Windows 7 - Fonts - Delete

**Brink**

How to Delete Fonts in Windows 7

Information

A font is a collection of numbers, symbols, and characters. A font describes a certain typeface, along with other qualities, such as size, spacing, and pitch. This will show you how to delete fonts of your choice that are installed in Windows 7.

For a list of all default fonts that come supplied with Windows 7, see: Fonts supplied with Windows 7

Warning

You do not want to delete a font that is being used by Windows 7. Typically the fonts that are not in use and safe to delete are the default fonts set to Hide in the Details Pane, and the fonts installed by you.

OPTION ONE

Through the Fonts Folder

1. Open the Control Panel (All items View).

2. Click on the Fonts icon.

3. Select a individual font or font family that you want to delete. (See screenshots below)
TIP: To select more than one font at a time, press and hold down the Ctrl key while you click on each font.
NOTE: A individual font only has a single page on it's icon. A font family has more than one page stacked on it's icon. It means that it has more individual fonts included in that font family. If you wanted to only delete a individual font in the font family, you will need to click on the font family to see the individual fonts inside the font family first.

4. Click on the Delete button on the toolbar. (See screenshots above)
NOTE: You can also right click on the font and click on Delete. If delete a font family, then it will delete all of the individual fonts in the font family as well.

5. Click on Yes to confrim the deletion. (See screenshots below)
NOTE: The left screenshot is for a individual font, and the right screenshot is for a font family.

OPTION TWO

Through the Registry

1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search box and press enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes (if in adminsitrator account) or type in the administrator's password (if in standard account).

3. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
Code:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts
4. In the right pane of Fonts, right click on the font name that you want to delete and click on Delete.

5. Click on Yes to approve the deletion.

6. If you have 64-bit Windows 7 Installed

Note

To also delete the font as well in 64-bit Windows 7, you will also need to do this step.

If you have a 32-bit Windows 7 installed, then skip this step since doing steps 1 to 5 will delete the font in it.
A) In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
Code:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts
B) Repeat steps 4 and 5.
7. Repeat steps 4 to 6 for any other font you want to delete

8. When finished, restart the computer to apply.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

**ccbob** · 12-06-2009

There are a large number of fonts showing up in Win 7 that I attempted to delete since I can't see any possible use for them. These include mostly foreign fonts like
Batang, Hebrew, Thai, Han Chinese, etc. When you attempt to delete most of these you get the message that they are protected as system fonts.

**tbernstein** · 12-27-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by ccbob

There are a large number of fonts showing up in Win 7 that I attempted to delete since I can't see any possible use for them. These include mostly foreign fonts like
Batang, Hebrew, Thai, Han Chinese, etc. When you attempt to delete most of these you get the message that they are protected as system fonts.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exactly.
I thought that my original post had sufficient clarity. My "tag" maybe would reinforce that. I do know my way around computers in some detail, in fact Windows 7/Vista/XP/98/95/3.11 as well as CP/M, Linux BBC OS and one or two others.
And I do know how to remove a font ot two.
But I'm always happy to learn more. I read many more posts than I make.
I did mention a couple of those specific system fonts of the Batang variety.
And the point about this is that it's my computer and I get to choose what I put on my computer, except that Microsoft are telling me that I have to lumber my computer with their baggage. *
And I don't want it.

*PS I actually like Microsoft. Anyone old enough to have experienced CP/M will know what a relief MSDOS was.

selkie · 01-20-2010

The problem I have is that "hidden" fonts still show when I use programs such as Photo Filtre. I always have to choose from a big, long list of fonts, most of which I will never use.

**Brink** · 01-20-2010

Hello Selkie, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Hiding fonts will not always keep them hidden in 3rd party programs. Can you delete them instead of hiding them?

selkie · 01-21-2010

I've deleted some, but many of them cannot be deleted. It's a great idea to have all those fonts available, just a pain in the neck sifting through all of them every time. What part of "hide" doesn't the program understand?
Also, if I do want to use a foreign language font, what do I do - install a language pack? Is there a recommended place to go to find this?

**Brink** · 01-21-2010

Setting a font to hide sets it to hide in Windows and any compliant program. A 3rd party program may not be compiant or compatible with this, so it may not be hidden from within that program. Unfortunately it's up to the program developer to make their program work properly or not.

I'm not sure about your second question, but you might post it as a "New Thread" in the General Discussion forum to see if someone may know more on that.

CJW · 4 Weeks Ago

Some info most at Microsoft will NOT give, about how to delete stubborn files/folders. The reason they won't delete is b/c the only user/account that has FULL permission to do so is someone called the "TrustedInstaller", which is not even the owner of the computer/Installer of Windows!!!

I've done this to delete stubborn screensavers & fonts the people at MS think that only the "TrustedInstaller" should have permission to do. Here's what needs to be done:

Take Ownership Shortcut

1. R-click the file you want deleted, choose Properties & select the Security tab.
2. Under Permission for SYSTEM, click Advanced.
3. Select the Owner tab & click Edit.
4. UAC will pop-up (or not)
5. Choose your User & click Apply, then OK & OK (back to file/folder's Properties box).
6. Still at the Security tab, click Edit under Group/user names.
7. UAC will pop-up (or not)
8. Select same group/user as in #5 above.
9. Under Permissions for SYSTEM choose Full Control - Allow.
10. Click Apply & Ok out of Properties. Now the file/folder should delete no problem.

I also used the Orb to search the whole computer for other instances of the file. For instance, the Ribbon screensaver, that I got rid of; was also found in multiple folders in the C:\Windows\winsxs folder. Once those files were deleted, the folders they were in were also deleted. No problems have come up for me since deleting some screensavers & fonts this way. Please note: only delete fonts that are set to 'HIDE' in the Fonts folder! Important!

LM2008 · 4 Weeks Ago

I removed a lot of them using the registry and the system and apps are working good after reboot. Thanks for this tutorial.

**Brink** · 4 Weeks Ago

You're most welcome LM.