The Windows Font Cache Service is an important part of Windows, helping your computer show text faster in apps by keeping a copy of commonly used fonts ready to go. Sometimes, though, it might not work right—maybe it won’t start, uses too much of your computer’s brain power (CPU), or causes other headaches. We’re going to talk about what this service does, the troubles you might run into, and how to sort them out, whether you’re using Windows 11 or Windows 10.
Also see: How to Limit CPU Usage of a Process in Windows 11
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What’s the deal with Windows Font Cache Service?
The Windows Font Cache Service makes apps work smoother and quicker by storing font info. This way, your system can grab fonts fast, making apps that use a lot of text run better.
This service hangs out as svchost.exe in your Task Manager’s Details tab, because it shares a space with other system services.
Every time an app needs to show text, it asks Windows for the font data. With the FontCache service working, this data is pulled from the cache, making everything more efficient. Even though it’s usually helpful, sometimes it can cause issues.
Linked issue: Service Host Local System High CPU, Disk or Memory Usage
What if Windows Font Cache Service won’t start?
Now and then, the FontCache service might not start up. If you get an “Error 1920 or 1921: Windows Font Cache Service failed to start” message, you might need to kick it off yourself. This usually pops up when you’re installing something and the installer can’t get the service going.
To get the Windows Font Cache Service up and running yourself:
- Hit Windows + R to open the Run box.
- Type “services.msc” and hit Enter to bring up the Services window.
- Look for “Windows Font Cache Service”, right-click it, and choose “Properties”.
- Pick “Automatic” from the “Startup type” menu.
- Hit the “Start” button under the Service status area.
- Click “Apply” then “OK” to save your changes.
If it still won’t start after trying these steps, you might need to fix or reinstall the service.
Related concern: Why is My Memory Usage So High When Nothing is Running?
Fixing high CPU use by Windows Font Cache Service
Sometimes, the Windows Font Cache Service might unexpectedly make your CPU work harder than it should, which can slow your computer down. This could mean there’s something up with the service or the font cache.
If you think the Windows Font Cache Service is making your CPU work too hard, you can try clearing the font cache. Here’s how:
- Open “Windows Explorer”.
- Go to “C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local”. You’ll have to click through the folders since typing the path won’t work due to permissions. If you can’t see the “AppData” folder, you might need to turn on the “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” option.
- Find a folder called “FontCache”. Open it and delete everything inside.
- Restart your computer.
After restarting, Windows will make a new font cache, which should fix the CPU issue for most people.
Useful tip: 30+ Windows 11 Services to Disable for Gaming Performance
Turning off Windows Font Cache Service
Usually, the Windows Font Cache Service is helpful and doesn’t cause issues. But if it’s constantly making your CPU work too hard or causing other problems, you might think about turning it off. Keep in mind, this might make fonts load slower in your apps.
To turn off the Windows Font Cache Service:
- Press “Windows + R” to bring up the Run box.
- Type “services.msc” and hit enter. This opens the Services window.
- Find the “Windows Font Cache Service” in the list, right-click on it, and choose “Properties”.
- Change the “Startup type” to “Disabled”.
- Click “Stop” to stop the service if it’s running.
- Hit “Apply” and then “OK” to make these changes stick.
Relevant guide: How to Delete a Service in Windows 11 or 10 Using CMD
Windows Font Cache Service starts then stops
Sometimes, the Windows Font Cache Service might start up but then stop all of a sudden. This can mess with apps that need to show text. It usually means there’s an error with reading the cached font data.
Fixing these issues can often be as simple as clearing the font cache, like we talked about earlier, or reinstalling the program that’s causing trouble. If that doesn’t help, you might need to use a system restore point or get help from someone who knows their way around computers.
How to reinstall the FontCache service (FntCache.dll)
Reinstalling the Windows Font Cache Service is a bit trickier and should be a last resort. You’ll need to re-register the service DLL file and restart the service. Here’s how:
- Hit the Windows Start button, type “cmd”, right-click on “Command Prompt” from the results, and choose “Run as administrator”.
- In the Command Prompt, type these commands one after the other, hitting Enter after each one:
net stop fontcache cd /d %windir%\system32 regsvr32 FntCache.dll net start fontcache
This stops the font cache service, re-registers the DLL file for the service, and then gets it going again.
Please note, these are advanced steps. Only try them if you’re sure about what you’re doing. If you’re not comfortable, it’s a good idea to ask for help from a pro. And, always make a system restore point before you start changing things, just in case something goes wrong.
Wrapping things up
The Windows Font Cache Service is super important for making sure your computer runs smoothly, especially when it comes to anything related to fonts. But, like anything else, it might give you a bit of a headache from time to time and need a bit of fixing.
Good news is, whether you’re using Windows 11 or Windows 10, the steps to manage this service—like turning it off, turning it back on, or sorting out any issues—are pretty much the same. Just stick to the steps we talked about before, and you should be good to go.
