What is WOFF2?

WOFF2 (Web Open Font Format 2.0) is an improved web font format that uses Brotli compression to achieve significantly smaller file sizes than its predecessor WOFF. It compresses fonts 30% more than WOFF and up to 50% smaller than uncompressed TrueType/OpenType fonts, resulting in faster page loads and reduced bandwidth usage.

All modern browsers support WOFF2 (Chrome 36+, Firefox 39+, Safari 12+, Edge 14+). It's now the recommended web font format, replacing WOFF and TTF/OTF for web use. WOFF2 maintains full font quality while dramatically reducing download sizes, making it essential for performance-optimized websites and web apps.

Did you know? WOFF2 can reduce font file sizes by 30-50% compared to WOFF!

History

WOFF2 was developed by the W3C WebFonts Working Group to improve upon WOFF by leveraging newer compression technology for better web performance.

Key Milestones

  • 2009: Original WOFF format released
  • 2014: WOFF2 specification published
  • 2014: Chrome 36 adds support
  • 2015: Firefox 39 adds support
  • 2018: Safari 12 adds support
  • Present: Standard web font format

Key Features

Core Capabilities

  • Brotli Compression: Superior compression
  • 30% Smaller: Than WOFF format
  • Fast Loading: Optimized for web
  • Full Quality: No quality loss
  • Universal Support: All modern browsers
  • Metadata: Font info preserved

Common Use Cases

Websites

Custom web typography

Web Apps

PWAs, single-page apps

Email

HTML email fonts

Performance

Fast-loading sites

Advantages

  • Smallest web font format
  • 30-50% smaller file sizes
  • Faster page load times
  • Universal browser support
  • Reduced bandwidth costs
  • No quality loss
  • W3C standard

Disadvantages

  • Not supported on IE11 or older browsers
  • Requires fallback fonts
  • Slower compression than WOFF
  • Limited desktop app support
  • Web-only format

Technical Information

Format Specifications

Specification Details
File Extension .woff2
MIME Type font/woff2
Format Type Web font
Compression Brotli
Based On TrueType/OpenType
Browser Support 97%+ globally

Common Tools

  • Converters: FontSquirrel, Transfonter, Fontello
  • Generators: Google Fonts, Adobe Fonts
  • Tools: woff2 (CLI), fonttools (Python)
  • Services: Google Fonts, CDN providers