- Windows 10 uses a technology called ClearType, which is why fonts look different on Windows versus Mac or Linux, but it looks best when tweaked specifically for your monitor. Tweaking ClearType Settings Open the Start Menu, search for cleartype, then select Adjust ClearType text in the results. This launches the ClearType Text Tuner.
- ClearType is a font technology that allows you to read text for all periods. This is possible because it makes the text on your screen almost as sharp and clear as the text printed on paper, that is, you feel as if you are reading the book.
This ClearType technology greatly improved font rendering and through a simple wizard, you can further adjust its settings to make the text appear just as you want them.
Without a doubt, fonts look much better on Mac (and even Linux) than on Windows. For some reason, Microsoft is adamant about clinging to their failed ClearType rendering system, but it’s users like you and me who have to suffer for itHow To Make Windows Fonts Look Like Mac FontsHow To Make Windows Fonts Look Like Mac FontsEye candy is not a Windows forte. Modern UI (aka Metro) brought improvements, but still lacks in one important area: fonts. We show you how you can get beautiful font smoothing on Windows.Read More.
What’s wrong with the fonts on Windows? They’re too skinny, too frail, and frankly hard on the eyes for long periods of time. Obviously this is a subjective judgment. If you like Windows fonts, then keep at it!
But for those of you who prefer the softer, fuller, and more mature look of Mac or Linux font rendering, then there’s a way to get it: install MacType. (The website is a bit outdated, so install the latest version using the Chocolatey package managerChocolatey: Install Windows Programs From a Command LineChocolatey: Install Windows Programs From a Command LineRead More if you can.)
As far as I can tell, it works just fine on Windows 10 with the exception of a several Microsoft products, like the Office Suite and Visual Studio. Make sure to launch MacType — preferably in service mode — and choose whichever preset looks best to you.
In order to get MacType working with Chrome, navigate to chrome://flags in the address bar and search for these settings:
- Enable #disable-direct-write
- Enable #disable-one-copy
- Disable #enable-gpu-rasterization
Reboot your computer and your fonts should look much better. Note that MacType assumes that ClearType is enabledHow To Make Text Easier To Read In WindowsHow To Make Text Easier To Read In WindowsMost of us spend hours reading on the computer every day, but our computers probably aren’t optimized for reading. The text on our monitors may not be sharp enough or may be too small, especially...Read More on your system.
What do you think of MacType? Have you had much success with it? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
Image Credit: C Source Code by MaIII Themd via Shutterstock
Explore more about: Fonts, Windows Customization.
If you find the text on your Windows screen at all difficult to read I think the better option is to use the 'Adjust ClearType text' utility built into Windows.
“it’s failed”? Really?
If you like BIG, THICK, BLURRY, soft-edged, color fringing fonts whose sub-pixel elements are intentionally exposed to human vision, then by all means, stick with Mac or Linux defaults.
If on the other hand, you like to work with small text in order to be more efficient with screen real estate, or have **good or hawk like vision** e.g. you can read small text from afar, or just plain like LASER SHARP pixel-aligned fonts, then Windows is and has been by far the best choice.
I use Linux and *nix since the mid '90s. I don't wear or need glasses, and I also code and use small text therefore I must always adjust the defaults and do some configuration. In fact I always try to use bitmap fonts whenever I can, old school style, in terminals and vi because of the pixel grid accuracy without blurring caused by anti-aliasing.
Window's True Type byte code interpreter embeds actual code per font designed by the author of the font that is used to adjust the curves to properly align with pixel grid. This gives TT vector with good byte code laser sharp text similar to bitmap fonts (necessary with small text). Clear Type also does the same to a lesser degree but with unavoidable anti-aliasing. Linux's autohinter is designed to adjust the curves to be too big and fat unfortunately.
http://www.mactype.tk/mactypeinstaller_2013_12331_0.exe no longer exists.
And this post was an old post from 2014, re-published, it seems.
I installed the Chocolatey Package Manager from the link in the article - restarted the command prompt and typed in 'choco install mactype' as indicated; I got an 'exception error' followed by a popup from Panda antivirus that it had removed the virus 'chocolate.exe'.
Thank you. Works fine on Chrome and many other apps. How I wish Microsoft would just drop ClearType/DirectWrite and switch to FreeType!
'Without a doubt, fonts look much better on Mac (and even Linux) than on Windows.'
When did this happen?! For years 'lousy font rendering' has been one of the major complaints dyed-in-the-wool Window Fans have had about Linux.As soon as I saw the headline for this article that was the first thing I thought too.
Being an at least sometime Linux fan I have been aware of the work being done to improve font rendering in Linux, it appears to have paid off.
I've no complaints with ClearType, and to say 'it's failed' is quite humorous: Ten million copies of Windows 10 (which includes it) have been installed.
If anything, there's a failure to publicize the ClearType Tuner, which would improve everyone's fonts.
I've been using Font Smoothing since the monochrome version was made available to Windows 95, and, properly tuned, it works quite well. Like you said, your complaint is 100% subjective.
PitchPerfect is a free guitar tuner download for Windows. Simple to use, PitchPerfect eliminates the need of tuning a guitar conventionally and will automatically detect the note you are playing.
