In this article, you’ll learn how to enable or disable font smoothing in Windows 11. Enabling font smoothing resolves the issue of text display that appears blurry and pixelated on Windows 10/11 PCs.

Font smoothing, also known as anti-aliasing, is a technique used in computer graphics to improve the way text appears visually on digital screens. It is a far superior technique when compared to Clear Type and works on most of the modern displays.

It uses a technique to smooth out jagged edges in digital images, making them appear more realistic. With font smoothing enabled, you will notice that screen fonts have smooth edges, and they are more clear and crisp.

Install and Update Third Party Applications with Patch My PC
Install and Update Third Party Applications with Patch My PC

Also Learn: Deploy Fonts using Intune on Windows Devices

ClearType vs. Font Smoothing: Key Differences

ClearType and font smoothing are the methods used to improve the appearance of text on a computer screen. Both of these techniques aim to reduce the jagged edges (aliasing) that can occur when rendering text at low resolutions. While they share a common goal, the key differences between the two are as follows:

  1. ClearType is designed to work optimally with LCD screens, whereas font smoothing works with most of the display technologies, including LCDs.
  2. Font smoothing blends multiple pixels of different colors to create a smooth text transition. On the other hand, the ClearType adjusts the color intensities of RGB subpixels to create a more natural-looking appearance for text.
  3. Lastly, the ClearType focuses on improving the vertical alignment of text, making it appear less jagged and more readable. Font smoothing can address both horizontal and vertical aliasing, making text appear more rounded and less pixelated.

Illustration of Fonts With and Without Smoothing

In this section, we will look at a few examples that demonstrate the text with and without font smoothing enabled on Windows 11. This should make it easy to understand how the anti-aliasing feature works on modern devices and browsers.

One can easily distinguish between fonts with and without smoothing on an iMac retina monitor or Windows HDR-certified monitor. Font smoothing settings are also available on Windows 365 GPU enabled Cloud PCs.

The below screenshot shows text in the Microsoft Word application with the font smoothing feature disabled. You will notice that the text is unclear and has jagged edges, which makes it uncomfortable to read.

Fonts Without Smoothing on Windows 11
Fonts Without Smoothing on Windows 11

The below screenshot shows text in the Microsoft Word application with the font smoothing feature turned on. You will notice that the text is crisp, clear and has smooth edges, which makes it easy to read.

Fonts with Smoothing on Windows 11
Fonts with Smoothing on Windows 11

Enable Font Smoothing in Windows 11

On Windows 11, you can enable the font smoothing either via the Advanced System Settings or directly from the Visual Effects Performance options. Windows Registry is an alternate option but least preferred. To adjust the font smoothing settings on Windows 11, you need to be logged in as an administrator.

To fix jagged text in Windows 11, right-click on the Start menu and select Settings. Select System > About and click on Advanced system settings, as illustrated in the below screenshot.

Enable Font Smoothing in Windows 11
Enable Font Smoothing in Windows 11

On the System Properties window, look for the Performance category and click on the Settings.

Enable Font Smoothing in Windows 11
Enable Font Smoothing in Windows 11

In the Visual Effects tab, choose Custom and enable the option “Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts.” Click Apply and OK to save the changes. The font smoothing is turned on system-wide. Restart your computer and enjoy the smooth display of fonts.

Enable Font Smoothing in Windows 11
Enable Font Smoothing in Windows 11

Disable Font Smoothing in Windows 11

By default, on Windows 11, the font smoothing is enabled. If you notice performance issues on Windows 11, you can disable the font smoothing using the following steps:

  • Right-click on the Start menu and select Run.
  • In the run window, type SystemPropertiesPerformance.exe and press the enter key.
  • On the Visual Effects tab, choose Custom and uncheck Smooth edges of the screen fonts.
  • Click Apply and OK. The font smoothing is now disabled.
Disable Font Smoothing Windows 11
Disable Font Smoothing in Windows 11

Enable or Disable Font Smoothing using the Registry

Windows enthusiasts can manage the font smoothing via the registry. If you are new to the Windows registry, avoid this method and get it done through the control panel instead.

Launch the Registry Editor by running the shortcut command regedit.exe. In the registry editor, navigate to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. The value of FontSmoothing registry key controls whether the font smoothing is enabled or disabled.

  • If the value of FontSmoothing is 2, it means the font smoothing is enabled.
  • If the FontSmoothing value is 0, it means the font smoothing is disabled.
Enable or Disable Font Smoothing using the Registry
Enable or Disable Font Smoothing using the Registry

Font Smoothing for web browsers

Modern browsers such as Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox do not inherit the Windows 11 font smoothing settings. In fact, they don’t use these settings at all. For instance, Mozilla Firefox controls the use of anti-aliasing when rendering fonts by using the font-smooth CSS property. Some WordPress themes do offer the option to turn on the font smoothing within the theme options.

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Prajwal Desai

Prajwal Desai is a technology expert and 10 time Dual Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) with a focus on Microsoft Intune, SCCM, Windows 365, Enterprise Mobility, and Windows. He is a renowned author, speaker, & community leader, known for sharing his expertise & knowledge through his blog, YouTube, conferences, webinars etc.