Three kinds of text

Regular text is a single block that grows as you type — the right choice for headlines, labels and most design work. Flowed text is poured into a shape and rewraps to fit, convenient for paragraphs but historically the least portable option across other SVG software. Text on a path follows a curve you draw: select both text and path, then Text → Put on Path, and keep the path itself unfilled and unstroked.

Fonts on Windows

Inkscape lists the fonts installed in Windows, so install a font system-wide before expecting to use it. The font collections dialog helps when your list is enormous. Two cautions: fonts activated by a third-party manager may not appear, and a font that exists only on your machine will silently substitute on anyone else's — which is the single most common cause of "my file looks different on their computer."

Spacing that reads well

The text tool controls bar carries font size, line height, letter spacing, word spacing and baseline shift. For logos and display type, kern by eye: place the cursor between two letters and use Alt+arrow to shift the following character by a pixel at a time. Tighten large headlines slightly and loosen small caps — the defaults are set for body text, not display work.

Converting to outlines

Select the text and press Ctrl+Shift+C (Path → Object to Path). Letters become paths, the font stops mattering, and the text is no longer editable — so do it on a copy, and keep an editable master. Convert before sending files to a print shop, before uploading to a Cricut or laser workflow, and before any sublimation print. After conversion you can reshape individual letters with the node tool, which is how most custom wordmarks are built.

Effects and layout

Outlined text combines with boolean operations to make knockouts and interlocking letters — see path operations. Filling type with a gradient works before or after conversion. Avoid stacking heavy filters on small text: it looks fine on screen and muddies in print and on fabric.

Accessibility and the web

If your SVG is going on a website and the words should be readable by search engines and screen readers, leave the text as text rather than outlines, and make sure the font is available through CSS. That is the one situation where converting is the wrong move.