Disable all font smoothing in Windows 7 (ie: including taskbar, menus, control panel, etc...)

Anonymous
2009-07-14T21:44:09+00:00

I would like to completely disable all font smoothing, anti-aliasing, etc... on Windows 7. I find it difficult to read and it gives me a headache.

Here's what I've tried so far:

  1. Switched to Windows 7 Basic theme. (No Aero.)
  2. Run the ClearType tuner. (It didn't help. I want to remove font smoothing, not tweak it.)
  3. Disabled ClearType altogether. (Taskbar, menus, etc... remain smoothed/anti-aliased).
  4. Unchecked "Smooth edges of screens fonts" from Performance -> Visual Effects. (Taskbar fonts, help, control panel, etc... remain smoothed).
  5. Changed all my fonts to Tahoma under Personalize -> Windows Color
  6. Using regedit, added "Tahoma" as the first option under HKLM->Software->Microsoft->Windows NT->Current Version->FontSubstitutes
  7. Deleted all Segoe fonts from /Windows/Fonts (Had to take ownership to do so)
  8. Deleted nearly all extraneous fonts from /Windows/Fonts (I was getting frustrated...)
  9. Tried playing with HKCU->Control Panel->Desktop->   FontSmoothingType (both 1 and 0) and FontSmoothing (both 1 and 0).
  10. Tried running my laptop at a non-native resolution (Makes it even worse)

The above steps removed most font smoothing, though the taskbar, dialogue boxes, control panel, etc... remain smoothed/anti-aliased. So far, the only way I've found to completely disable any smoothing is to switch to Classic mode, which has the unfortunate effect of removing any visual styles whatsoever. In short, I want Win7 fonts to render in a binary/completely pixelated fashion, with no gray fuzziness or subpixel rendering.

Please help!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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Anonymous
2009-08-02T09:31:33+00:00

Hi Ken,

Hopefully the Win 7 typography team will make this "feature" optional by SP1. I'm holding out until then. But if you insist on using 7 before the font smoothing is fixed, here's how to deal with registry font substitutes and UAC/system protection.

Edit the registry settings under FontSubstitutes so that "Tahoma" appears before Segoe in any FontSubstitute settings. Then, take ownership of the Windows directory (I took ownership of all subdirectories and files, which might be excessive, but made other tweaking easier to deal with) to delete Segoe. To take ownership, right click on the Windows system folder, select "Properties", click on Security, Advanced, then clik on Owner in Advanced security settings... Click on the edit button and change owner to your own account . Make certain "Replace owner on subcontainer..." is checked.

It's overkill, but will get it done.

R5N

P.S. If anyone does figure out how to remove font smoothing from the Win 7 taskbar, I will praise you for all of time.

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  1. Anonymous
    2009-08-09T02:41:37+00:00

    P.S. If anyone does figure out how to remove font smoothing from the Win 7 taskbar, I will praise you for all of time.

    Here here! It gives me a dreadful headache, and I can't seem to remove the anti-aliasing from the titlebars! Now, if you could also remove font smoothing from the WPF (and maybe bring back the classic start menu?), I think I'd send a sizable donation to the Bill & Meilnda Gates Foundation.

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  2. Anonymous
    2009-08-29T11:08:03+00:00

    Just wanted to show my support for this. I hated Vista and I really love Windows 7. If Microsoft can fix this font smoothing issue (i.e. add an option to use XP style fonts) I will definetly buy Windows 7.

    As a visually impaired user I can honestly say this is a really poor area of Windows 7. If your not running at the "optimum" resolution fonts are really blurry.

    I have tried some of the above procedures but I haven't tried changing the font to Tahoma so i will try that now :)

    If anyone finds any tricks that work or agrees with this please post up - the more of us talk about it the more likley it is that MSwill take notice.

       Brian

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  3. Anonymous
    2009-09-25T15:24:55+00:00

    Please quickly release a patch to remove this  "cleartype" crappy smoothing and every "hardcore" user will go on seven !

    Don't forget "hardcore" users are the one who make an Os a comercial success or not ...

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  4. Anonymous
    2009-10-01T20:59:18+00:00

    P.S. If anyone does figure out how to remove font smoothing from the Win 7 taskbar, I will praise you for all of time.

    I'm not sure but i think it is caused by wpf. (new taskbar implemented in wpf ?)

    https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=380919&wa=wsignin1.0

    but good news, after all these years and 4 version, ms will fix it in .net framework 4.0 beta 2 (congrats!)

    http://blogs.msdn.com/text/archive/2009/08/24/wpf-4-0-text-stack-improvements.aspx

    -

    Somehow ms uses poorly coded wpf everywhere, in windows 7 and visual studio 2010 WITHOUT fixing it first.  But only microsoft use it hehe.

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