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How to add fonts that are missing after upgrading Windows

When Windows is upgraded from older versions of Windows to currently supported versions of Windows, previously available fonts might no longer be available post-upgrade. Many of the fonts that were previously shipped with Windows were moved to the optional features of Windows to:

  • Reduce the operating system footprint.
  • Improve performance.
  • Optimize disk space usage.

In the following instances:

  • A fresh instance of Windows is installed
  • Windows is upgraded from an older version of Windows

optional fonts aren't enabled by default. As a result, these fonts are missing from the system. If documents were created using the missing fonts, these documents might display differently in the updated version of Windows.

For example, if an English, French, German, or Spanish version of Windows is installed, fonts such as the following are missing:

  • Gautami
  • Meiryo
  • Narkism/Batang
  • BatangChe
  • Dotum
  • DotumChe
  • Gulim
  • GulimChe
  • Gungsuh
  • GungsuhChe

If these fonts are needed, you can add them back to your system via optional features. The removal of these fonts is a permanent change in behavior for Windows, and it will remain this way in future releases.

Adding language-associated features via language settings

If fonts associated with a language are needed across the system, then that language should be added to the user profile followed by switching to that language. For example, the fonts are needed to:

  • View web pages.
  • Edit documents.
  • Use apps in that language.

Adding a language and then switching to it can be done via the Settings app.

To add the fonts associated with a language and then switch to that language, first open the Language & region pane in the Settings app by selecting the following link:

Language & region

To add the fonts associated with a language and then switch to that language, first open the Language pane in the Settings app by selecting the following link:

Language

or

  1. Right-click on the Start menu and select Run.

  2. In the Run window, next to Open:, enter:

    ms-settings:regionlanguage

    and then select OK.

or

  1. Right-click on the Start menu and select Settings.

  2. In the left hand pane of the Settings app, select Time & language.

  3. In the right hand Time & language pane, select Language & region.

Once the Time & language > Language & region pane is open, add the fonts associated with a language and then switch to that language with the following steps:

  1. Under the Language section:

    1. Drop down the menu next to Windows display language to show all of the languages currently added to the device.

    2. If the desired language isn't listed, add the fonts for the desired language by selecting the Add a language button next to Preferred languages.

    3. In the Choose a language to install window that opens:

      1. Find the desired language by scrolling through the list of languages. Alternatively, search for the desired language in the Type a language name... search box.

      2. Once the desired language is found, select the language, and then select the Next button.

      3. In the Install language features window, select the desired options for the language, and then select the Install button.

    4. The desired language should now be available in the drop-down menu next to Windows display language. Drop down the Windows display language menu and select the desired language.

    5. Below Windows display language the message Windows needs to sign you out in order to apply your new display language. is displayed. Select the Sign out button to finish applying the language including the additional language fonts.

  1. Right-click on the Start menu and select Settings.

  2. In the Settings app, select Time & Language.

  3. In the left hand pane, select Language.

Once the Language pane is open, add the fonts associated with a language and then switch to that language with the following steps:

  1. Drop down the menu below Windows display language to show all of the languages currently added to the device.

  2. If the desired language isn't listed, add the fonts for the desired language by selecting the + button next to Add a language in the Preferred languages section.

  3. In the Choose a language to install window that opens:

    1. Find the desired language by scrolling through the list of languages. Alternatively, search for the desired language in the Type a language name... search box.

    2. Once the desired language is found, select the language, and then select the Next button.

    3. In the Install language features window, select the desired features for the language, and then select the Install button.

  4. The desired language should now be available in the drop-down menu below Windows display language. Drop down the Windows display language menu and select the desired language.

  5. The following message is displayed:

    Setting Windows display language Windows needs to sign you out in order to fully apply the new language. Continue?

    Select the Yes, sign out now button to finish applying the language including the additional language fonts.

Important

Windows Update is used to add the language including the associated fonts. The device needs to be online so Windows Update can download the content that it needs to add.

Add optional fonts manually without changing language settings

If fonts associated with a language are needed but aren't needed across the entire system, then that language should be added to the user profile as a supplemental font. Adding a font as a supplemental font doesn't require the user switch to that language. Adding a font as a supplemental font can be done via the Settings app.

