Removing foreign language fonts

Anonymous
2009-10-30T16:13:49+00:00

Does anyone know of a way to remove the many foreign language fonts from Windows 7? There wasn't an option to exclude them during setup. I've tried deleting them, but Windows tells me that they are system fonts which cannot be deleted. I've also tried "Hiding" them, but they still show up in the font list in Office and other programs. All I want and need are the basic English language fonts. Having to wade through dozens of useless (to me) fonts is a major annoyance. There should be a way to exclude them from my system if I don't need them.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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Anonymous
2009-12-05T14:33:12+00:00

Hello mcbarker69,

The reason that I did not know the fonts in question is because no particular fonts were mentioned, and I had gone into fonts and removed a couple foreign fonts with no problem. However that being said, in order to remove the fonts that are being referred to follow these steps:

Take ownership of the file:

 - Click Start Orb > type fonts in the search box > click Fonts

 - Right-click the font > click Properties - Click Security tab > click Advanced - Click Owner > click Edit - Select your Username > click OK

Click OK on the Windows Security box

Change Permissions of the file:

 - Click Permissions > click Change Permissions

 - Select your Username > click Edit

 - Checkmark Allow for Full control

 - Click OK - Click OK

Click Yes on the Windows Security box

 - Click OK

You will need to remember the names of your font(s) that you want to delete.

Delete the file:

Will need to start Safe mode with command prompt

Restart your computer and tap F-8 continually, this will bring you to your Advanced Boot Options, select Safe mode with command prompt.

Once you have booted:

In command prompt navigate to fonts:

 - type cd c:\windows\fonts > press enter

 - type del "font name" > press enter *Do not use the quotes around the font name

This should bring you back to a clean prompt.

Once you are finished > Ctrl+Alt+Del > select restart from the arrow in the bottom right corner of your screen and start Windows normally.

Hope this helps

As the Windows Security box states; this could cause Windows to act differently. Make sure you know which fonts you are removing and that Windows does not need them before you remove any protected system fonts. This could cause many complications with your installation of Windows.

Chris.H

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-02-09T14:49:22+00:00

    You obviously don't use any non-Microsoft software on a regular basis which allows adding text (Adobe suites or other graphics utilities, for example). Having to wade through the dozens of useless fontsEVERYtime you want to add text to something, is both time consuming and annoying. For those of us who really don't need, or want these intrusive fonts (probably around 95% of us in English speaking countries), these fonts represent yet another bad programming decision by Microsoft. It isn't a matter of hard disk drive space. Now if MS had included the ability to hide, or delete the unwanted fonts in non-Microsoft environments, this thread probably wouldn't exist.

    Excellent and accurate comments!

    I hope your words don't fall on deaf ears.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-02-06T01:10:01+00:00

    You obviously don't use any non-Microsoft software on a regular basis which allows adding text (Adobe suites or other graphics utilities, for example). Having to wade through the dozens of useless fontsEVERYtime you want to add text to something, is both time consuming and annoying. For those of us who really don't need, or want these intrusive fonts (probably around 95% of us in English speaking countries), these fonts represent yet another bad programming decision by Microsoft. It isn't a matter of hard disk drive space. Now if MS had included the ability to hide, or delete the unwanted fonts in non-Microsoft environments, this thread probably wouldn't exist.

    Totally agree. Never an issue until I open Photoshop one of the eight times a day.

    Has anyone installed SP1 yet and does it tackle this problem? I'm not holding my breath.....

    Well, That's My Two-penneth Worth

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-02-04T23:37:25+00:00

    You obviously don't use any non-Microsoft software on a regular basis which allows adding text (Adobe suites or other graphics utilities, for example). Having to wade through the dozens of useless fontsEVERYtime you want to add text to something, is both time consuming and annoying. For those of us who really don't need, or want these intrusive fonts (probably around 95% of us in English speaking countries), these fonts represent yet another bad programming decision by Microsoft. It isn't a matter of hard disk drive space. Now if MS had included the ability to hide, or delete the unwanted fonts in non-Microsoft environments, this thread probably wouldn't exist.

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-02-04T21:03:51+00:00

    I'm surprised about the whole thread. One big advantage of Win 7 over XP (f.i.) is that you don't need to download and install fonts separately if you want a correct display of foreign (say, East-Asian) characters in Notepad or on webpages. Why would anyone wish to revert this functionality? The harddisk has a capacity of 30 MB, or what?

    "192 GB ought to be enough for anybody." (from the miniseries "Next Generation's Jokes")

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