Fonts - Change

How to Change the Default Fonts in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to change most or all of the default fonts in Windows 7 for Active Title Bar, Icon, Inactive Title Bar, Menu, Message Box, Palette Title, Selected Items, ToolTip, and various Dialog Box text and buttons.

:warn:Changing a Windows 7 font doesn't change your program fonts.

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

OPTION ONE

Through Advanced Appearance Settings

   Note

This will let you change the default font, font size, and font color for the Active Title Bar, Icon, Inactive Title Bar, Menu, Message Box, Palette Title, Selected Items, and ToolTip text. See this link under step 8 there for the default Advanced Appearance settings: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/282-window-color-appearance-change.html

   Tip

All Advanced Appearance settings for a single user are stored in the three registry keys below.

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\Colors
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics

1. If you have Windows 7 Starter or Home Basic
A) Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click on the Display icon.

B) In the left blue pane, click on the Change color scheme link. (see screenshot below)

C) Click on the Advanced button. (see screenshot below)

D) Go to step 3.
2. If you have Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, or Enterprise
A) Right click on a empty space on the desktop and click on Personalize. (see screenshot below)

B) Click on the Window Color link at the bottom of the window. (See screenshot below)

C) Click on the Advanced appearance settings link. (See screenshot below)

   Warning

• If you have selected a Basic and High Contrast Themes, then you will not see the screenshot. Instead, you will see the screenshot below step 4.
• If you have selected a Aero Themes, then you will see the screenshot. Continue to step 4.

3. Select a Item that you want to change the font for. (see screenshots below)
NOTE: Not all of these items will have a font for them.




4. To Change the Item Font
A) Click on the Font drop down menu and select a font. (see screenshot below)

5. To Change the Item Font Size
A) Click on the Size drop down menu and select a number for the size. The higher the number, the larger the size. (see screenshot above)
6. To Change the Item Font Color
A) Click on the Color drop down menu and select a color. (see screenshot below step 4)
7. To Have the Item Font in Bold
A) Click the B button to highlight it. If it is not highlighted, then the font will not be in bold. (see screenshot below step 4)
8. To Have the Item Font in Italic
A) Click on the I button to highlight it. If it is not highlighted, then the font will not be in italic. (see screenshot below step 4)
9. Repeat steps 3 to 8 until you have changed all of the fonts for the select items that you wanted.

10. When done, click on OK. (see screenshots below step 3)

11. Close the Window Color and Appearance window. (see screenshot below step 2B)
NOTE: You will not have this to do if you have a Basic and High Contrast Themes selected.

OPTION TWO

To Change or Restore Default Dialog Box Text and Buttons Fonts

NOTE: This will let you change the default fonts for most of the Windows 7 dialog box text and button text through the registry.
1. To Change the Dialog Box Text and Buttons Fonts
A) Open the Start Menu, type regedit in the search box, and press Enter.

B) If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

C) In regedit, navigate to the location below (See screenshots below)
NOTE: The default fonts are the ones displayed below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes

D) In the right pane, right click on MS Shell Dlg and click on Modify. (See screenshot above)

E) Type in the name of the font you want to use and click on OK. (See left screenshot below)
NOTE: You can get the name of the font from the Font Folder Location C:\Windows\Fonts. Right click on the single font and click on Properties to see the file name. For a font group, you will need to open it first to see the single fonts in it. Be sure that you use the exact same font name that is listed. Do not include the Regular part or file extension in the font name. For example, I would type Impact instead of Impact Regular or Impact.ttf.




F) In the right pane, right click on MS Shell Dlg 2 and click on Modify. (See screenshot below step 1C)

G) Type in the name of the font you want to use and click on OK. (See left screenshot below)
NOTE: You can get the name of the font from the Font Folder Location C:\Windows\Fonts. Be sure that you use the exact same font name that is listed. Do not include the Regular part in the font name. For example, I would type Impact instead of Impact Regular.




H) Close regedit.

I) Go to step 3.
2. To Restore Default Dialog Box Text and Buttons Fonts
A) Click on the Download button below, and download the file below.
Restore_Default_Dialog_Box_Fonts.reg


Download


B) Save the .reg file to the desktop.

