Hamropedia
Nepal

Nepali Font Download: Preeti, Kalimati and Unicode Nepali Fonts (2026)

Nepali font download from trusted sources: Preeti font download, Kalimati font download, Kokila and Mangal in Windows, and how to install a Nepali font.

By Manoj Kumar Thapa

· 7 min read

Before any Nepali font download, work out which of two kinds you need. Unicode Nepali fonts, such as Kalimati, Mangal, Kokila and Nirmala UI, work on every phone, website and online form. Older fonts like Preeti and Fontasy Himali aren't Unicode, so their text only looks Nepali on a computer where that font is installed. Below you'll find a safe source for each: the Preeti font download and Kalimati font download from official pages, and Kokila and Mangal straight from Windows, plus how to install a Nepali font on Windows and Mac.

Quick answer: which Nepali font, and where to get it

Font Unicode? Where to get it safely Use it for
Kalimati Yes Lumbini Province Education Training Centre or the UN OHCHR Nepal downloads page Documents, forms, anything shared
Nirmala UI Yes Already installed on Windows 10 and 11 Everyday typing in Word, Excel, email
Kokila, Mangal Yes Windows Devanagari Supplemental Fonts (free, in Settings) Documents in Word
Noto Sans Devanagari Yes Google Fonts (free, Open Font License) Websites, design, any device
Preeti No UN OHCHR Nepal downloads page Opening old Preeti files only
Fontasy Himali No UN OHCHR Nepal downloads page (listed as "Fontasi Himali") Opening old files only

Starting something new? Pick a Unicode font. Stuck with old Preeti text? Run it through the free Preeti to Unicode converter and then use any Unicode font.

Unicode vs Preeti: which Nepali font do you need?

A Unicode Nepali font stores real Nepali letters. Text in Kalimati or Nirmala UI stays Nepali when you email it, paste it into Facebook or Gmail, or enter it in an online form, and Google can search it.

Preeti is different: it paints Nepali shapes over ordinary English letters, so the file underneath really holds English letters. Open it on a computer without Preeti and your Nepali becomes a jumble of English letters. Microsoft states the general rule: a font you install yourself "will work only with the computer you've installed it on" (Microsoft Support). That's why a Preeti document falls apart when you send it to someone who doesn't have the font.

So:

  • New work, online forms, email, social media: use a Unicode font. When a form asks for your name in Nepali, type it in the Nepali typing tool and paste the Unicode text.
  • An old file typed in Preeti: install Preeti to read it, or convert it to Unicode once with the Preeti to Unicode converter.

Kalimati font download

Kalimati is a Unicode Nepali font. According to the University of Chicago's South Asia Language Resource Center, it was "developed by Sanir Karmacharya and available for free download from the Nepali Unicode Program" at Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya (SALRC).

You can download Kalimati from two official pages:

  1. Lumbini Province Education Training Centre (शिक्षा तालिम केन्द्र, Ministry of Social Development, Lumbini Province): open its Kalimati font page and download Kalimati.ttf.
  2. UN OHCHR Nepal: its downloads page lists "Kalimati Unicode Font". The page is old (marked ©2007), but the file still downloads.

Windows doesn't come with Kalimati. It's missing from Microsoft's Windows 11 font list, including the optional Devanagari pack (Microsoft Learn), so you install it yourself. Neither page states a licence, so use it for your own documents and don't sell it or upload it elsewhere.

Preeti font download

The UN OHCHR Nepal downloads page lists "Preeti Font", as the file PREETI.TTF. That's a safer source than a random download site. Remember that a font is a .ttf or .otf file: if a "font download" wants you to run an .exe program, close it.

The page gives no licence for Preeti, and Hamropedia doesn't host the font.

Before downloading, check whether you need Preeti at all:

  • To read or edit an old Preeti file: yes, install it.
  • To type something new: use Unicode instead. You can keep your Preeti key habits: the Nepali keyboard tool uses the Nepali Unicode Traditional layout, which keeps most Preeti keys (the "Preeti font layout"), and gives you Unicode text.
  • To turn Preeti text into Unicode: paste it into the Preeti to Unicode converter, which also converts Unicode back to Preeti if an office asks for it.

Fontasy Himali font download

Fontasy Himali is another old, non-Unicode Nepali font. The same UN OHCHR Nepal downloads page lists it as "Fontasi Himali Font", in the file HIMALLI.TTF. Like Preeti, it only displays Nepali where it is installed, so keep it for opening old files.

Kokila font download: it's already in Windows

Kokila and Mangal don't need a download site. They are Microsoft fonts that Windows adds for free: Microsoft lists its Devanagari Supplemental Fonts as "Aparajita, Kokila, Mangal, Sanskrit Text, Utsaah" (Microsoft Learn).

