Windows 10: Change Default System Font in Windows 10

How to: Change Default System Font in Windows 10

How to Change the Default System Font in Windows 10


Windows 10 uses the Segoe UI font as the default system font. This font is used for icons, menus, title bar text, File Explorer, and more.

If you would like to use a different font, then you are able to change this default font to any font you like.

Changing the font will have no effect on modern items like apps from the Store, Start menu, Settings.

This tutorial will show you how to change the default system font in Windows 10 for all users.

*Warning You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to change the default font in Windows 10.

*Warning Be very careful which font you chose to use as a system font!

Many font types do not support all characters needed for the operating system. When that happens, some things will become unintelligible. This happens, specially, when using downloaded custom fonts, not thought for use in an operating system's user interface, but just for publishing. An operating system needs additional characters, that a novel or blog doesn't.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Change Default System Font in Windows 10
• Option Two: To Restore Default System Font in Windows 10

EXAMPLE: Default vs "Arial Bold" font in Windows 10

















OPTION ONE [/i] To Change Default System Font in Windows 10
1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below.
Change_default_font_in_Windows_10.reg

Download
2. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

3. Unblock the .reg file.

4. Right click or press and hold on the .reg file, and click/tap on Edit to open it in Notepad.

5. In Notepad, replace ENTER FONT NAME HERE at the bottom with the name of the font (ex: "Arial Bold") you want to have as the default font in Windows 10. (see screenshot below)




*note To see your available fonts and their names:

A) Open the C:\Windows\Font folder.

B) You can click/tap on a font family (ex: "Arial") to open it and see the individual font names (ex: "Arial Bold") in the family.




6. Click/tap on File, and click/tap on Save to save the changes you made to the Change_default_font_in_Windows_10.reg file. (see screenshot below)



7. Double click/tap on the modified Change_default_font_in_Windows_10.reg file to merge it.

8. When prompted, click/tap on Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

9. Restart the computer to fully apply.





OPTION TWO [/i] To Restore Default System Font in Windows 10
1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below.
Restore_default_font_in_Windows_10.reg

Download
2. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

3. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

4. If prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

5. Restart the computer to fully apply.

6. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Install Fonts in Windows 10
• How to Preview Fonts in Windows 10
• How to Change Command Prompt Font and Font Size in Windows
• How to Get Fonts from the Microsoft Store in Windows 10
• How to Create Custom Font with Microsoft Font Maker app in Windows 10
• How to Hide or Show Fonts in Windows
• How to Enable or Disable Untrusted Font Blocking in Windows 10

:)

 

fonts

How to change the default system font on Windows 10: How to change the default system font on Windows 10

 

How to change the default font style in Windows 10

How to Change the Default System Font in Windows 10

 

Hi,
w10 anniversary is a true mess for fonts !
Windows 10 keeps "breaking" things badly and it's quite impossible to keep things steady either in Segoe UI or in Arial and even Tahoma (often preferred to Segoe by many people).
So don't expect too much from the changes indicated above.
Wandering through the registry, around Fonts and Font Substitute keys I noticed several folders containing fonts settings.
Most interestingly, I also noticed, "Tahoma" written like this : "Tahoma, TTF, 10"
So I changed the Substitute for MS shell dlg + Ms Shell dlg 2 to Tahoma, TTF, 10.
I did this because W10 seems to fall back regularly for some items (ribbon, and some menus) to those 2 "shitty" fonts that no one can read because too small. And so do software which use "MS" system fonts ..
So far, it looks like, "my" changes are staying and fonts for some "shell" fall back use now Tahoma in 10 pts instead of 8.

This is given for info. And the interesting thing is really substitution with "xxx, TTF, 10", or 8 or 12, 14 ...
If you don't know what you do, don't try anything and don't complain to me. You better ask Microsoft to make a system working and designed for laptops and desktops rather than tablets and smart phones and kids !
;-)

 

I run W10 Pro v1607 (Build 14393.1715).

I would love to change my System font from Segoe UI to SegoeUI Semibold. But nothing happens when I make the indicated substitution ... "Segoe UI"="Segoe UI Semibold".

It would surely help my aging eyes if someone knows how to do this.

 

Hello RetiredEngineer, *Smile

I just tested "Segoe UI"="Segoe UI Semibold" on my system, and it worked. However, it is a subtle change that may be hard to notice. Just to confirm, did you restart the computer to apply after merging the .reg file?

You might try "Segoe UI"="Segoe UI Bold" for a more noticeable difference.

 

@Brink

Shawn, I discovered one minor tweak to using this for Segoe UI Semibold. If you leave the ttf (TrueType Font) entry alone, it makes a noticeable difference, particularly in Task Manager. I just commented the line in the .reg.

Code: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 ; Created by: Shawn Brink ; Created on: October 25th 2016 ; Tutorial: Change Default System Font in Windows 10 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts] "Segoe UI (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Black (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Black Italic (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Bold (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Bold Italic (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Historic (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Italic (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Light (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Light Italic (TrueType)"="" ; "Segoe UI Semibold (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Semibold Italic (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Semilight (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Semilight Italic (TrueType)"="" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes] "Segoe UI"="Segoe UI Semibold" ; "Segoe UI"="ENTER FONT NAME HERE"[/quote]

 

Great news and idea Dick. *Smile

 

Thanks! *Smile

 

Very nice, improved rendering of Segoe UI Semobold. Solves all my visual problems.

Thank-you, Dick.

 

@RetiredEngineer You're welcome! I'm a member of the tired eyes club myself! *Smile Take care......

 

I changed the default system font in windows 10 to "Segoe UI Bold", following the instructions here. After reboot, windows 10 Creator is stuck in time & date screen. Hitting enter always brings it back to the time & date screen.

 

Hello Renate, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

Are you able to click/tap or swipe up on the lock screen instead to then be taken to the sign-in screen?

I'm not sure how this could cause that issue, but you should be able to do a system restore at boot to undo it.

*Arrow System Restore Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

 

This is awesome , thanks Brink . And thanks for having this forum ...

 

Thank you for your help. I was able to restore my husband's HP Notebook using "Boot to Advanced Startup Option from Hard Reboot Option Six" and using your link for the tutorial "System Restore Windows 10 Option One to do a System Restore of Windows 10 at Boot". I need to let you know, changing the default font to "Segoe UI Semibold" worked OK. There may be a problem with Windows10 Fall Creator not allowing the use of 'Bold' fonts for system default.