Reset Font Cache in Windows 10: Step-by-Step

If you’re seeing blurry, missing, or strangely rendered fonts in Windows 10, the culprit is often a corrupted font cache. This guide walks you through resetting the font cache safely, which forces Windows to rebuild its font information from scratch. You don’t need any special tools—just a few minutes and a restart.

What You’ll Need

Administrator access to your Windows 10 PC
A few minutes of time (the process itself takes less than 5 minutes)

Step-by-Step

Close all running applications. Save your work and close any open programs, especially those that use fonts heavily (like Word, Photoshop, or your web browser). This prevents file conflicts.
Open the Services window. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog. Type services.msc and press Enter. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes.
Stop the Windows Font Cache Service. In the Services list, scroll down to find Windows Font Cache Service. Right-click it and select Stop. Wait a few seconds for it to stop completely.
Stop the Windows Presentation Foundation Font Cache 3.0.0.0 service. Look for Windows Presentation Foundation Font Cache 3.0.0.0 in the same list. Right-click it and also select Stop. (If you don’t see this service, skip this step—it’s not present on all systems.)
Open File Explorer and enable viewing of hidden files. Press Win + E to open File Explorer. Click the View tab, then check the Hidden items checkbox in the Show/hide group.
Navigate to the font cache folder. In the File Explorer address bar, copy and paste this path and press Enter:
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local
Delete the font cache files. In that folder, you’ll see a file named FontCache.dat. Select it and press Delete. If you also see a file named FontCache.dat.old, delete that too. (If you don’t see these files, they may be in a different location—see Troubleshooting below.)
Navigate to the second font cache location. In the same File Explorer window, go to the address bar and paste this path, then press Enter:
C:\Windows\System32\FNTCACHE.DAT
Delete that file as well. If the file exists, select it and press Delete. If you get a “file in use” error, make sure both services are stopped (steps 3 and 4) and try again.
Restart the services. Go back to the Services window (or reopen it via services.msc). Right-click Windows Font Cache Service and select Start. Do the same for Windows Presentation Foundation Font Cache 3.0.0.0 if you stopped it earlier.
Restart your computer. This is important—Windows will rebuild the font cache from scratch during startup. After reboot, your fonts should display correctly.

Common Mistakes

Not stopping the services first. If you try to delete the font cache files while the services are running, Windows will either lock the files or recreate them immediately, so the reset won’t work.
Deleting the wrong files. Only delete the specific files mentioned above. Do not delete the entire Fonts folder in C:\Windows\Fonts—that contains the actual font files, not the cache.
Skipping the restart. Some users think that restarting the services is enough. But Windows may not rebuild the cache until the next boot. Always restart your PC.
Forgetting to enable hidden files. The FontCache.dat file is hidden by default. If you don’t enable hidden items, you won’t see it and might think it’s missing.

Tips

Run the built-in font troubleshooter first. If you’re not sure the font cache is the problem, go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters and run the Font troubleshooter. It can automatically fix common font issues.
Use a system restore point. Before making changes, consider creating a restore point (search for “create a restore point” in the Start menu). If something goes wrong, you can revert.
Clear the DirectWrite cache too. If you use apps that rely on DirectWrite (like many modern browsers), you can also clear the DirectWrite font cache by deleting the FontCache folder inside C:\Windows\System32\ (if it exists). This is optional but can help with stubborn issues.
Keep your system updated. Font cache corruption can sometimes be caused by Windows updates. Make sure you have the latest updates installed.

Troubleshooting

I can’t find the FontCache.dat file. The file may be in a different location on some systems. Try searching for it: open File Explorer, go to C:\Windows, and use the search box in the top-right corner to search for FontCache. If you still can’t find it, the cache may be stored in memory only—just restart your PC after stopping the services.

I get an “Access Denied” error when deleting. Make sure you’re logged in as an administrator. If you are, the file may be owned by the SYSTEM account. You can take ownership by right-clicking the file, selecting Properties > Security > Advanced, and changing the owner to your user account. Then try deleting again.

The services won’t stop. If the Windows Font Cache Service won’t stop, it might be because an application is still using it. Close all apps, especially those that run in the background (like antivirus or chat apps). You can also try stopping it from an elevated Command Prompt: right-click Start, select Command Prompt (Admin), and type net stop FontCache.

Fonts are still broken after the reset. If the problem persists, the issue may not be the font cache. Try reinstalling the problematic font by downloading it from a trusted source and installing it again. Alternatively, run the System File Checker: open Command Prompt as administrator and type sfc /scannow to repair system files.

My PC won’t boot after deleting files. This is extremely unlikely, but if it happens, boot into Safe Mode and run System Restore to revert to a previous point.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly does the font cache do?

The font cache stores pre-processed information about fonts (like metrics and glyph shapes) so that Windows and apps can load them faster. Over time, this cache can become corrupted, leading to display issues.

Will resetting the font cache delete my fonts?

No. The font cache is just a temporary data store. Your actual font files (in C:\Windows\Fonts) are untouched. After the reset, Windows will rebuild the cache from those files.

How often should I reset the font cache?

Only when you experience font-related issues. There’s no need to do it regularly. If you find yourself resetting it often, it might indicate a deeper problem, such as a faulty font or a system issue.

Can I reset the font cache without restarting my PC?

Technically, you can restart the services after deleting the files, but Windows may not fully rebuild the cache until the next boot. A restart is the most reliable way to ensure a clean rebuild.

Is there a command-line way to reset the font cache?

Yes, you can use Command Prompt as administrator to stop the services and delete the files. For example: net stop FontCache, then del "C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\FontCache.dat". But the graphical method above is just as effective.

Will this fix blurry text in all apps?

Often, yes. Blurry text can be caused by a corrupted cache. However, if the issue is specific to one app, it might be that app’s own cache or settings. Try resetting the font cache first—it’s a low-risk fix.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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