How to Install and Delete Fonts in Windows 10

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Microsoft's operating system only comes with a limited selection of fonts. Some desktop publishing and graphics applications will install a few of their own typefaces, but if you really want to make your artwork and documents stand out, you'll need to add some on your own. Here's how to install, delete and find new fonts for Windows 10.

Where to Find a Font

Windows 10 can work with the three major font formats today: TrueType, OpenType and PostScript. There are a lot of sites that list fonts, but our favorite is Google Fonts because it has so many free type faces. Many of the best fonts do cost money, but you can find a lot of them at Fonts.com and Microsoft's typography site.

How to Install a Font

1. Download your fonts (from Google Fonts or elsewhere) and save them to a folder on your hard drive. If they are in a .zip file, be sure to unzip them.

2. Type "fonts" into the Cortana search box.

3. Click the Fonts control panel icon, which appears in the result list.

A control panel window filled with fonts appears.

4. Open the folder where you downloaded your uninstalled fonts. If it's your Downloads folder, you can get there easily by hitting Windows + E to open Explorer and selecting Downloads from the left menu.

5. Drag the fonts into the control panel fonts window. Note that you cannot drag folders full of fonts. You can only select and drag the fonts themselves.

How to Delete Fonts

If you don't want a font taking up space on your hard drive and in your menus, it's very easy to delete it.

1. Open the Fonts window. As above, you get there by typing "fonts" into the Windows search box and selecting "Fonts: control panel."

2. Select the font or font family you wish to delete. If you just want one font, it may be listed within a "font family" that you have to double click to open. For example, Cambria Bold is located within the Cambria family. 

3. Hit the delete key.

4. Click Yes when prompted with a warning.

Customize Windows 10

Avram Piltch
Avram Piltch
Online Editorial Director
The official Geeks Geek, as his weekly column is titled, Avram Piltch has guided the editorial and production of Laptopmag.com since 2007. With his technical knowledge and passion for testing, Avram programmed several of LAPTOP's real-world benchmarks, including the LAPTOP Battery Test. He holds a master's degree in English from NYU.