- ppsetup.exe
- NCH Software
- Freeware (Free)
- 233 Kb
- Win7 x32, Win7 x64, WinVista, WinVista x64, WinXP
Sib Font Editor is a simple utility for designing .fnt and .fon bitmap font files. It also allows you to export and import font symbols as well as modifying font properties. The software is delivered in an intuitive interface and very easy to use.
- font-editor.exe
- SibCode
- Shareware ($29.95)
- 5.04 Mb
- WinXP, Windows2000, Windows2003, Win98, WinME, WinNT 3.x, WinNT 4.x, Win95
Digital Guitar Tuner is a free Windows software, which let's you accurately tune your guitar using direct input, microphone or MIDI tones. Now a new version 2.3 is available for downloading. Now it features 27 tuning types!
- dgt230.exe
- AEON GROUP spol. s r.o.
- Freeware (Free)
- 991 Kb
- Win95, Win98, WinME, WinNT 3.x, WinNT 4.x, WinXP, Windows2000, Windows2003, Windows Vista
Accurate and easy to use software guitar tuner, that works in a similar way to a digital pocket tuner that you would find in a music shop.
- UltrawaveGuitarTunerDemoSetup.exe
- Ultrawave Multimedia Studios
- Demo ($10.00)
- 513 Kb
- WinNT 4.x, Windows2000, WinXP, Windows Vista
Create multiple barcode types on the MAC from a single advanced font. Supports several barcode types including Code-128, GS1-128, EAN-128, Code-39, Interleaved 2 of 5, MSI, Codabar, USPS Intelligent Mail, OneCode, Postnet and Planet.
- IDAutomation_UniversalFontforMACDemo.zip
- IDAutomation.com, Inc.
- Demo ($199.00)
- 7.63 Mb
- Mac OS X, Mac OS X 10.1, Mac OS X 10.2, Mac OS X 10.3, Mac OS X 10.4, Mac OS X 10.5, Mac Other
Create multiple barcode types in Windows from a single advanced font. Supports several barcode symbologies including Code-128, GS1-128, EAN-128, Code-39, ITF, MSI, Codabar, USPS Intelligent Mail, OneCode, Postnet and Planet.
- IDAutomation_UniversalFontAdvantageDEMO.zip
- IDAutomation.com, Inc.
- Demo ($199.00)
- 1.47 Mb
- Win95, Win98, WinME, WinNT 3.x, WinNT 4.x, WinXP, Windows2000, Windows2003, Windows Tablet PC Edition 2005
The GS1 DataBar Barcode Font by IDAutomation.com allows easy generation of DataBar barcodes from a TrueType, PostScript, OpenType or PCL font within Windows, MAC, Linux and Unix systems. The download includes encoders for .NET, VB, Java, and C++.
- IDAutomation_DataBarFontPackage_Demo.zip
- IDAutomation.com, Inc.
- Demo ($249.00)
- 1.09 Mb
- Win98, WinME, WinNT 3.x, WinNT 4.x, WinXP, Windows2000, Windows2003, Windows Tablet PC Edition 2005, Windows
The IDAutomation MICR E13B Font Advantage includes high quality MICR fonts at various widths and intensities, security fonts for printing secure data, calibration software, placement instructions and bank check printing application.
- IDAutomation_MICRFontAdvantageDEMO.zip
- IDAutomation.com, Inc.
- Demo ($139.00)
- 3.59 Mb
- WinOther, Win98, Win2000, WinXP, Win7 x32, Win7 x64, Windows 8, WinServer, WinVista, WinVista x64, Unix, Linux, MS-DOS, Mac OS X, Mac Other, Pocket PC, Other
ConnectCode Barcode Fonts is a barcode software and fonts (True Type and Open Type) package designed for use in modern operating systems. It allows the creation of different types of barcodes by simply selecting a font in the text editor.
- ConnectCodeTrialSetup.exe
- ConnectCode Pte Ltd
- Commercial ($149.00)
- 12.06 Mb
- Win2000, Win7 x32, Win7 x64, Win98, WinOther, WinServer, WinVista, WinVista x64, WinXP, Other
Easy to use but powerful font manager, which allows getting a quick overview of both installed and non installed fonts (TrueType, OpenType and Type 1), and organize them in categories. It can install and uninstall fonts and print list of fonts.
- FontViewerSetup.exe
- Alberto Martinez Perez
- Freeware (Free)
- 522 Kb
- Win95, Win98, WinME, WinNT 4.x, Windows2000, WinXP, Windows2003, Windows Vista
This collection contains 14 free Arabic fonts. Use this with California Font Manager to start your own font collection.
- arabic.exe
- The Scone Company
- Freeware (Free)
- 996 Kb
- Win2000, Win7 x32, Win7 x64, WinOther, WinServer, WinVista, WinVista x64, WinXP, Other
A serif book font with a calligraphic look. Like Bembo. For printing books and other text on good quality paper. An elegant typeface that revives an early masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance. Recommended size 12 points. Accurate and hinted,. ...
- Bentley Font TT
- Rubicon Computer Labs Inc.
- Shareware ($12.00)
- 32 Kb
- Windows2000, WinXP, Windows2003