C) Right click the downloaded .reg file, and click on Merge.

D) Click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted.

E) Continue on to step 3.
3. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply the font changes.

OPTION THREE

To Change All Default Fonts

NOTE: This will let you change the default fonts used by Windows 7 using the registry.
1. To Change Default Fonts Using a REG File Download
NOTE: This changes the default fonts in Windows 7 to the Tahoma font. You could use this REG file download to make doing step 2 below easier by editing the REG file for the font you want to use instead of Tahoma.
A) Click on the Download button below, and download the file below.
Set_Tahoma_Default_Font.reg


Download


B) Save the .reg file to your desktop.

C) Double click on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

D) Click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted to approve the merge.

E) Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply changes.

F) When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
2. To Manually Change Default Fonts by Creating a REG File
NOTE: The REG file in step 1 is the same as in step 2B below. You can use it and just edit the font that you would like to use instead of Tahoma in step below.
A) Open Notepad.

B) Copy and Paste the code below into Notepad.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
 
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts]
"Segoe UI (TrueType)"=""
"Segoe UI Bold (TrueType)"=""
"Segoe UI Italic (TrueType)"=""
"Segoe UI Bold Italic (TrueType)"=""
"Segoe UI Semibold (TrueType)"=""
"Segoe UI Light (TrueType)"=""
 
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes]
"Segoe UI"="[B][COLOR=red]Tahoma[/COLOR][/B]"

C) In Notepad, edit Tahoma in quotes with the name of the font that you would like to use in instead with it still in quotes. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You can get the name of the font from the Font Folder Location C:\Windows\Fonts. Be sure that you use the exact same font name that is listed. Do not include the Regular part in the font name. For example, I would type Impact instead of Impact Regular.




D) In Notepad, click on File (Menu bar) and Save As. (see screenshot below)

E) Type in a name you would like with a .reg file extension (ex: Impact-Fonts.reg), then click on the Save button. (see screenshot below)

D) Double click on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

E) Click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted to approve the merge.

F) Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply changes.
3. To Restore the Default Fonts
NOTE: This will ONLY undo all changes that you made using either step 1 or step 2 in OPTION THREE above, and restore the original default fonts used by Windows 7.
A) Click on the Download button below, and download the file below.
Default_Fonts.reg


Download


B) Save the .reg file to your desktop.

C) Double click on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

D) Click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted to approve the merge.

E) Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply changes.

F) When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to See a Preview of the Fonts in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Delete Fonts in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Install a Font in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Show and Hide Fonts in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Change the Display DPI Size in Windows 7
• How to Change the Window Color and Appearance in Windows 7
• How to Create a Font Settings Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Change Font Styles Used for Webpages in Internet Explorer
• How to Open and Use ClearType Text Tuner in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable "Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts"

 

[Coldout]

Hi, I have adjusted some fonts in the Adavanced Apperance settings, and also the Registry for Gabriola font. But still I have some text on teh Desktop that is the default text. I would like to change it all to the same Gabriola text if possible. Any other places I need to adjust to make it so?

Thanks!
Also would just like to say, this site is great. SO much info.

 

[Brink]

Hello Coldout,

What text location on the desktop has not changed?

Shawn

 

[Coldout]

I've taken a screenshot of my desktop, which shows the fonts that still seem to be default.
Example is, holding mouse over taksbar shows default text. But when I right click on Windows explorer, I have the Gabriola text.
Also Computer, Network and Recycle Bin are default fonts.

Edit: I just got the Computer, Network and Recycle Bin to Gabriola. I went through the list in Advanced Apprerance settings, (these were under Icon) which I hadn't noticed before Thanks.



Edit 2: I have all but one changed to Gabriola font, mouse over taskbar 'tooltip' still shows default text.



I can live with it, if it is a pain to find.

Once again, thanks. Very much appreciate the info, and the help.

 

[Brink]

No problem Cold Out.

I'm not sure where that one may be at.

