WOFF to PFB Converter

Transform web fonts into compact PostScript Type 1 binary online

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Compact Output

PFB binary encoding produces smaller font files than PFA — efficient storage for WOFF fonts converted to PostScript Type 1 format.

Publishing Ready

Transform WOFF web fonts into PFB format compatible with Adobe DTP tools, TeX systems, and professional prepress environments.

Online Processing

No PostScript tools or font editors needed locally. Convertio handles the entire WOFF to PFB conversion on cloud servers.

How to convert WOFF to PFB

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

WOFF (Web Open Font Format) is a web font container format developed by Jonathan Kew, Tal Leming, and Erik van Blokland, and standardized by the W3C as a Recommendation in December 2012. The format wraps existing TrueType or OpenType font data in a compressed container with additional metadata, specifically designed for efficient delivery over HTTP as part of web pages using the CSS @font-face rule. WOFF applies table-level zlib compression to the font data, typically achieving 40-50% size reduction compared to raw TTF or OTF files, while preserving every table and glyph exactly. An extended metadata block allows foundries to embed licensing information, credits, and descriptions that travel with the font file. WOFF was created to address a practical impasse: type foundries were reluctant to allow their fonts on the web in raw TTF/OTF form (easily installable as desktop fonts), while the web standards community needed a freely implementable font delivery mechanism. One advantage is universal browser support — every modern browser across desktop and mobile platforms renders WOFF natively, making it the baseline format for web typography. The distinct file signature and container structure also provides a licensing benefit, giving foundries a format distinguishable from desktop fonts while remaining technically straightforward. WOFF 2.0, standardized in March 2018, replaces zlib with Brotli compression for an additional 20-30% size reduction and has achieved similarly broad browser adoption. Together, WOFF and WOFF2 enabled the custom web typography revolution that transformed web design from a handful of system fonts to millions of typeface options.
Developer: W3C
Initial release: December 13, 2012
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

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert WOFF to PFB?

PFB is the compact binary PostScript Type 1 format used by DTP applications and prepress systems. Converting from WOFF enables desktop publishing use.

How do I open a PFB file?

Windows font installer, Adobe Type Manager, and FontForge handle PFB. TeX distributions and Ghostscript also use PFB for document rendering.

Do I need an AFM file alongside PFB?

For proper text layout, yes — PFB contains outlines while AFM provides metrics. Many applications need both to render and space text correctly.

Is PFB smaller than PFA?

Yes. PFB uses binary encoding that is roughly half the size of the equivalent PFA ASCII file, making it more efficient for storage and distribution.

Can I convert multiple WOFF fonts to PFB?

Yes, upload several WOFF files at once and Convertio will produce individual PFB outputs for each font in your batch.

WOFF to PFB Quality Rating

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