Forum Discussion

pereiraosborne8's avatar
pereiraosborne8
Regular Visitor
1 year ago
Solved

Custom Font - DM Sans Power BI

So I have been trying to add a (Google) font called 'DM Sans' to Power BI using a JSON theme file, I have tested with other themes like 'Algerian', 'Goudy Stout Regular', and a few others and they work with in Power BI but when I try to use my DM Sans file I downloaded from Google Fonts it always seems to default to Times New Roman no matter what or how I try it.

Here is my JSON file:
```

 

"name": "Theme_v2",
  "dataColors": [
    "#0729E0",
    "#9564FF",
    "#FAA500",
    "#95E9C2",
    "#FE7373",
    "#22C6D0",
    "#C35578",
    "#FEB7A7"
  ],
  "foreground": "#BCBCBC",
  "background": "#F7F7F7",
  "foregroundNeutralSecondary": "#F9F6F6",
  "backgroundLight": "#FFFFFF",
  "foregroundNeutralTertiary": "#7DE53C",
  "backgroundNeutral": "#BCBCBC",
  "tableAccent": "#566164",
  "maximum": "#020202",
  "center": "#8A5994",
  "minimum": "#4868B4",
  "bad": "#F24500",
  "neutral": "#BCBCBC",
  "good": "#00D47B",
  "visualStyles": {
    "*": {
      "*": {
        "*": [
          {
            "fontSize": 11,
            "fontFamily": "DM Sans"
          }
        ],
        "title": [
          {
            "show": true,
            "fontColor": {
              "solid": {
                "color": "#FFFFFF"
              }
            },
            "background": {
              "solid": {
                "color": "#52351f"
              }
            },
            "allignment": "center"
          }
        ],
        "background": [
          {
            "show": true,
            "color": {
              "solid": {
                "color": "#FFFFFF"
              }
            },
            "transparency": 0
          }
        ],
        "lockAspect": [
          {
            "show": true
          }
        ],
        "border": [
          {
            "show": false
          }
        ],
        "visualTooltip": [
          {
            "type": "Default"
          }
        ],
        "stylePreset": [
          {
            "name": "None"
          }
        ],
        "labels": [
          {
            "fontColor": {
              "solid": {
                "color": "#000000"
              }
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    "page": {
      "*": {
        "background": [
          {
            "color": {
              "solid": {
                "color": "#e6e6e6"
              }
            },
            "transparency": 0
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}
```
 
The only differnece I have noticed is that the other fonts have something called 'digitally signed' and I was wondering if that certificate is needed? But I can access this exact font in my MS PowerPoint and it gives me no problems at all.


 

Please advise thank you!

Need Help
  • pereiraosborne8's avatar
    pereiraosborne8
    1 year ago

    I didn't have the option of 'Install for all users' as there is only a single profile on my device I guess? Nonetheless, I finally figured it out!

     

    These are the steps to use Google Fonts on Windows 11 (atleast that worked for me):

    1. Download the zip file (fonts.google.com) -> unzip it
    2. Control Panel -> Personalization -> Fonts Select 'Browse and install fonts' button
    3. Navigate the static folder within the font folder you have just unzipped and select the files you want to install
    4. In that very 'Fonts' window, scroll down to the search bar below "Available fonts" and type in the font you want to use (For example: DM Sans)
    5. Click the Font tile that shows up below, such as this:
    6. Once the tile is selected you should see a screen like this:

       

    7. Scroll all the way down to the 'Metadata' section where you fill see a field named 'Full name'

    8. That's the name you put into "fontFamily" field and it works!

     

    The JSON file I used is pretty much the same:

    {
  "name": "DMSans_Theme",
  "dataColors": [
    "#0729E0",
    "#9564FF",
    ...
  ],
  "foreground": "#BCBCBC",
  "background": "#F7F7F7",
  ...
  "visualStyles": {
    "*": {
      "*": {
        "*": [
          {
            "fontSize": 16,
            "fontFamily": "'DM Sans 14pt'"
          }
        ]
    }
  }
}
}

     

3 Replies

    • v-hjannapu's avatar
      v-hjannapu
      Community Support
      1 year ago

      Hi pereiraosborne8  ,

      Thank you  for reaching out to the Microsoft fabric community forum.

      The issue likely comes down to Power BI’s strict font requirements: it needs fonts to be installed system-wide, digitally signed, and in a static format like .ttf or .otf. Google Fonts like DM Sans sometimes come as variable fonts, which Power BI doesn’t always handle well. To fix this, download the static .ttf files for DM Sans from Google Fonts, right-click them, and select “Install for all users” to ensure system-wide access. Then, double-check the exact font name in Control Panel > Fonts and make sure it matches the "fontFamily" in your JSON theme file.

      After installing, restart Power BI Desktop and reload your report to see if it works. One thing to note: even if DM Sans renders locally, Power BI Service often doesn’t support custom fonts and may revert to web-safe ones like Segoe UI or Calibri. If you’re still seeing Times New Roman, could you confirm the font file type (.ttf or .otf), whether it’s installed for all users, and the precise font name from Control Panel? That’ll help us figure out what’s going on.

      If I misunderstand your needs or you still have problems on it, please feel free to let us know.  
      If the response has addressed your query, please Accept it as a solution and give a 'Kudos' so other members can easily find it

      Best Regards,
      Harshitha.
      Community Support Team

  • pereiraosborne8's avatar
    pereiraosborne8
    Regular Visitor
    1 year ago

    I didn't have the option of 'Install for all users' as there is only a single profile on my device I guess? Nonetheless, I finally figured it out!

     

    These are the steps to use Google Fonts on Windows 11 (atleast that worked for me):

    1. Download the zip file (fonts.google.com) -> unzip it
    2. Control Panel -> Personalization -> Fonts Select 'Browse and install fonts' button
    3. Navigate the static folder within the font folder you have just unzipped and select the files you want to install
    4. In that very 'Fonts' window, scroll down to the search bar below "Available fonts" and type in the font you want to use (For example: DM Sans)
    5. Click the Font tile that shows up below, such as this:
    6. Once the tile is selected you should see a screen like this:

       

    7. Scroll all the way down to the 'Metadata' section where you fill see a field named 'Full name'

    8. That's the name you put into "fontFamily" field and it works!

     

    The JSON file I used is pretty much the same:

    {
  "name": "DMSans_Theme",
  "dataColors": [
    "#0729E0",
    "#9564FF",
    ...
  ],
  "foreground": "#BCBCBC",
  "background": "#F7F7F7",
  ...
  "visualStyles": {
    "*": {
      "*": {
        "*": [
          {
            "fontSize": 16,
            "fontFamily": "'DM Sans 14pt'"
          }
        ]
    }
  }
}
}