Enable/disable ClearType without logging out

Asked 15/4, 2011 at 12:32 Answered 17/2, 2019 at 23:7

windows-7 command-line registry cleartype

I need to enable/disable ClearType (or "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows > Smooth edges of screen fonts") via cmd (or any script like VBS/JS) or from the registry without logging out or restarting Windows.

Maybe it's possible to enable ClearType only for one application.

Demagoguery answered 15/4, 2011 at 12:32 Comment(0)

The modern way of scripting under Windows is using PowerShell. The following script requires version 2.0, which is available from Windows XP SP3:

#requires -version 2.0
param([bool]$enable)

$signature = @'
[DllImport("user32.dll")]
public static extern bool SystemParametersInfo(
    uint uiAction,
    uint uiParam,
    uint pvParam,
    uint fWinIni);
'@

$SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHING      = 0x004B
$SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHINGTYPE  = 0x200B
$SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE        = 0x1
$SPIF_SENDCHANGE           = 0x2
$FE_FONTSMOOTHINGCLEARTYPE = 0x2

$winapi = Add-Type -MemberDefinition $signature -Name WinAPI -PassThru

if ($enable)
{
    [void]$winapi::SystemParametersInfo($SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHING, 1, 0, $SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE -bor $SPIF_SENDCHANGE)
    [void]$winapi::SystemParametersInfo($SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHINGTYPE, 0, $FE_FONTSMOOTHINGCLEARTYPE, $SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE -bor $SPIF_SENDCHANGE)
}
else
{
    [void]$winapi::SystemParametersInfo($SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHING, 0, 0, $SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE -bor $SPIF_SENDCHANGE)
}

If, for some reason, you can't use PowerShell, you'll need DynamicWrapperX in order to execute WinAPI functions in WSH. You will first need to register it on the target machine, then you could use this VBScript:

Set WinAPI = CreateObject("DynamicWrapperX")
WinAPI.Register "user32.dll", "SystemParametersInfo", "i=uuuu"

Const SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHING      = &H004B
Const SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHINGTYPE  = &H200B
Const SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE        = &H1
Const SPIF_SENDCHANGE           = &H2
Const FE_FONTSMOOTHINGCLEARTYPE = &H2

If WScript.Arguments(0) Then
    WinAPI.SystemParametersInfo SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHING, 1, 0, SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE Or SPIF_SENDCHANGE
    WinAPI.SystemParametersInfo SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHINGTYPE, 0, FE_FONTSMOOTHINGCLEARTYPE, SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE Or SPIF_SENDCHANGE
Else
    WinAPI.SystemParametersInfo SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHING, 0, 0, SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE Or SPIF_SENDCHANGE
End If

Both scripts accept one parameter, 0 means disable ClearType, 1 means enable. No reboot is needed.

Bylaw answered 22/12, 2012 at 16:22 Comment(7)

Do I copy this and just insert and press enter or do I need to save it to some powershell executable script text file and double-click? – Leckie 22/12, 2012 at 17:1

@user1306322, you copy the script and save it as .ps1 file. Then you can run it like powershell "& 'C:\myscript.ps1' 1" from the command line. It is possible to tweak the system registry so you can double-click the file, though. – Bylaw 22/12, 2012 at 17:12

Okay, now I get File C:\asd.ps1 cannot be loaded because the execution of scripts is disabled on this system. error, which seems to be common. I guess I'll have to go with one of first google results to fix this. – Leckie 23/12, 2012 at 0:8

@user1306322, Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Force should allow running all scripts, but Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned is probably more secure. Check this: stackoverflow.com/questions/4037939 – Bylaw 23/12, 2012 at 0:20

Thanks, now it works, but the command line to disable all font smoothing is powershell "& 'C:\myscript.ps1' 0". – Leckie 23/12, 2012 at 0:26

@user1306322, yes, exactly. Like I wrote in the answer: Both scripts accept one parameter, 0 means disable ClearType, 1 means enable. – Bylaw 23/12, 2012 at 0:32

I can't believe this hasn't gotten more upvotes. This rocks! I love the use of dynamically added types in PowerShell, too – Audsley 9/9, 2013 at 13:58

Just to add more options, I have the C# version, adding GetFontSmoothing to it.

