What is a .woff2 file?
Web Open Font Format 2 · Font · W3C · 2018
WOFF2 is the format that fonts take on the modern web. It is a TrueType or OpenType font wrapped in strong compression, so it downloads fast, which is why almost every custom web font is served as WOFF2.
What is a .woff2 file used for?
WOFF2 takes a normal font and compresses it with Brotli, cutting download size sharply compared with raw TTF or OTF.
Its whole purpose is speed on the web, where every kilobyte of a font delays text appearing. Browsers load it through the CSS @font-face rule.
The earlier WOFF did the same job with lighter compression. WOFF2 has now largely replaced it.
How to open a .woff2 file
The .woff2 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 .woff2 file.
Windows
- FontForge
- convert to TTF to install
macOS
- FontForge
- convert to TTF to install
Linux
- FontForge
Web
- Every modern browser via @font-face
How to convert a .woff2 file
You can convert a .woff2 file to TTF, OTF, WOFF using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
.woff2 file signature (magic bytes)
Programs recognise a .woff2 file by the bytes at the start of the file, not by its name. These are the signatures for WOFF2. For a full breakdown, see the WOFF2 file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 77 4F 46 32 | 0 | 'wOF2' |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .woff2 file?
WOFF2 is the format that fonts take on the modern web. It is a TrueType or OpenType font wrapped in strong compression, so it downloads fast, which is why almost every custom web font is served as WOFF2.
How do I install a WOFF2 font on my computer?
Desktops do not install WOFF2 directly. Convert it to TTF or OTF first, then install that. WOFF2 is meant for websites, not the desktop.