PFB to PS Converter

Extract PFB font data to PostScript — free online

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Print-Ready Output

Wrap your PFB font data into a self-contained PostScript file that print RIPs and prepress workflows can consume directly.

Preserves Type 1 Data

The original PostScript Type 1 outlines and hinting from your PFB font are faithfully embedded in the resulting PS document.

Online Tool

No Ghostscript or prepress software needed on your side — handle the PFB to PS conversion entirely from your web browser.

How to convert PFB to PS

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose ps or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your ps file right afterwards

About formats

PFB (Printer Font Binary) is the compact binary representation of Adobe's PostScript Type 1 font format, introduced alongside PFA in 1984. Where PFA stores the entire font program as hex-encoded ASCII text, PFB wraps the same data in a lightweight binary container that uses segment headers to mark regions as ASCII or binary. The encrypted glyph outline section (eexec) is stored as raw bytes rather than hex characters, cutting the file size roughly in half compared to PFA. Each segment begins with a marker byte and a 32-bit length field, making the format simple to parse while still significantly more compact. PFB became the dominant Type 1 distribution format on Windows and DOS platforms, used in combination with PFM (Printer Font Metrics) or AFM files that supply the character width and kerning data needed for text layout. One advantage is storage and transfer efficiency — the binary encoding means a typical text font occupies 30-50 KB rather than the 60-100 KB its PFA equivalent would require. The segmented structure also allows PostScript interpreters to stream font data efficiently, processing ASCII and binary portions with their respective handlers. Adobe Type Manager (ATM) on Windows relied on PFB files to render smooth Type 1 text on screen, a capability that transformed desktop publishing on the PC platform. While OpenType fonts have largely replaced Type 1 for new work, PFB files persist in established print workflows, archival font libraries, and systems that depend on PostScript output.
Developer: Adobe Systems
Initial release: 1984
PS is the standard extension for files written in PostScript, the page description language created by Adobe Systems and first shipped in 1984 with the Apple LaserWriter. A PostScript file is a complete program that describes the precise appearance of a page — text, vector graphics, curves, fills, and even embedded raster images — using a stack-based interpreted language with full programming constructs. When sent to a PostScript-compatible printer or interpreter (such as Ghostscript), the program executes and produces rendered output. PostScript introduced cubic Bezier curves as the standard representation for smooth outlines, a mathematical model that became the foundation for virtually all subsequent vector graphics and font technology including PDF, SVG, and OpenType. The language also serves as a font format: Type 1 PostScript fonts encode glyph outlines as PostScript programs with hinting instructions for sharp rendering at low resolutions, while Type 3 fonts use the full language to define arbitrarily complex glyphs. One advantage is device independence — a PostScript file produces identical output whether rendered on a 300 dpi desktop printer, a high-resolution imagesetter, or a software rasterizer, because it describes shapes mathematically rather than as pixel grids. The human-readable text format provides another practical strength: PS files can be inspected, debugged, and modified with any text editor, and they can be generated programmatically by any software without requiring specialized libraries. PostScript files are widely handled by Ghostscript, Adobe Acrobat, preview applications, and numerous publishing and graphics tools.
Developer: Adobe Systems
Initial release: 1984

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert PFB to PS?

A standalone PS file embeds font data directly into a PostScript document — useful for print workflows, RIP submission, and self-contained PostScript output.

How to open PS?

PostScript files open in Ghostscript, Adobe Acrobat Distiller, GSview, and most professional prepress software. Many PDF viewers can also render PS.

What is the difference between PFB and PS?

PFB is a binary font file; PS is a full PostScript document. Converting wraps the font data into a document-level structure that printers and RIPs consume directly.

Can I convert PS back to PFB?

It depends on the PS content. If the PS contains embedded Type 1 font data, re-extraction is possible — but PS is generally a broader document format.

Is this tool free to use?

Yes — Convertio provides free PFB to PS conversion in the browser, no registration or desktop software required.

PFB to PS Quality Rating

4.2 (5 votes)
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