Font and Icon-Font alternative for non-office-related applications

[lukasbash]

According to the Assets License, the available MS fonts and icon fonts are only allowed in association with office products or office product integrations.
The licensed fonts and icons are matching the whole UI framework in a decent way. Do you recommend a proper font and icon font as an alternative to the licensed ones?
I know that it is possible to inject custom fonts or icons, but honestly material or font awesome icons do not really reflect the style of an application using this framework.

Any input on this?

[aneeshack4]

@lukasbash thanks for reaching out to us. What is it you're trying to do exactly? Please give us more details about your use case - are you trying to make a M365 themed app/website or are you trying use custom icons with Fluent UI components? There is guidance regarding all of this on https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/fluentui#/styles/web/icons

[msft-github-bot]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has marked as requiring author feedback but has not had any activity for 4 days. It will be closed if no further activity occurs within 3 days of this comment. Thank you for your contributions to Fabric React!

[lukasbash]

@aneeshack4 sorry for the late reply. I am working on an application that simply has a microsoft themed design. The application has nothing to do (or at least not directly) with any office products, applications or plugins.
The license agreement for the assets license says that I am not allowed to use i.e. the default font and icon font.
Of course I am using a custom font and icon font right now. I was just asking, if you (as the development team behind this framework) have a free-to-use alternative font and icon font that also matches the microsoft theme. In my opinion, using e.g. Font Awesome or Material icons just does not fit the style of your components. Do you understand what I mean?

[msft-github-bot]

@aneeshack4

Gentle ping that this issue needs attention.

[ecraig12345]

For text fonts, there's an open source font called Selawik which is designed as a replacement for Segoe UI. As far as I'm aware we don't have a similar open source replacement for icon fonts, sorry.

[ecraig12345]

Also note that in the latest assets license agreement it says that you can use the fonts if you're interacting with any Microsoft service, not just Office. But that obviously won't help in all cases.

[fromberg100]

I am also willing to use Fluent UI for an ERP webapplication. It is a ASP.NET Core web application and will be deployed to Azure virtual machine. Am I allowed to use the Fluent UI font and icons for this purpose?

[ecraig12345]

@fromberg100 Per the assets license linked above, you're allowed to use the fonts:

a. In connection with the use of a Microsoft API within the development of a software
application, website, or product you create or a service you offer designed to provide access
or interact with a Microsoft service or application (“Application”)
b. To illustrate that Application integrates with one or more Microsoft products and services.

If you work somewhere with lawyers, further interpretation of exactly how this applies to your scenario is best left up to them. (Sorry to not be more helpful, but I'm not qualified to give legal advice and don't want to say something incorrect.)

[kakone]

This licensing problem is annoying. We can't use this great collection of icons in some websites, or even Uno Platform applications.
We can now also found another collection of Fluent UI Icons under Creative Commons license, so we are a little lost. Will these new icons be included in the Fabric Icons page ? And will the license of the Fabric Icons page be changed so we can use it in a website or application without using a Microsoft API ?

[MichielDeMey]

@sprocketc You're correct, the @fluentui/react-icons-mdl2 package of SVG icons is fully MIT licensed. There's a note on the website clarifying this now.
The branded SVG icons are available from @fluentui/react-icons-mdl2-branded which is still subject to the assets license. @tomi-msft we should add a note about the branded package on the website.

If the SVG icons are fully MIT licensed, then we should probably remove the last line of that license that states:

Note: Usage of the fonts and icons referenced in Fluent UI React is subject to the terms listed at aka.ms/fluentui-assets-license

I agree with @sprocketc that this added note is confusing, and it is arguable whether a modified MIT is still MIT at all.

We're currently in the same situation. The Note in the MIT license for the SVG icons is really concerning.

Have we gotten any clarification on this?
Ideally, the note should just be removed since any and all icons in the package are MIT licensed?

The note however still makes sense for the branded icons.

[tomi-msft]

I have removed the mention of the Fabric Assets License from the react-icons-mdl2 LICENSE file

[GurliGebis]

How do we go about the normal font? It is still restricted, so out of the box, the Segoe UI font still prevents usage from how I can understand it?

[msft-fluent-ui-bot]

Because this issue has not had activity for over 150 days, we're automatically closing it for house-keeping purposes.

Still require assistance? Please, create a new issue with up-to date details.

[GurliGebis]

Please reopen this one - it has not been solved yet

[Owez]

Whats the current state of this issue?

I can't use fluent if a ton of the assets are behind a legal wall and I don't want to use iffy workarounds. 2 years.

[GurliGebis]

I think the safe bet is to stay away, until Microsoft decides it is time fix this.
But after this long, I don't think it will be fixed

[msft-fluent-ui-bot]

Because this issue has not had activity for over 150 days, we're automatically closing it for house-keeping purposes.

Still require assistance? Please, create a new issue with up-to date details.

[GurliGebis]

And again, please reopen.
This has not been resolved yet.

[khmakoto]

@GurliGebis reopening

[microsoft-github-policy-service]

Because this issue has not had activity for over 150 days, we're automatically closing it for house-keeping purposes.

Still require assistance? Please, create a new issue with up-to date details.

[microsoft-github-policy-service]

Because this issue has not had activity for over 150 days, we're automatically closing it for house-keeping purposes.

Still require assistance? Please, create a new issue with up-to date details.

[Owez]

Please reopen again

[gautamsi]

it is not solved, please reopen

Please provide instruction on how to use this without being restricted or change license from MIT to some proprietary license which extends MIT with restriction you are proposing. That will at least turn away anyone who innocently used this thinking it is MIT licensed.

[khmakoto]

Reopening

[GurliGebis]

Still an issue, but does it make sense to keep reopening it?
It seems pretty clear, that this is an issue that won't get fixed.

[gautamsi]

I believe after the v9, if you use @fluentui/react-icons this is MIT but if you use any of the MDL2 package it will be fabric assets.

This is the time where Microsoft should publish a clear Guide that if you include xxxx packages you are governed by the Fabric asset license and not MIT.
Other problem is that they never make it separable? hope they have clear guide soon,.