Fonts bundled with Windows and Office: what the licence actually lets you do

Q: Can I use Fonts bundled with Windows and Office for monetised youtube video?

Yes, with conditions. Everything hinges on one clause repeated throughout: the permission applies UNLESS you used an application licensed for home, student or non-commercial use. Make it in Office Home & Student and the commercial permission does not apply. For video, captions must be rendered as an image and the font file must not be embedded in the video file.

Q: Can I use Fonts bundled with Windows and Office for broadcast and streaming?

Yes, with conditions. Everything hinges on one clause repeated throughout: the permission applies UNLESS you used an application licensed for home, student or non-commercial use. Make it in Office Home & Student and the commercial permission does not apply. For video, captions must be rendered as an image and the font file must not be embedded in the video file.

Q: Can I use Fonts bundled with Windows and Office for paid client work?

Yes, with conditions. Everything hinges on one clause repeated throughout: the permission applies UNLESS you used an application licensed for home, student or non-commercial use. Make it in Office Home & Student and the commercial permission does not apply. For video, captions must be rendered as an image and the font file must not be embedded in the video file.

Q: Can I use Fonts bundled with Windows and Office for giving the font files to a client or editor?

No. Everything hinges on one clause repeated throughout: the permission applies UNLESS you used an application licensed for home, student or non-commercial use. Make it in Office Home & Student and the commercial permission does not apply. For video, captions must be rendered as an image and the font file must not be embedded in the video file.

Q: Can I use Fonts bundled with Windows and Office for a logo you will trademark?

Yes, with conditions. Everything hinges on one clause repeated throughout: the permission applies UNLESS you used an application licensed for home, student or non-commercial use. Make it in Office Home & Student and the commercial permission does not apply. For video, captions must be rendered as an image and the font file must not be embedded in the video file.

Where you got the font decides what you may do with it. The font was already on your machine because it shipped with Windows or with Microsoft Office. You never downloaded or bought it. Everything hinges on one clause repeated throughout: the permission applies UNLESS you used an application licensed for home, student or non-commercial use. Make it in Office Home & Student and the commercial permission does not apply. For video, captions must be rendered as an image and the font file must not be embedded in the video file.

What you can and cannot do

Monetised YouTube video	Yes, with conditions
Broadcast and streaming	Yes, with conditions
Paid client work	Yes, with conditions
Giving the font files to a client or editor	No
A logo you will trademark	Yes, with conditions
Merch you sell	Yes, with conditions
Embedding in an app or game	No
Installing on a server	No
Reselling the font file itself	No

Permitted uses under Fonts bundled with Windows and Office, as stated in the primary terms read on 2026-08-12. Bar length indicates how unrestricted each use is; it is not a measured quantity.

The mistakes that actually cost money. Everything hinges on one clause repeated throughout: the permission applies UNLESS you used an application licensed for home, student or non-commercial use. Make it in Office Home & Student and the commercial permission does not apply. For video, captions must be rendered as an image and the font file must not be embedded in the video file.

In their own words

Quoted from the primary terms so you can judge them yourself rather than trusting our summary.

Captions and text in video

We view this as the same as graphic files, providing the captions or text is rendered as a bitmap image, and the font files themselves are not embedded within the video file.

Selling what you make

Unless you are using an application that is specifically licensed for home, student, or non-commercial use, we do not restrict you from selling the things you print and make using the Windows-supplied fonts.

Graphic files

We view creating graphic files as being essentially the same as printing from an output device.

Company logo

Unless you are using an application that is specifically licensed for home, student, or non-commercial use, we do not restrict you from making logos using the Windows-supplied fonts.

Document embedding

If an application follows the rules and restrictions defined in the OpenType or TrueType specification, you can use it to embed Windows supplied fonts in any document file it creates.

Where they came from

Some of the fonts supplied with Windows were created specifically for Microsoft by leading type designers and type design companies (known as font foundries). Other fonts were licensed to Microsoft from font foundries for inclusion with Windows.

The terms themselves

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/fonts/font-faq

Read 2026-08-12. Commercial terms change. The linked text is authoritative and this page is not.

Compare this against the other sources

See all sources side by side → · Work out which licence you have → · Licence answers for individual typefaces →

This is not legal advice. It is a plain-language reading of published terms, dated 2026-08-12, linking the primary text. If money or a trademark rides on the answer, verify against the terms attached to your own copy, or ask the foundry.