.21.0 is a better default but the app requirements needs to be updated.

I just downloaded BirdFont and came across some issues. I emailed the developer, Johan, and he replied immediately. We emailed back and forth, did some tests and finally the problem was solved. Highly recommended and a great help. Thanks!

3.33.0 release is only for 10.15 ... will not open on anything earlier. I think they intended to build it for earlier OS versions as well.

Has anyone tried Birdfont on Mojave? Does it work?

A month or so I sent a support email about some display issues and within a few hours there was a reply. Short version after a quick few rounds of back and forth, Johan (the developer) fixed the issue and the next day the update was on this here site. Great help and I really like where this app is going.

Already donated, but couldn't install the latest "commercial" version due to issues in its licensing capabilities.

It crashes in El Capitan! Please fix it.

10.11 only :-(

Is there an older Version for 10.10? Thanks

v2.12.0 is out.

You know I really want to like BirdFont a lot. I see a lot of potential in what's emerging out of this tool and the things one can do with it. And, to some extent, I still do like what the developer has achieved so far. Perhaps the biggest plus is the ability to create new font characters in a package that is essentially free (well, donationware to be more precise) is really a gift to the Mac community. Furthermore, I really hate to criticise any software that is freeware, but I do have a few qualms about this one. I won't go into a lot of details (as I see the developer is working hard to fix up bugs and all the rest), but I would really like to see the following improvements (if it is possible)::

1. Yeah alright, I can see the developer is going down the path of Adobe CS6 with its darker theme for the UI, but if this is to be attempted and become the norm for this tool, make sure the graphics and text representing the buttons on the UI are clear. And I mean much more significant contrast. I'm not sure about other users' Macs (perhaps the brightness has been set all the way to the top to make it work for them), but even with my maximum brightness, I do have to squint hard to look at these buttons to see what they are.

2. I can see the developer is trying to be original with the menu command (File, Edit etc). Yes, I give him credit for being different. But one of the things that I find fairly annoying are the number of extra clicks I need to press just to access a particular menu command. I mean, now, we have to make an extra click into what appears to be the settings button (I have seen a similarly designed button for this purpose on other apps), but initially I had no way of knowing the menu commands are actually hidden in there. When I found out, I thought "Yay, I can use this tool again". But then I realise, I need to click at least twice to actually get into the menu grouping I want, and eventually another click to finally use the menu command I want. My recommendation: put the menu commands across the top of the window (or what's wrong in the menu bar created by Apple's own Finder app? While it isn't the most exciting and original way of doing things, I find that it just works and simplifies the process of accessing fcommands so much.

3. Can we not have to show the initial window on startup asking if it is for commercial or free use. For a software that is described as free, this is confusing. Should I actually pay for this tool? I don't know. If I don't have to, just let us choose and the app should remember. If we want to change it to "commercial", we should be able to go into the settings to change this. Again this just saves an extra click on launching just to get into the app.

4. Is there any chance we can get an instructions manual to learn all the amazing things this tool can do (no need to be detailed like it came from Microsoft, just a nice compact Mac-like and intruitive manual that explains everything). In particular I like to see where I can apply high-end time-saving features such as the ability to apply an automatic slanting of all characters in a font set for setting up the italics font set quickly, of the ability to enlarge all characters to create the bold font set, that kind of thing.

I probably should leave it there for now. But already I can see great potential in this app. And I certain;y do not want the developer to give up on this tool just because some people are saying things could be better. Just as an encouragement, I like to give the app the rating as shown above.

Please keep up the improvements.

Thank you for making the UI changes so I can actually use the editor and to allow me to submit bug reports. Now to actually kick the tires and see how it does. Will rate it later.

I waited a long time to get Birdfont. Now…the new UI is very hard on those who are visually impaired. UI: Poor color contrast, font size too small, too dark. help: poor route to get help which is very terse and often unhelpful. Once these problems are fixed I will gladly return to testing Birdfont and even donate some serious dollars! These comments are from the lead tester of Fontographer some 25 yrs ago; a tester for FontLab. So I know something about font editors ;-) Come on Birdfont folks give the tool polish and better accessibility.

I remember the first time I found BirdFont (v0.3) and I wondered then why it was free. I figured there must be something wrong with it. I was wrong - and I remember thinking I should donate. If you consider other tools like those from Fontagrapher run into the hundreds of dollars and waited for years before seeing Intel updates, this is worth every cent of $5 dollar donation. I have also used it to successfully repackage fonts for sending to my printers so that those foundries that don't allow embedding have no clue it came from me.

If you need to edit fonts then this is the tool you need. Incredible easy to use and it just makes creating fonts fun. Incredibly why this is given for free. Very highly recommended !!! Full Five Stars

It does not do Unicode fonts of other Languages, does it?

An incredible free font editor/creator. Clear and simple to use UI that just works. Pity it isn't stable at times on OSX10.9.4 with some random crashes. But you cannot get anything better for free. Very highly recommended stuff.