Change font for File Explorer?

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Using Windows 8.1 …

Is there a way to change the font used for the display of the file tree and filenames in File Explorer. I would like to replace it with something like Consolas.

I’m aware that this may change the font used for many other dialogs, but I’m OK with that.

* Alternatively, if this can’t be done, is there a portable freeware program that could do explorer operations and display them with Consolas?

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Take a look at FreeCommander XE. It has many more features than File Explorer and you can set the font for the file and tree displays.

There are MANY options to this program, so be prepared to spend some time exploring the settings.

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While it’s not free (about $50US), Total Commander is an inexpensive program modeled after the old Norton Commander. It has been around since Windows 3.1 time and is regularly updated. I would be lost without it.
http://www.ghisler.com/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/231709/total_commander.html

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+1 for Total Commander.

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+2 for Total Commander, running it on 3 computers. An advantage quoted from Help, Licence:

Registered version (personal licence)

The registered version may be installed on as many computers as desired, as long as it is used by only one person at any one time (I.e. one installation at home and one at the office used by the same person). Therefore you need only one licence for a port connection between two computers. The usage by multiple people at the same time (on multiple computers) requires additional licences.

Before you wonder "Am I doing things right," ask "Am I doing the right things?"

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Thanks for the recommendations.

My need (currently) is really just for a fixed width font for one particular use, in an environment where I have to run portable.

FreeCommander XE fits the bill. Thanks!

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FreeCommander XE fits the bill. Thanks!

Let us know what you think.

BTW, Total Commander can be setup as a portable app.

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Total Commander can be setup as a portable app.

FreeCommander XE can be set up as an installed app (Setup file) or a portable app (ZIP file). It comes as a 32 bit app for the public version. For donors of $15.00 or more, the author gives access to all the latest versions including the 64 bit version. I am a donor and use the 64 bit version exclusively.

I have tried Total Commander and I find FreeCommander XE far better. It is more customizable and supports more features.

Give it a try, it is free for the 32 bit version.

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Have to wonder why MS doggedly sticks with some version Windows Explorer. It was outdated the day it came out and hasn’t really gotten any better.

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Aside from alternate programs, I am not aware of any GUI application to change the fonts in files explorer for Windows 8.1 ( because Microsoft removed “advanced settings” to support new desktop themes), but these changes can be changed manually in the Windows registry.

You will need to open the registry editor (regedit.exe) and navigate to “HKCUControl PanelDesktopWindows Metrics“. Here you will find some binary keys labelled “IconFont”, “MenuFont”, “MessageFont”, “SmCaptionFont”, and “StatuFont”. These were previously available in a GUI in the advanced settings for desktop, but arenot available in Windows 8.1.

Being binary values, these can be edited manually. You will need to know the name of the font that you wish to use. For example, to change all system fonts to “Consolas“, copy and paste the following into notepad and save as “Consolas.reg“:

===Start Registry File (Copy below)===
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktopWindowMetrics]
“CaptionFont”=hex:f1,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,00,
00,00,00,01,00,00,05,00,43,00,6f,00,6e,00,73,00,6f,00,6c,00,61,00,73,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
“SmCaptionFont”=hex:f1,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,
00,00,00,00,01,00,00,05,00,43,00,6f,00,6e,00,73,00,6f,00,6c,00,61,00,73,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
“MenuFont”=hex:f4,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,00,00,
00,00,01,00,00,05,00,43,00,6f,00,6e,00,73,00,6f,00,6c,00,61,00,73,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
“StatusFont”=hex:f4,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,00,
00,00,00,01,00,00,05,00,43,00,6f,00,6e,00,73,00,6f,00,6c,00,61,00,73,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
“MessageFont”=hex:f4,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,00,
00,00,00,01,00,00,05,00,43,00,6f,00,6e,00,73,00,6f,00,6c,00,61,00,73,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
“IconFont”=hex:f4,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,00,00,
00,00,01,00,00,05,00,43,00,6f,00,6e,00,73,00,6f,00,6c,00,61,00,73,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00

===End Registry File (Copy above)===

You will now need to install this into your registry (i.e. double-click the created .reg file).

These are the entries for setting all “System Fonts” to “Consolas“. Be aware that this does not set other fonts (e.g. in your browser), but will set System fonts (e.g. Windows Explorer).

You can do the same using other fonts, as long as you know the name of the font…

The older options are usually still available, just not always with a GUI…

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Hey Y’all,

Just to help you better understand what J.G. did

“CaptionFont”=hex:f1,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 ,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,00,
00,00,00,01,00,00,05,00,43,00,6f,00,6e,00,73,00,6f ,00,6c,00,61,00,73,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 ,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 ,00,00,00,00,00

The characters in blue are the character encoding of Consolas in UniCode as follows:

Code:

Letter  HEX  ASCII
C       43    67
o       6f   111          
n       6e   110
s       73   115 
o       6f   111 
l       6c   108
a       61    97
s       73   115

Note: the 00 preceding each character is because the registry is using UNICODE encoding.

With this understanding you should be able to use any font you want.

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Hey Y’all,

Just to help you better understand what J.G. did

“CaptionFont”=hex:f1,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 ,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,00,
00,00,00,01,00,00,05,00,43,00,6f,00,6e,00,73,00,6f ,00,6c,00,61,00,73,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 ,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 ,00,00,00,00,00

The characters in blue are then encoding of Consolas in UniCode as follows:

Code:

Letter  HEX  ASCII
C       43    67
o       6f   111          
n       6e   110
s       73   115 
o       6f   111 
l       6c   108
a       61    97
s       73   115

Note: the 00 preceding each character is because the registry is using UNICODE encoding.

With this understanding you should be able to use any font you want.

HTH :cheers:

Thanks, RetiredGeek, for explaining what I was doing here, especially defining the Unicode character definitions for certain letters.

Alternatively, to return the system back to the default Segoe UI fonts, the registry (.reg) file woulld be as follows:

---

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktopWindowMetrics]
“CaptionFont”=hex:f1,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,00,
00,00,00,01,00,00,05,00,53,00,65,00,67,00,6f,00,65,00,20,00,55,00,49,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
“SmCaptionFont”=hex:f1,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,
00,00,00,00,01,00,00,05,00,53,00,65,00,67,00,6f,00,65,00,20,00,55,00,49,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
“MenuFont”=hex:f4,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,00,00,
00,00,01,00,00,05,00,53,00,65,00,67,00,6f,00,65,00,20,00,55,00,49,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
“StatusFont”=hex:f4,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,00,
00,00,00,01,00,00,05,00,53,00,65,00,67,00,6f,00,65,00,20,00,55,00,49,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
“MessageFont”=hex:f4,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,00,
00,00,00,01,00,00,05,00,53,00,65,00,67,00,6f,00,65,00,20,00,55,00,49,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
“IconFont”=hex:f4,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,90,01,00,00,00,
00,00,01,00,00,05,00,53,00,65,00,67,00,6f,00,65,00,20,00,55,00,49,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00

---

where 00,01,00,00,05,00,53,00,65,00,67,00,6f,00,65,00,20,00,55,00,49 is Segoe UI. This trick does work for other fonts as well.

There are also other settings in [HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktopWindowMetrics] that used to be accessible with the Display » Advanced Settings GUI that could be modified as well.

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