To add supplemental fonts associated with a language while staying with the current language:

Open the Optional features pane in the Settings app by selecting the following link:

Optional features

or

  1. Right-click on the Start menu and select Run.

  2. In the Run window, next to Open:, enter:

    ms-settings:optionalfeatures

    and then select OK.

or

  1. Right-click on the Start menu and select Settings.

  2. In the left hand pane of the Settings app, select System.

  3. In the right hand System pane, select Optional features.

Note

The navigation steps, UI elements, and UI text in this section are based on the latest version of Windows 11 with the latest cumulative update installed. For other versions of Windows 11 that are currently supported or don't have the latest cumulative update, some of the navigation steps, UI elements, and UI text might be different. For example, the Optional features pane might be located under Settings > Apps.

Once the System > Optional features pane is open, add a supplemental font with the following steps:

  1. Select the View features button next to Add an optional feature.

  2. In the Add an optional feature window that opens:

    1. Find the desired supplemental font to add and then select the box next to the supplemental font to add it. Multiple supplemental fonts can be selected.

    2. Once all of the desired supplemental fonts are selected, select the Next button.

    3. Review the selected list of features and then select the Add button to add the selected features.

  1. Right-click on the Start menu and select Settings.

  2. In the Settings app, select System.

  3. In the left hand pane, select Optional features.

Note

The navigation steps, UI elements, and UI text in this section are based on Windows 10 22H2 with the latest cumulative update installed. For other versions of Windows 10 that are currently supported or don't have the latest cumulative update, some of the navigation steps, UI elements, and UI text might be different. For example, the Optional features pane might be located under Settings > Apps > Apps & features.

Once the Optional features pane is open, add a supplemental font with the following steps:

  1. Select the + button next to Add a feature.

  2. In the Add an optional feature window that opens:

    1. Find the desired supplemental font to add and then select the box next to the supplemental font to add it. Multiple supplemental fonts can be selected.

    2. Once all of the desired supplemental fonts are selected, select the Add button.

Important

Windows Update is used to add the optional features including the supplemental fonts. The device needs to be online so Windows Update can download the content that it needs to add.

Fonts included in optional font features

Here's a comprehensive list of the font families in each of the optional features. Some font families might include multiple fonts for different weights and styles.

  • Arabic Script Supplemental Fonts: Aldhabi, Andalus, Arabic Typesetting, Microsoft Uighur, Sakkal Majalla, Simplified Arabic, Traditional Arabic, Urdu Typesetting
  • Bangla Script Supplemental Fonts: Shonar Bangla, Vrinda
  • Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics Supplemental Fonts: Euphemia
  • Cherokee Supplemental Fonts: Plantagenet Cherokee
  • Chinese (Simplified) Supplemental Fonts: DengXian, FangSong, KaiTi, SimHei
  • Chinese (Traditional) Supplemental Fonts: DFKai-SB, MingLiU, MingLiU_HKSCS, PMingLiU
  • Devanagari Supplemental Fonts: Aparajita, Kokila, Mangal, Sanskrit Text, Utsaah
  • Ethiopic Supplemental Fonts: Nyala
  • Gujarati Supplemental Fonts: Shruti
  • Gurmukhi Supplemental Fonts: Raavi
  • Hebrew Supplemental Fonts: Aharoni Bold, David, FrankRuehl, Gisha, Levanim MT, Miriam, Miriam Fixed, Narkism, Rod
  • Japanese Supplemental Fonts: Meiryo, Meiryo UI, MS Gothic, MS PGothic, MS UI Gothic, MS Mincho, MS PMincho, Yu Mincho
  • Kannada Supplemental Fonts: Tunga
  • Khmer Supplemental Fonts: DaunPenh, Khmer UI, MoolBoran
  • Korean Supplemental Fonts: Batang, BatangChe, Dotum, DotumChe, Gulim, GulimChe, Gungsuh, GungsuhChe
  • Lao Supplemental Fonts: DokChampa, Lao UI
  • Malayalam Supplemental Fonts: Karthika
  • Odia Supplemental Fonts: Kalinga
  • Pan-European Supplemental Fonts: Arial Nova, Georgia Pro, Gill Sans Nova, Neue Haas Grotesk, Rockwell Nova, Verdana Pro
  • Sinhala Supplemental Fonts: Iskoola Pota
  • Syriac Supplemental Fonts: Estrangelo Edessa
  • Tamil Supplemental Fonts: Latha, Vijaya
  • Telugu Supplemental Fonts: Gautami, Vani
  • Thai Supplemental Fonts: Angsana New, AngsanaUPC, Browallia New, BrowalliaUPC, Cordia New, CordiaUPC, DilleniaUPC, EucrosiaUPC, FreesiaUPC, IrisUPC, JasmineUPC, KodchiangUPC, Leelawadee, LilyUPC

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