System claims all fonts are "In Use" when I try to delete them

Anonymous
2010-05-09T17:21:03+00:00

I am attempting to delete some non-system fonts that I installed.  Every time I try, no matter what the font, I am told that the font cannot be deleted because it is "in use".  It does not matter if I close every single program running and double-check that no word processors (I use Open Office) are running through Task Manager, the system will not allow me to delete any fonts.

Please help.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2012-05-07T11:35:25+00:00

Could it be this simple?  It worked for me!

http://forums.techarena.in/vista-help/1189255.htm

The Windows Font folder itself is using the font, hence why you can't delete the font - i.e. the very tool you're using to delete the font is using said font and thus locking the file!

When in the Fonts folder click:

Organize > Layout > Untick 'Details pane' > Now try deleting the font.

Worked a treat for me.

Seriously needs addressing in the next service pack.

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Anonymous
2013-10-27T19:11:27+00:00

All, 

I MIGHT JUST HAVE THE FIX FOR THIS!!

I've been struggling for 1 hour to delete a font and I've finally done it.

I renamed the font and I could delete it immediately!

Before deleting it I set all the permissions to allow. I don't know if that helped but ultimately it worked.

I was in safe mode and that didn't work until the renaming trick.

Good luck.

G

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-04-18T10:59:20+00:00

    Hey justinrpg7,

    You don't need "appearance and personalisation" in your control panel, you just need to go to you Windows Font folder.

    (if you want to have "appearance and personalisation", just go to top right of control panel, and change the "view by" setting to "category" )

    Anyway, go to your Win Fonts folder, click Organise in the top left, then scroll to "layout" and uncheck "Details Pane", you should then be able to delete.

    I hope you find this helpful.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-05-29T20:34:54+00:00

    Problem still exists in Windows 8.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-06-07T15:57:24+00:00

    Thanks for the tip wotsit_thing. The 'Details pane' is the problem. I got rid of all unwanted fonts.

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