Pick the other format
Choose the source format in the converter above. The target is already set to PFB, so you only add the file.
PFB converter
Drop a .ttf file here or click to upload
PFB, Printer Font Binary
PFB (Printer Font Binary) is the compact binary container for Adobe Type 1 PostScript fonts. It carries the same font program that PFA stores as ASCII text, but encoded as binary segments, typically half the size on disk. PFB was the dominant Type 1 distribution format on Windows and macOS through the 1990s. It is still readable by virtually every desktop font tool, but modern systems prefer OpenType (.otf) for desktop use and WOFF2 for the web.
Extension .pfbMIME application/x-font-type1Compression NoneCategory Legacy font
Why use indox to work with PFB?
Add a font and watch it convert
Drop a font on the box or browse for one. A progress row shows while the job runs.
Download the result
When the job finishes you see the new file name. Download it, or convert another font straight away.
Supported operations
Compress
Repack the font into a smaller, browser-ready container.
Decompress
Unpack a compressed web font back to its raw outline data.
Subset
Ship only the glyphs a page actually uses.
How do I convert a font to PFB?
- 1
Choose the source format
Pick the format of the font you have. PFB is already the target.
- 2
Add your font
Drop the file on the upload box or click to browse, then press Convert to PFB.
- 3
Download the new font
Wait for the result, then download it. Free-tier files are deleted automatically.
When to use PFB
Adobe shipped Type 1 in 1984 with the LaserWriter, but the format's internals were closed and the company kept the format encrypted to protect its commercial font library. When Apple and Microsoft jointly developed TrueType in 1991 as a royalty-free alternative, Adobe responded in 1990 by publishing the full Type 1 specification in the Black Book. PFB became the default Windows installer container, paired with an AFM or PFM metrics file, and ruled commercial type distribution until OpenType took over in the late 1990s. By 2005 most foundries had stopped shipping Type 1 entirely; by 2020 every major operating system except Linux had warned that Type 1 support would be removed. macOS Monterey dropped Type 1 support in 2021. PFB now lives mainly in archives and in commercial print pipelines that have not yet migrated.
- Archiving legacy Windows or pre-Monterey Mac font libraries
- Print pipelines running older PostScript RIPs that prefer binary Type 1
- Round-tripping Type 1 fonts through font editors that prefer compact files
- Recovering glyph data from legacy installers and CD-ROM font collections
What are the limits for PFB conversion?
Size
The upload box shows the live size limit before you add a file. Signing in raises it, and paid plans raise it further.
Formats
PFB converts to and from the other seven public font formats. The lists further down the page link to each pair.
Privacy
Files are uploaded to Cloudflare R2 storage for processing and are encrypted in transit.
Deletion
Free-tier files are deleted automatically after the job finishes. Signed-in output stays in your history for your plan's retention period.
Limits worth knowing
- Converting a file does not change its licence. Check that the licence lets you convert the font and embed it on the web.
- Converting between outline types can change how a font hints at small sizes, so test the result where you plan to use it.
- Keep the original font. A conversion writes a new file and leaves yours as it was.
What do the free and paid plans add?
Free
- All converters
- Daily credit refresh
- Email support
Basic
- Access to all features
- AI Extract & Doc Chat
- Priority conversions
- Email support
Highest priority
Premium
- Everything in Basic
- Highest priority queue
- Larger file limits
- Priority support
Pay-As-You-Go
- No subscription
- Credits never expire
- Opt-in auto-refill
- Access to all features
What else can I do with fonts?
Go beyond conversion: open the font workspace
Inspect a font for free in the font workspace, then convert it.
Open the font workspaceWorking with documents instead?
For PDFs, Word, PowerPoint and scans, AI Extract turns documents into clean Markdown or JSON, tables, layout and reading order preserved.
Open AI Extract →
Who needs a PFB converter?
Web developers
Turn the font a designer sent into a file you can load with @font-face.
Designers and print teams
Convert a web font back into one you can install, when its licence allows it.
People keeping older sites alive
Move an old font on an older site into a format current browsers open.
Where can I read more about fonts and formats?
Which other font conversions can I run?
Convert PFB to other formats
Convert other formats to PFB
Do it all with indox
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PFB FAQs
Is PFB still usable in 2026?
Barely. macOS Monterey removed Type 1 support in 2021, Windows 11 began warning about Type 1 fonts in 2023, and Adobe officially ended Type 1 support in Creative Cloud in 2023. PFB still loads in font editors and standalone PostScript print pipelines, but you should convert it to OpenType for any new use.
What is the difference between PFB and PFA?
Both contain the same Adobe Type 1 font program. PFB stores it as compact binary segments; PFA stores it as plain ASCII text. PFB is roughly half the file size; PFA is portable to any text-based tool. The font itself is identical.
Should I convert PFB to OTF or WOFF2?
Convert to OTF for desktop use and to WOFF2 for the web. Both targets wrap the Type 1 glyph outlines in a modern OpenType container that every operating system, browser, and design tool supports natively in 2026.
Is the PFB converter free?
Yes. Free conversions need no signup and add no watermark.
Do I need an account?
No. You can convert a font without signing up. Signed-in conversions use credits, and the result stays in your history.
Can I convert PFB to other formats?
Yes. Every pair has its own page. The links under the conversion lists open them.
Am I allowed to convert and use any font?
Converting a file does not change its licence. Check that the licence lets you convert the font and embed it on the web before you publish it.