WhatFont for Windows

Snapshot

WhatFont is a free browser extension created by Chengyin Liu that helps you quickly identify fonts used on web pages. It’s designed for anyone who wants to know a typeface’s name and basic styling without digging through developer tools.

How it works

Install the extension and click its icon to activate it. Move your cursor over any piece of text to reveal the typeface name; clicking the text opens a small panel that shows additional details such as font family, style, weight, size, line-height, color (hex), and a live sample. The extension also recognizes fonts delivered via Google Fonts and Typekit.

Notable advantages

• Fast way to capture font names directly from a page without inspecting source code.
• Displays practical typography attributes (size, weight, line-height, color) alongside a sample.
• Simple, user-friendly workflow aimed at nontechnical users.

Known drawbacks

• The extension can be unreliable: you may need to reload the page to get it to initialize (look for an “Exit” or similar indicator to confirm it’s active).
• It does not function offline unless you modify its files manually.
• Occasional loading failures require repeated enabling to use the feature consistently.

Usage tips

• If the extension doesn’t seem to respond, try reloading the page and reactivating the tool from your browser’s extension bar.
• Keep the extension up to date and check its permissions if it stops detecting fonts on certain sites.
• For persistent offline use, consider advanced customization only if you’re comfortable editing extension code.

Alternative option

Consider FontMatch (trial available) if you need a different solution for identifying typefaces or want to compare multiple fonts quickly.