• What is Font Auto-Activation?Auto-activation allows you to work seamlessly and confidently with fonts in the creative applications you use everyday. It offers users the ability to automatically activate or "turn on" the exact versions of fonts used in a document when that document is opened.  With auto-activation, there's no need to manually search for, find and activate or deactivate fonts.
• The difference between auto-activation in font managers Basic font managers–like Apple’s Font Book™ — are typically adequate if you work with fonts infrequently or on a very basic level. If you're in the "Professional" camp–if you work with professional tools like Adobe® Illustrator®, Adobe InDesign®, or QuarkXPress® regularly–there are things that your professional font manager should deliver so you can do your job.
• Extensis font managers continue to enhance the benefits for professional users who require a level of precision and control that a basic font manager can't provide. Information on the benefits of a professional font management solution.

• Auto-Activation Plug-Ins and XTensionsAuto-activation for Adobe® and Quark® applications require application-specific plug-ins or XTensions. These add-ons provide advanced activation features to ensure that only the exact fonts used in a document are activated. Universal Type Server and Suitcase Fusion 3 advanced plug-in based auto-activation will work even if the font management application is closed.

• Desktop Global Auto-ActivationOur Mac OSX font management products can automatically activate fonts for most applications, even without the use of a plug-in. With Suitcase Fusion 3, users can select for which applications they would like to have the global auto-activation. However, this global auto-activation does not offer the advantages of many of our professional auto-activation plug-ins, such as Font Sense, family activation, deactivation or pick best match.

Do you need pro level font auto-activation?

Answer “Yes” to any of these questions and you should care about what kind of auto-activation your font manager offers.

1. Do you care about getting the right version of a font used in your document?
2. Can using the wrong font cost you time and/or money?
3. Do you work with fonts in many different documents in Adobe or Quark applications?
4. Do you share Adobe or QuarkXPress documents with other people?

Get more details

Font Management Best Practices Guide

Best practice recommendations for efficiently working with fonts in professional workflows

Get the Guide

Extensis Font Sense™
White Paper

Font Sense is an innovative font identification and activation technology that ensures a smooth workflow by identifying, locating, and activating the exact fonts used in documents.

Get the White Paper