To add them on Windows 11:

  1. Right-click Start, choose Run, type ms-settings:optionalfeatures and select OK, or go to Settings → System → Optional features.
  2. Next to Add an optional feature, select View features.
  3. Search for Devanagari Supplemental Fonts and tick it.
  4. Select Next, then Add.

Your PC has to be online, since Windows downloads the fonts through Windows Update. On some versions of Windows the page sits under Settings → Apps → Optional features instead (Microsoft Learn).

Unicode Nepali font: free options

  • Nirmala UI: already on your PC. It comes with Windows 11 and Windows 10 and covers Devanagari (Microsoft Learn), which makes it the easiest choice for Nepali in Word: nothing to install.
  • Noto Sans Devanagari: free from Google Fonts under the SIL Open Font License, so it's fine for websites and designs too.
  • Kalimati: free, but you install it yourself (see above).
  • Mangal and Kokila: free with Windows (see above).
  • Madan and Janaki: in Language Technology Kendra's "Nepali Unicode Fonts" download on ltk.org.np.

They all produce the same Unicode text, so you can switch between them whenever you like and simply pick the one you like the look of.

How to install a Nepali font on Windows and Mac

Kalimati, Preeti and any other .ttf file install the same way.

Windows:

  1. Find the font file in your Downloads folder, and open it first if it's a .zip.
  2. Double-click the .ttf file to open the font previewer.
  3. Select Install at the top (Microsoft Support).
  4. Close and reopen Word, and the font appears in the font list.

Mac:

  1. Double-click the font file in Finder.
  2. Click Install in the window that opens. Font Book checks the font for errors as it installs it (Apple Support).

Phone: Android and iPhone already display Unicode Nepali, with no font to install. To type it, add a Nepali keyboard or use the Nepali typing tool; our guide on how to type in Nepali covers phone and laptop setup.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Nepali font?
For most people, a Unicode font: Nirmala UI is already on Windows, Kalimati is popular for documents, and Noto Sans Devanagari is free for websites. Unicode fonts work everywhere, whereas Preeti only works on computers that have it installed, so keep Preeti for old files.
How do I install a Nepali font?
On Windows, double-click the .ttf file and select Install. On a Mac, double-click it and click Install in Font Book. Then restart Word or whichever program you use. Kalimati, Preeti and other Nepali fonts all install this way.
How do I install Preeti font?
Download PREETI.TTF from a trusted page such as the UN OHCHR Nepal downloads page, double-click it and select Install. Keep in mind that Preeti text only displays properly on computers with Preeti installed. For new work, type in Unicode or convert with a Preeti to Unicode converter.
Which Nepali font should I use in MS Word?
A Unicode font such as Nirmala UI (already on Windows 10 and 11), Kalimati or Mangal. Pick it from Word's font list once you start typing in Nepali. Avoid Preeti for new documents, because they break on computers that don't have the font.
Can I use Preeti font on Mac?
Yes. macOS supports .ttf fonts, so double-click PREETI.TTF and click Install in Font Book. The same catch applies as on Windows: anyone you send the file to needs Preeti too. Converting the text to Unicode avoids the problem.
Is Kalimati a Unicode font?
Yes. Kalimati is a Unicode Devanagari font, so text typed in it stays Nepali on any device, even one without Kalimati, which usually shows it in another Nepali font. That's the main difference from Preeti.
Do I need to download a Nepali font for Windows 10?
No. Windows 10 and 11 already include Nirmala UI, which displays and types Nepali, and you can add Kokila and Mangal for free through Devanagari Supplemental Fonts in Settings. Only Kalimati, Preeti and other third-party fonts need a separate download.
Why does my Nepali text turn into English letters?
It was typed in Preeti or another non-Unicode font, and the computer showing it doesn't have that font. Install the font to read it, or paste the text into a Preeti to Unicode converter to turn it into Unicode that works everywhere.

Related: Preeti to Unicode converter · Nepali typing tool · Nepali keyboard (Preeti key positions) · How to type in Nepali

Sources: Lumbini Province Education Training Centre: Kalimati font · UN OHCHR Nepal: Nepali fonts and utilities · SALRC, University of Chicago: Kalimati · Microsoft Learn: add fonts missing after upgrading Windows · Microsoft Learn: Windows 11 font list · Microsoft Learn: Nirmala UI · Microsoft Support: install custom fonts · Apple Support: install fonts in Font Book · Google Fonts: Noto Sans Devanagari · Language Technology Kendra downloads