Font Finagler
Mark Douma · A macOS app for troubleshooting font problems by cleaning font caches and identifying certain known problem fonts.
Font Finagler is a Utilities app for Mac.
About
Font Finagler is a macOS utility for investigating font-related problems. Its Font Cache Cleaner purges selected font cache files, a troubleshooting step that can help determine whether corrupted caches are behind issues such as garbled text. If a problem persists after cleaning, the cause may lie elsewhere, such as a font conflict or an issue with a font itself.
- Font cache cleaning: Target and remove font cache files; the app describes this as a way to help troubleshoot, not a guaranteed fix.
- Problem-font alerts: On launch, it checks active fonts and can alert you to certain fonts known to cause problems, with guidance on deactivating them.
- PostScript Type 1 icons: Font Icon Helper changes Finder icons to make Type 1 font suitcases and outline fonts easier to distinguish.
- Command-line access: Advanced users can run the cleaning capability through the
finaglercommand-line tool.
Install with brew install --cask fontfinagler, then open Font Finagler from Applications. The command-line executable is installed as finagler. The official site lists support for OS X 10.9 through macOS 12. Font Finagler is shareware: unregistered users can clean font caches up to 20 times before registration is required to continue using that feature.
Sources: Official product page · Homebrew cask
New What’s new in 2.0.3 Sep 26, 2023 · OpenNavo editorial
Fixes an authorization prompt on first launch after installation with the installer package.
Install and uninstall
Homebrew installs the app in your Applications folder.
Install without Homebrew
Download the same file Homebrew uses: markdouma.com/fontfinagler/FontFinagler2.0.3.dmg
SHA-256 only checks that the download is complete; it is not a security certification. See the SHA-256 and download address
$ brew uninstall --cask \fontfinaglerA regular uninstall removes the app and keeps its settings and caches.
$ brew uninstall --zap --cask \fontfinagler--zap also deletes the settings, caches and other files listed in the Homebrew definition. They can include data shared with other apps and cannot be restored, and it does not guarantee that nothing is left.See which files are removed
Facts and sources
- Version 2.0.3
- Recorded by Homebrew on May 16, 2024Released by the vendor on Sep 26, 2023
Questions
Is Font Finagler safe?
Font Finagler is in Homebrew’s official catalog and has not been disabled. Since September 2026, Homebrew disables apps that fail macOS Gatekeeper checks. When installing, Homebrew checks the download from markdouma.com against its SHA-256 checksum. It was installed 1 time through Homebrew in the last 30 days.
How do I completely uninstall Font Finagler on a Mac?
Run brew uninstall --cask fontfinagler. To delete its settings and caches as well, run brew uninstall --zap --cask fontfinagler. That also deletes 4 files and folders, including ~/.
Does Font Finagler run on Apple silicon (M1 and later) Macs?
Homebrew installs it on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs, from the same download.
Where does Font Finagler store its settings and data?
Its settings are in ~/. These locations come from Homebrew’s clean-up list.
What is the latest version of Font Finagler?
The latest version is 2.0.3, added to Homebrew on May 16, 2024. Font Finagler updates itself; to update it with Homebrew, run brew upgrade --cask --greedy fontfinagler.
What else does installing Font Finagler add?
It also adds 1 command-line tool: finagler.