    [DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    static extern bool SystemParametersInfo(uint uiAction, uint uiParam, ref int pvParam, uint fWinIni);

    const uint SPI_GETFONTSMOOTHING = 74;
    const uint SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHING = 75;
    const uint SPI_UPDATEINI = 0x1;
    const UInt32 SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE = 0x1;

    private Boolean GetFontSmoothing()
    {
        bool iResult;
        int pv = 0;
        /* Call to systemparametersinfo to get the font smoothing value. */
        iResult = SystemParametersInfo(SPI_GETFONTSMOOTHING, 0, ref pv, 0);
        if (pv > 0)
        {
            //pv > 0 means font smoothing is on.
            return true;
        }
        else
        {
            //pv == 0 means font smoothing is off.
            return false;
        }
    }

    private void DisableFontSmoothing()
    {
        bool iResult;
        int pv = 0;
        /* Call to systemparametersinfo to set the font smoothing value. */
        iResult = SystemParametersInfo(SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHING, 0, ref pv, SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE);
        Console.WriteLine("Disabled: {0}", iResult);
    }

    private void EnableFontSmoothing()
    {
        bool iResult;
        int pv = 0;
        /* Call to systemparametersinfo to set the font smoothing value. */
        iResult = SystemParametersInfo(SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHING, 1, ref pv, SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE);
        Console.WriteLine("Enabled: {0}", iResult);
    }

Adverse answered 7/9, 2016 at 15:28 Comment(1)

Thank you Carol. We've implemented a client application which works more than 3k machines and I will be using your solution which works completely perfect. – Agenda 27/2, 2019 at 10:23

Python version:

# make sure you install pywin32 
# from http://sourceforge.net/projects/pywin32/files/pywin32/Build%20218/
import win32con
import win32gui

win32gui.SystemParametersInfo(win32con.SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHING, True, 0) # enable only
win32gui.SystemParametersInfo(win32con.SPI_SETFONTSMOOTHINGTYPE,
        win32con.FE_FONTSMOOTHINGCLEARTYPE,
        win32con.SPIF_UPDATEINIFILE | win32con.SPIF_SENDCHANGE)

Circinus answered 20/3, 2013 at 11:9 Comment(0)

make file with extention .reg this is registry for files

Disable_Smooth_edges_of_screen_fonts

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"FontSmoothing"="0"

Enable_Smooth_edges_of_screen_fonts

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"FontSmoothing"="2"

you can also do this vis cmd here is syntax for command

REG ADD KeyName [/v ValueName | /ve] [/t Type] [/s Separator] [/d Data] [/f]

you must logoff to have effect that you changed

Decaffeinate answered 15/4, 2011 at 12:42 Comment(0)

I'm not sure how to do it without Rebooting...

But i found that changing the FontSmoothing keys was simply not enough...

For a full procedure on how to completely remove ClearType and FontSmoothing, check this out:

Completley Disable Font Smoothing and ClearType in Windows 7

Tented answered 22/6, 2011 at 0:19 Comment(0)

The following works for me: Control Panel > System > Advanced system settings > Advanced > (Performance) Settings > Visual Effects > Select 'Custom' and uncheck 'Smooth edges of screen fonts'

Forme answered 3/10, 2011 at 8:33 Comment(0)

Look at the stuff described in the following link:

http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=491091

Calling the API might trigger the system-wide update so you do not have to logoff/logon to see the change.

Of course, this is not limited to vb.net.

Serviceable answered 31/5, 2012 at 13:3 Comment(0)

Here's a PowerShell way to do it:

Set-ItemProperty 'HKCU:\Control Panel\Desktop\' -Name FontSmoothing -Value "2"

You'll need to log off and back on for it to take effect.

NOTE: strangely the setting doesn't show up as enabled in Performance Options, even though it's clearly turned on:

Ias answered 17/2, 2019 at 23:7 Comment(0)

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