5 Ways to Fix Pixelated and Corrupted Fonts in Windows

Farhad Pashaei
5 Ways To Fix Pixelated And Corrupted Fonts On Windows

If you’re seeing pixelated and corrupted fonts on your Windows PC, don’t panic! The issue could have surfaced after installing an update. It could also be due to a faulty OS configuration. This guide explains how to identify the source of the issue and eliminate it for good.

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Tip: feeling creative? These top programs can help you make your own font.

1. Restore Default Font Settings via Control Panel

Incorrect font settings could lead to pixelated and corrupted fonts on Windows. In such cases, resetting the font settings can be a good idea.

  1. Click on the Start menu, type “Control Panel,” and press Enter.
  2. Select “Appearance and Personalization.”
"Appearance and Personalization" section in Control Panel.
  1. Open “Change Font Settings” under the “Fonts” section.
Selecting "Change Font Settings" under Font in Control Panel.
  1. Click “Restore default font settings.”
Clicking on "Restore default font settings" under Font settings.
  1. Check whether your PC is displaying fonts correctly.

Good to know: learn how to clear the cache on your Windows PC.

2. Restore Default Font Settings with Resetfont.Reg File

Another option for reverting to the default font settings is to create a .REG (Registry) file. If you need more Registry tricks, we have you covered.

  1. Click on the Start menu, type “Notepad,” and press Enter.
Searching for Notepad with Windows Search.
  1. Copy and paste the following commands in Notepad:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
 
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts]
 
"Segoe UI (TrueType)"="segoeui.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Black (TrueType)"="seguibl.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Black Italic (TrueType)"="seguibli.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Bold (TrueType)"="segoeuib.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Bold Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuiz.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Emoji (TrueType)"="seguiemj.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Historic (TrueType)"="seguihis.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuii.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Light (TrueType)"="segoeuil.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Light Italic (TrueType)"="seguili.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Semibold (TrueType)"="seguisb.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Semibold Italic (TrueType)"="seguisbi.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Semilight (TrueType)"="segoeuisl.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Semilight Italic (TrueType)"="seguisli.ttf"
 
"Segoe UI Symbol (TrueType)"="seguisym.ttf"
 
"Segoe MDL2 Assets (TrueType)"="segmdl2.ttf"
 
"Segoe Print (TrueType)"="segoepr.ttf"
 
"Segoe Print Bold (TrueType)"="segoeprb.ttf"
 
"Segoe Script (TrueType)"="segoesc.ttf"
 
"Segoe Script Bold (TrueType)"="segoescb.ttf"
 
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes]
 
"Segoe UI"=-
  1. Select “File” from the toolbar and click “Save as.”
"Save as" file in Notepad.
  1. From the “Save as type” drop-down menu, pick “All files,” type “Resetfont.Reg” as the “File name,” then click “Save.”
Creating new registry file with Notepad.
  1. Open the “Resetfont.Reg” file as administrator by right-clicking on it. Press “Yes” when prompted.
Registry Editor warning.
  1. After the process completes, restart your computer.

3. Recreate Font Cache Manually

The Windows Font Cache service optimizes the performance of applications by caching commonly-used font data. Follow the steps below to recreate it and eliminate possible issues:

  1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run window.
  2. Type services.msc and select “OK.”
Executing "services.msc" in Run window.
  1. Right-click “Windows Font Cache Service” and open “Properties.”
Right-clicking Windows Font Cache Service to find "Properties."
  1. Select “Stop” under “Service Status” and change the “Startup type” to “Disabled.” Follow this by clicking “Apply” then “OK.”
Disabling "Windows Font Cache service."
  1. Do the same for “Windows Presentation Foundation Font Cache 3.0.0.0.”
  1. Right-click on the Start menu and select “Windows Explorer.”
  2. Navigate to the following folder: “C:\Users\IWiLL\AppData\Local\Microsoft\FontCache”
.DAT file view in File Explorer.
  1. Delete any “FontCache“ files with a .DAT extension.
Deleting .DAT file.
  1. Open the FontCache folder and remove all its contents.
FontCache files are being deleted.
  1. Navigate to the following folder “C:\Windows\System32\” and delete the “FNTCACHE.dat” file:
Navigating to .DAT file in File Explorer.
  1. Restart your computer to save the changes.
  2. After the system boots, follow steps #1 through #3 again.
  3. Select “Start” under “Service status” and change the “Startup type” to “Automatic,” then click “Apply -> OK.”
Starting Windows Font Cache Service again.
  1. Do the same for “Windows Presentation Foundation Font Cache 3.0.0.0.”
  2. Check to see whether the issues are gone.

Tip: have you noticed a beautiful font in a visual? Here’s how you can identify fonts in a image.

4. Recreate Font Cache Using BAT File

.BAT files are scripts that store commands that need to be executed in a serial order. You can utilize such files to recreate the font cache in a few steps:

  1. Click on the Start menu, type “Notepad,” and press Enter.
Searching for Notepad in Windows.
  1. Copy and paste the following commands to “Notepad”:
@echo off

:: Stop and disable "Windows Font Cache Service" service

:FontCache
 
sc stop "FontCache"
 
sc config "FontCache" start=disabled
 
sc query FontCache | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED"
 
if not %errorlevel%==0 (goto FontCache)

:: Grant access rights to current user for "%WinDir%\ServiceProfiles\LocalService" folder and contents
 
icacls "%WinDir%\ServiceProfiles\LocalService" /grant "%UserName%":F /C /T /Q

:: Delete font cache
 
del /A /F /Q "%WinDir%\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\FontCache\*FontCache*"
 
del /A /F /Q "%WinDir%\System32\FNTCACHE.DAT"

:: Enable and start "Windows Font Cache Service" service
 
sc config "FontCache" start=auto
 
sc start "FontCache"
  1. Save the file in Notepad.
Saving file in Notepad.
  1. From the “Save as type” drop-down menu, pick “All files,” type “Rebuild_FontCache.bat” as the “File name,” then click “Save.”
Naming file in Notepad.
  1. Right-click on “Rebuild_FontCache.bat” and choose “Run as administrator.”
  1. After the process completes, restart your computer. The issues should be gone.

5. Run SFC and DISM Scans

Windows includes two built-in utility tools, SFC and DISM, that can fix the most common Windows issues. Both utilities run system checks using Windows commands and attempt to fix any OS flaws automatically. We suggest that you give them a go.

Good to know: Google Fonts are easy to install and free. Follow this guide to start using them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I install fonts on Windows?

After downloading the desired fonts, right-click on them and select “Install.”

Why did my computer font suddenly change?

This may happen if you installed a faulty update, accidentally got your PC infected with malware, or changed font settings incorrectly. If you’re certain that your PC is infected, you should act fast. The first thing you should do is run a malware scan using the Windows Security app.

How do I remove a corrupted font from my PC?

Open Control Panel in Windows, select “Appearance and Personalization,” then click “Install or remove a font.” Right-click on the font you wish to get rid of and press “Delete.”

Image credit: Pexels. All screenshots by Farhad Pashaei

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Farhad Pashaei
Farhad Pashaei

As a technophile, Farhad has spent the last decade getting hands-on experience with a variety of electronic devices, including smartphones, laptops, accessories, wearables, printers, and so on. When he isn’t writing, you can bet he’s devouring information on products making their market foray, demonstrating his unquenchable thirst for technology.