Removing foreign language fonts

Anonymous

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.

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

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.

0 comments

133 additional answers

Anonymous

2009-12-04T00:41:50+00:00

I really agree here. That seems a big oversight not to deal with this issue.

I am not concerned so much about bogging down my system as having to slog through miles long font lists in Photoshop and other programs. "Hiding" them does not seem to work for CS4.

I am giving Windows a try on my laptop although I have been a Mac user for quite awhile. The Mac OS has no such problems. Getting my fonts more mangable sure has been a big headache with Windows!
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Deleted

This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

Comments have been turned off. Learn more
Anonymous

2009-12-05T02:35:25+00:00

Problem is that the fonts are not individual files. Else one could take control of the file with takeown /f and then full control with cacls . But as it stands, one could only delete the whole Fonts folder and then create a new one which one has to repopulate with the desired fonts.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2009-12-05T05:35:29+00:00

"Social Answers" apparently means that when Microsoft doesn't have an answer (among the support people anyway) they hope someone else will come up with one. Well how about this one....

If you look in the \Windows\Fonts\ folder you will see four strange non-font files, e.g.

   Directory of C:\Windows\Fonts

    07/13/2009 11:32 PM            26,040 GlobalMonospace.CompositeFont

    07/13/2009 11:32 PM            26,489 GlobalSansSerif.CompositeFont

    07/13/2009 11:32 PM            29,779 GlobalSerif.CompositeFont

    07/13/2009 11:32 PM            43,318 GlobalUserInterface.CompositeFont

These are not font files, they are text tables/lists referencing many or all of the other font files in the folder. There is one directory table for each of four general font styles: 'Monospace', 'Serif', 'SansSerif', and 'UI'.

Now the key here is that these text files describe how to display _any_ of the Unicode characters in that chosen style, by referencing which fonts contain the definitions of various ranges of Unicode characters. So if a program wanted to display a "Naskapi Waa" the directory says that that character is one of those in

        

        <FontFamilyMap

            Unicode="1400-167F"

            Target="Euphemia"

            Scale="1.0" />

What programs you ask? Why, programs using Microsoft's Windows Presentation Foundation, and probably .Net and SilverLight, etc. etc. For the convenience of those programs (which don't want to know nothing 'bout fonts) the programs can just say "SansSerif" and "West-Cree Pwi", thank you.

For convenience, theirs, not yours, they want to guarantee that a complete set of all Unicode characters is available on your system, hopefully less than four times over (for the four styles).

So... it's a "system font" because of this cross-referencing to build up the entire Unicode character set by using all these separate font files. They don't want you to delete it because, well, who knows what might happen to all those programs dependent on displaying a "Pwoo" (it doesn't look as bad as it sounds).

Hey, it's only 366 megabytes and 63 fonts on each system, right? Don't you feel good knowing that "Phags-Pa Aspirated Fa" (a script not used since 1368) is available on every Windows 7 system?
Was this answer helpful?

10 people found this answer helpful.

0 comments No comments