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
    2010-01-25T20:16:44+00:00

    I believe by 'Orb' they mean the Windows Start button.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-01-25T20:38:05+00:00

    I'm jumping into this thread a bit late - but I've recently been doing a bit of research on this topic.

    From what I understand, many Windows core DLL and EXE files are protected from removal by a service called Windows Resource Protection. Some fonts are also protected, although I have not found a list that mentions anything besides Arial.

    The Windows Module Installer service (trustedinstaller.exe) is a component of Windows Resource Protection. And many of the fonts have full control access only for the TrustedInstaller user account.

    By my count, on a US English Windows 7 installation, there are 105 fonts that with the TrustedInstaller account attached. I wrote a small app to generate the list.

    Many of the fonts were non-Western fonts such as Batang, etc. But the list also included fonts commonly included on "these are system fonts" lists such as Arial, Tahoma, Times New Roman, etc. And then there was one decorative font - Impact 

    So my assumption is that any font file that has the TrustedInstaller account attached to its access control list is considered a system font and cannot be uninstalled. Can anyone at Microsoft confirm this?

    Thanks,

    -- Bryan Kinkel

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-02-03T04:57:54+00:00

    Take care! I nearly wrecked my Vista PC by removing unwanted foreign language fonts. A lot of the UI elements became garbled, and, worst of all, the Start Menu wouldn't open at all. I used takeown and cacls to allow me to delete the files. Then carefully copied the unwanted files to another directory and unregistered the originals with a font management program. I was careful not to mess with anything that looked important and I only deleted obvious foreign language fonts.

    I still don't know what I did wrong. Fortunately, System Restore saved me and got the PC back to normal.

    Questions for Microsoft. I read their earlier semi-apology. Clearly the proliferation of fonts has got completely out of hand.

    But where is the documentation for the end user? People need to know which font is intended for which character set. What help is available to a typical user typing a document. He wants to try out a few different fonts, but doesn't know which to use. An exhaustive search of every font is bewildering.

    An English user needs positive advice like "Don't waste your time trying to use Vrinda, Shruti, Raavi, and Tunga. They are not for you. Although they contain some English characters they are mainly for Indian scripts. The English characters are actually the same as the ones you've already got in font xxx."

    For something so complicated, the lack of documentation is appalling. Come on Microsoft - at least give us a complete list showing what each font is intended for.

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-02-03T13:57:37+00:00

    For something so complicated, the lack of documentation is appalling. Come on Microsoft - at least give us a complete list showing what each font is intended for.

    This list is a good place to start:

    Font Supplied with Windows 7

    http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fonts/product.aspx?PID=161

    Looking at this list will give you an idea of which fonts are for non-Western character sets. You can click on a font to get more specific details about it.

    Microsoft has a list of all the fonts fonts included with each of their products on this page:

    http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fonts/product.aspx

    Select a product or OS and it will list the fonts.

    -- Bryan

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