What is a .pfb file?
PostScript Type 1 Font (binary) · Font · Adobe · 1984
A .pfb file is a PostScript Type 1 font in binary form, the classic professional font format from the desktop-publishing era. It usually pairs with a .pfm or .afm metrics file.
What is a .pfb file used for?
Type 1 fonts store outlines as PostScript, and the binary .pfb form starts with the segment marker 0x80 0x01. They were the print standard for years before OpenType absorbed the technology.
Adobe ended Type 1 support in its apps in 2023, so the format is legacy. Convert .pfb to OpenType (.otf) with FontForge or a converter for continued use.
How to open a .pfb file
The .pfb format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see how to open a .pfb file.
Windows
- FontForge
- install via Fonts
- font converters
macOS
- FontForge
- Font Book (legacy)
Linux
- FontForge
- font managers
How to convert a .pfb file
You can convert a .pfb file to otf, ttf, woff2 using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
.pfb file signature (magic bytes)
Programs recognise a .pfb file by the bytes at the start of the file, not by its name. These are the signatures for PFB.
| Hex signature | Offset | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 80 01 | 0 | PFB segment marker |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .pfb file?
A .pfb file is a PostScript Type 1 font in binary form, the classic professional font format from the desktop-publishing era. It usually pairs with a .pfm or .afm metrics file.
How do I open or install a .pfb file?
You can install it as a font on older systems, but support is fading. The reliable path is to convert it to OpenType (.otf) with FontForge.
What is the difference between .pfb and .pfm?
The .pfb holds the font outlines (the glyphs); the .pfm (or .afm) holds the metrics. Type 1 fonts historically came as this pair.
Are Type 1 fonts still supported?
Barely. Adobe dropped Type 1 support in 2023. Convert .pfb fonts to OpenType to keep using them in modern software.
Related formats
Sources
Details on this page were checked against authoritative references: