diff --git a/config_example.toml b/config_example.toml
index 69435ea..a11ee77 100644
--- a/config_example.toml
+++ b/config_example.toml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ units = 'mg/dL'
 enabled = false
 # Hex code used to render text.
 font-color = '#fff'
-# If left blank, an embedded font will be used.
+# Font path or filename of a system font. If left blank, an embedded font will be used.
 font-file = ''
 # Maximum font size in points.
 max-font-size = 40.0
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 6965ca2..2aaed1c 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ require (
 	fyne.io/systray v1.11.0
 	github.com/Masterminds/sprig/v3 v3.2.3
 	github.com/emersion/go-autostart v0.0.0-20210130080809-00ed301c8e9a
+	github.com/flopp/go-findfont v0.1.0
 	github.com/goki/freetype v1.0.5
 	github.com/hhsnopek/etag v0.0.0-20171206181245-aea95f647346
 	github.com/knadh/koanf/providers/file v1.1.0
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 53812bf..535ec4e 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ github.com/emersion/go-autostart v0.0.0-20210130080809-00ed301c8e9a h1:M88ob4TyD
 github.com/emersion/go-autostart v0.0.0-20210130080809-00ed301c8e9a/go.mod h1:buzQsO8HHkZX2Q45fdfGH1xejPjuDQaXH8btcYMFzPM=
 github.com/fatih/structs v1.1.0 h1:Q7juDM0QtcnhCpeyLGQKyg4TOIghuNXrkL32pHAUMxo=
 github.com/fatih/structs v1.1.0/go.mod h1:9NiDSp5zOcgEDl+j00MP/WkGVPOlPRLejGD8Ga6PJ7M=
+github.com/flopp/go-findfont v0.1.0 h1:lPn0BymDUtJo+ZkV01VS3661HL6F4qFlkhcJN55u6mU=
+github.com/flopp/go-findfont v0.1.0/go.mod h1:wKKxRDjD024Rh7VMwoU90i6ikQRCr+JTHB5n4Ejkqvw=
 github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.7.0 h1:8JEhPFa5W2WU7YfeZzPNqzMP6Lwt7L2715Ggo0nosvA=
 github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.7.0/go.mod h1:40Bi/Hjc2AVfZrqy+aj+yEI+/bRxZnMJyTJwOpGvigM=
 github.com/go-viper/mapstructure/v2 v2.0.0-alpha.1 h1:TQcrn6Wq+sKGkpyPvppOz99zsMBaUOKXq6HSv655U1c=
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index e9cbece..8f002cb 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ type Config struct {
 type DynamicIcon struct {
 	Enabled     bool     `toml:"enabled"`
 	FontColor   HexColor `toml:"font-color" comment:"Hex code used to render text."`
-	FontFile    string   `toml:"font-file" comment:"If left blank, an embedded font will be used."`
+	FontFile    string   `toml:"font-file" comment:"Font path or filename of a system font. If left blank, an embedded font will be used."`
 	MaxFontSize float64  `toml:"max-font-size" comment:"Maximum font size in points."`
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/dynamicicon/dynamicicon.go b/internal/dynamicicon/dynamicicon.go
index 10824ef..b2bb75d 100644
--- a/internal/dynamicicon/dynamicicon.go
+++ b/internal/dynamicicon/dynamicicon.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/flopp/go-findfont"
 	"github.com/gabe565/nightscout-menu-bar/internal/config"
 	"github.com/gabe565/nightscout-menu-bar/internal/nightscout"
 	"github.com/goki/freetype/truetype"
@@ -67,7 +68,18 @@ func (d *DynamicIcon) Generate(p *nightscout.Properties) ([]byte, error) {
 
 			var err error
 			if b, err = os.ReadFile(path); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
+				if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+					return nil, err
+				}
+
+				path, findErr := findfont.Find(d.config.DynamicIcon.FontFile)
+				if findErr != nil {
+					return nil, errors.Join(err, findErr)
+				}
+
+				if b, err = os.ReadFile(path); err != nil {
+					return nil, err
+				}
 			}
 		}