 

[96accord]

might have been asked....... but........

how do you make the desktop icons smaller?

 

[Brink]

Hello 96accord,

You can do so by right clicking on a unused area of the desktop and click on View and Small Icons.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[stormy]

I too am struggling with this, option 1 works but as with Vista some fonts seem uneditable, some dialogue boxes refuse to change (delete for example), the advanced font selection list itself! (which has to be some sick joke), gadgets, RSS sidebar feeds, fonts in Outlook, insisting on the ugly Segeo / Calibri which looks dreadful with ClearType disabled.

Option 2 above, I just don't have the registry keys here on my Windows 7 RC install. At the moment Windows 7 seems worse than Vista in not allowing you to change all the fonts, so I have the clean lines to Tahoma and Trebuchet MS but with sprinklings of the ugly Segoe.

A pain.

Some examples attached.

Any ideas?

 

[Brink]

Hello Stormy, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I'm not sure which registry entries you are missing, but here are the default entries inside the FontSubstitutes key. You can download the ZIP file, extract the .reg file, then double click on the .reg file to merge it to add them.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[stormy]

Thanks, I will check it out.

 

[stormy]

As with Vista it seems Microsoft have deemed it that you can only edit certain fonts, it doesn't give enough user control by half.

I tried a Vista hack to remove Segoe UI completely and while it is better it creates its own problems, I really wish Windows 7 would have more customisation over the fonts, but I doubt we will see it so I will be stuck with a mish-mash of clean non-cleartype fonts and some awful looking fonts which require cleartype, like Segoe and Calibri.

I have always hated cleartype, and will always do so, why do Microsoft insist on force feeding us cleartype only fonts like Segoe and Calibri.

 

[nate42nd]

I found simply changing the "Icon" font will change everything from Windows explorer fonts to desktop icon fonts. I think it's beautiful! Thanks! I am surprised it changed so many fonts I didn't think had anything to do with "Icons" This looks great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

View attachment 10793

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Nate. I'm happy to hear that you're making them the way you like them.

 

[ViperMWC]

Good day Shawn,

I've followed through this tutorial as I wanted to change my font colour,
but at this point I have NO colour option to click as mine is greyed out !!
Any thoughts or ideas on why, as to be honest the default icon text looks pretty dreadful on a lot of my wallpapers.



All the best,
Mick C.

 

[Brink]

Hello Mick,

Changing the colors from there will only work if you are using a Windows Classic theme instead of a Windows Aero theme.

Not sure if it's worth it to lose Aero, but it's your call.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[ViperMWC]

Hello Mick,

Changing the colors from there will only work if you are using a Windows Classic theme instead of a Windows Aero theme.

Not sure if it's worth it to lose Aero, but it's your call.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Ahhhh I see what you mean Shawn, thanks for pointing that out, Aero is too much fun to loose, will have to hunt down another way to play with the icon colour.
Appreciate the input,
Mick C.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Mick.

The only other option is using a 3rd party program like Stardock WindowBlinds. Not sure if it works in Windows 7 yet though.

 

[TheSchaft]

A way to change icon font from white to black

There was a posting about trying to get the font to change color on the desktop icons from white to black. While enabling drop shadows on icon fonts will make them readable even against a white background, I found this method to change them from white to black:

*Make sure you de-select "use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop".

*Now, right click, go to personalize, then go to desktop background, then go to solid colors. Click white background, apply. The text will change to black.

*Now go back to select the picture that you want to be your background.

Note that this works until you select drop shadows again - at that point you're back to white. No drop shadows, but at least you can have black text.

 

[Barbara]

can't install font

I've read how to install a new font, but when I right click on the font to install it, "install" isn't listed. I'd try to drag and drop, but I can't figure out how to keep the control panel/font open on the right while the font is in the list at the left. Please help.

 

[Brink]

Hello Barbara, and welcome to Seven Forums.

This tutorial may help instead. You can open two windows to drag from one to drop in the other. Is the font Windows compatible? Some are not. You might double check at the site you got it at to make sure.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1155-fonts-install.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn