.ttc File Extension
.ttc TrueType Collection files contain, how to open or extract a font face, and how Poly previews collections. File extension details for .ttc
Partial Support| File type | TrueType and OpenType font collection; font/collection |
|---|---|
| MIME type | |
| Encoding | Binary font collection containing multiple SFNT font faces and shared tables |
| Operating systems | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Opens with | Apple Font Book, Windows Fonts, FontForge |
| Poly support | Yes. Poly recognizes .ttc collections and extracts first-face details and a visual specimen. |
| Indexed by Poly | Yes. Poly indexes the filename, ordinary file properties, and rendered specimen for visual similarity. Font details are available in file properties, not as full-text or filter fields. |
| Preview in Poly | Partial. Poly previews the first face in a collection, not every face. |
| Poly agent | Partial. The Poly agent can inspect the first face's specimen and summary metadata, but not every face's glyphs and tables. |
What kind of file is a .ttc?
A .ttc file is a TrueType Collection: one binary font file containing several related font faces. For example, a family may package regular, bold, and italic faces together. The faces can share common font tables, which avoids storing duplicate data. Despite the name, modern OpenType collections can contain TrueType or CFF outlines.1
The registered media type is font/collection. A .ttc file starts with the four-byte signature ttcf, then records where each face's tables are stored.12 Do not confuse a collection with a single-face .ttf font or .otf font.
How do I open a .ttc file?
On macOS, Font Book can open and install supported .ttc collections. Windows can install supported collections through its Fonts interface. FontForge can select individual members of a TrueType collection and export a selected face. Linux desktop font managers and design applications vary, so use a font editor if a particular collection does not install directly.3
To make a standalone font, export the desired face as .ttf or .otf with a collection-aware font tool. Simply changing the suffix does not split the collection. A related extension is .otc, used for OpenType Collection files.12
Poly support for .ttc
Poly extracts font details such as the family, style, weight, character coverage, and total number of faces. It creates a visual specimen for the first face, which can be used for visual similarity search. The remaining faces are counted but do not receive separate previews or individual style details.
The Poly agent can use that first-face specimen and summary information to answer visual questions about the sample. For another face, open the collection in a font application or export the face as a separate file and add it to Poly.
History of .ttc
TrueType collections package related faces in one file and can share common tables. The OpenType collection structure later broadened the outline formats it could contain.2 The IETF standardized font/collection in RFC 8081 in February 2017, while the .ttc filename convention predates that media type.1
Working with .ttc and alternatives
Collections are useful when a group of fonts is distributed or installed together. Separate .ttf or .otf files are more convenient when you need to select, inspect, or embed one face at a time. Check the font license before extracting, converting, or redistributing any member.
Font files are complex binary data interpreted by operating systems and applications. RFC 8081 cautions that malicious fonts can stress font renderers, so download collections only from sources you trust and keep font software updated.1
Footnotes
- Lilley, C. RFC 8081: The "font" Top-Level Media Type. Internet Engineering Task Force, February 2017. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5
- Microsoft Typography. OpenType Font File. ↩ ↩2 ↩3
- Apple Support. Install and Validate Fonts in Font Book on Mac; Microsoft Support. Manage Fonts in Windows; FontForge. File Menu. ↩