Inspect axes before entering values
Variable fonts record axes in fvar. Common tags include wght and wdth, but available tags, defaults and ranges depend on the individual font. Run inspection first and use the values shown for that file.
Static-instance mode pins every axis. Entered values must fit the recorded ranges, and omitted axes use their defaults. A result that still contains variable axes is refused rather than described as static. Internal style names may remain unchanged, so identify the result using its recorded axis coordinates.
Keep permissions separate from capabilities
OS/2 embedding flags distinguish installable, restricted, preview/print and editable embedding. Additional flags can prohibit subsetting or limit embedding to bitmaps. The reader reports the raw value and applicable flags; exports never clear them.
Flags do not include the whole licence. A webfont licence may have separate conditions for redistribution, modification, traffic or naming. Font Bridge requires your confirmation of the selected use and refuses restricted or bitmap-only outline exports. A no-subsetting flag blocks both subset and instance rewriting here.
Verify the instance in your real workflow
Creating an instance changes variation tables and can alter metrics or outlines at the chosen coordinates. Compare source rendering at the selected axes with the static result, then test the result in the application where it will be used.
Keep the original variable font and the JSON report. They let you recover the chosen coordinates and distinguish a deliberate axis change from an accidental font replacement. The report is a technical conversion record, not proof of ownership or an authenticity certificate.