SharePoint: Add & Use Custom Fonts

Key insights

• Brand Center: Microsoft added a central Brand Center for SharePoint to upload and manage custom fonts.
  It makes fonts available across sites and simplifies corporate typography deployment.
• Upload fonts: Admins upload font files (prefer WOFF2/WOFF formats) to the Brand Center.
  Uploaded fonts appear in site font lists under the From my organization section.
• Font package: Create either tenant-level or site-level font package bundles in the Brand Center.
  Packages let you group fonts and apply them consistently to one site or across the whole tenant.
• Apply fonts: On a SharePoint site go to Settings (gear) → Change the Look → Font (preview).
  Select your From my organization font, preview changes, then save to apply site-wide.
• Manual & PowerShell: For advanced control you can add fonts via CSS using @font-face or deploy org-wide fonts with PowerShell.
  These methods help when you need custom rules or automation across Microsoft 365 apps.
• Benefits & best practices: Custom fonts improve brand consistency and centralize styling with centralized management.
  Always check font licensing, test previews, and use web‑optimized formats for best performance.

Overview of the video and its purpose

The YouTube video from SharePoint Maven Inc demonstrates how to add and use custom fonts in SharePoint Online using the new Brand Center. Initially, the presenter walks viewers through accessing the Brand Center, downloading font files, creating font packages, and applying them to a SharePoint site. The video timestamps highlight each step, making it practical for administrators who prefer follow-along guidance rather than long conceptual explanations. Consequently, the clip serves as a concise, step-by-step guide for teams wanting to bring branded typography into their SharePoint environments.

Step-by-step process explained

First, the presenter opens the Brand Center to show how administrators upload custom font files to a central location so sites can access them. Then, the video shows how to create both tenant-level and site-level font packages, which allows teams to choose between organization-wide consistency or granular control for individual sites. Next, the demonstration moves to the SharePoint site where the video uses the Change the Look menu and the Font (preview) option to select fonts listed under From my organization, preview the change, and save the new appearance settings. Finally, the tutorial covers an alternative manual route for organizations that prefer more control or are not using the Brand Center, including adding @font-face rules through known theming tools.

Benefits of adopting custom fonts via Brand Center

Adopting custom fonts with the new Brand Center improves brand consistency by ensuring typography matches corporate identity across SharePoint sites. Furthermore, central management reduces repetitive work for site owners and helps maintain a uniform look without relying on custom CSS for each site. In addition, the process extends beyond SharePoint, as organization-wide font deployment can help standardize typography across Microsoft 365 apps when used alongside admin tools like PowerShell. As a result, organizations can present a more cohesive digital workplace that aligns with other collateral and communications.

Tradeoffs and governance considerations

However, several tradeoffs deserve attention before full adoption. For instance, centralizing fonts via the Brand Center makes rollouts easier but reduces local flexibility for site-level design choices, and conversely, site-level packages increase customization but add administrative overhead. Additionally, font licensing is a real constraint; organizations must ensure they have rights to distribute fonts across users and services, which can add cost or require vendor negotiation. Therefore, governance policies should balance corporate identity needs, licensing compliance, and the operational cost of maintaining multiple font packages.

Technical challenges and performance impacts

From a technical viewpoint, custom fonts introduce potential performance and compatibility issues that administrators must manage. Browsers and devices vary in how they cache and render font files, so large or poorly optimized font packages can slow page load and affect first paint times, which impacts user experience. Moreover, accessibility must be tested because some custom typefaces can reduce readability at smaller sizes or for assistive technologies, so teams should validate contrast and legibility across devices. Consequently, technical teams should optimize font formats, subset files where possible, and run real-world tests before organization-wide rollout.

Alternatives and practical tips for implementation

For organizations that prefer alternatives, the video mentions manual approaches and third-party theme builders that accept @font-face CSS rules, with ShortPoint Theme Builder presented as one example for more granular control. Yet, third-party tools add another dependency, require ongoing compatibility checks with SharePoint updates, and may complicate support models, so weigh convenience against long-term maintenance. Practically speaking, pilot the Brand Center on a few hub or communication sites first, test cross-app behavior with PowerShell-assisted deployments, and document font licensing and update procedures to streamline governance. In this way, teams can balance speed of adoption with risk mitigation and clear operational plans.

Conclusion and recommended next steps

In summary, the SharePoint Maven Inc video effectively demystifies the process of bringing custom fonts into SharePoint using the new Brand Center, while also noting manual and third-party options for specific scenarios. Organizations should evaluate the tradeoffs between centralized control and local flexibility, confirm licensing, and validate performance and accessibility before a wide rollout. Ultimately, when implemented with governance and testing, custom fonts can strengthen brand identity across SharePoint and the wider Microsoft 365 ecosystem, delivering a more consistent and polished user experience. For administrators, the practical next steps are to pilot the feature, document procedures, and coordinate licensing and accessibility checks prior to full deployment.

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