How to change the default system font on Windows 10

On Windows 10, you can change the default system font, but to perform this task, you now need to modify the Registry.

In previous versions, such as on Windows 7, you’re able to access the personalization settings to change the system font for various desktop elements, including the font for File Explorer, icons, title bars, menus, message box, and more, but starting with Windows 10, the option has been removed, and you’re now stuck with the default family font.

However, if you’re looking to change the default “Segoe UI” font, you can still complete this task making some modifications to the Registry.

In this Windows 10 guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to change the default system for most desktop elements.

How to change default font on Windows 10

To change the system font on Windows 10, use these steps:

Warning: This is a friendly reminder that editing the Registry is risky, and it can cause irreversible damage to your installation if you don’t do it correctly. It’s recommended to make a temporary full backup of your PC before proceeding. Alternatively, you can create a system restore point, which will also help you to revert the changes.

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click on Fonts.
4. Click on the font family that you want to use. For example, Arial, Courier New, Verdana, Tahoma, etc.

   

   Source: Windows Central

5. Open Start.
6. Search for Notepad and click the top result to open the app.
7. Copy and paste the following registry code onto the text file:

   Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts] "Segoe UI (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Bold (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Bold Italic (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Italic (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Light (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Semibold (TrueType)"="" "Segoe UI Symbol (TrueType)"="" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes] "Segoe UI"="ENTER-NEW-FONT-NAME"

8. Replace the ENTER-NEW-FONT-NAME placeholder with the name of the font family exactly as it appears in the title of the settings page. For example, Courier New.

   

   Source: Windows Central

9. Click the File option.
10. Click the Save As option.
11. Under the “Save as type” option, select the All Files option, and name your file anything you want with the .reg extension. For example, change-windows-10-font.reg.

    

    Source: Windows Central

12. Click the Save button.
13. Right-click the “.reg” file and select the Merge option.
14. Click the Yes button.
15. Click the OK button.
16. Restart your device.

Once you complete the steps, you should now see the new font family throughout the desktop elements, including on File Explorer, message box, taskbar, and apps that make use of the default system font.

Restoring default system font

If you want to revert the changes, use the previously created system restore point or follow these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Notepad and click the top result to open the app.
3. Copy and paste the following registry code onto the text file:

   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"=-

4. Click the File option.
5. Click the Save As option.
6. Under the “Save as type” option, select the All Files option, and name your file anything you want with the .reg extension. For example, change-windows-10-font.reg.

   

   Source: Windows Central

7. Click the Save button.
8. Right-click the “.reg” file and select the Merge option.
9. Click the Yes button.
10. Click the OK button.
11. Restart your device.

After you complete the steps, the system font should rollback to the previous configuration.

One piece of advice, make sure to select a font style that is easy to understand, as fonts like Webdings or Wingdings use symbols, and they can cause issues on your installation.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources: