Troubleshoot fonts

Photoshop loads the text engine and installed fonts when you:

• Open a document that contains a Type layer.
• Select the Type tool.
• Display the Character panel.

Problematic or damaged fonts can cause slow performance, freezes, or crashes when Photoshop loads fonts.

Update Photoshop

Learn how to update Creative Cloud apps to use the latest version of Photoshop.

Reset, restart, and retry

Cause

Damaged Photoshop preferences or font cache data can cause crashes when Photoshop loads fonts.

Remedy

Reset Photoshop preferences and the font cache, restart Photoshop, and turn off Font Preview.

1. Reset Photoshop preferences.
2. Reset the Photoshop font cache.
3. Restart Photoshop, select Type > Font Preview Size, and then select None.

Delete the Photoshop font cache

Delete the Photoshop font cache to allow Photoshop to rebuild its list of installed fonts.

macOS

1. Quit Photoshop and the Creative Cloud desktop app.
2. Navigate to /Users/[user name]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop.
3. Delete the CT Font Cache folder and empty the Trash.

Learn how to access hidden user library files in macOS if you can't locate the folder.

Windows

1. Exit Photoshop and the Creative Cloud desktop app.
2. Navigate to \Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop <version>.
3. Delete the CT Font Cache folder and empty the Recycle Bin.

Learn how to show hidden files and folders in Windows if the folder isn't visible.

Update or disable font managers

Remedy

If you use a third-party font manager, install the latest updates. If the issue continues, disable or remove the font manager before continuing troubleshooting.

Remove known problematic fonts

Windows and macOS warn you when a problematic font is detected during installation. Don't install fonts that display this warning.

Uninstall or disable the following fonts if they're installed:

• Bustle.ttf
• Courier Condensed Bold.ttf
• CottonWood-SemiBold.ttf
• 21kannmbn_ttf
• Gurakh_s.ttf
• Jh_titles.ttf
• Screen__.ttf
• Sevesbrg.ttf
• SF Tattle Tales Condensed.ttf
• Umbra-thin.ttf
• ZerogebI.ttf
• Zippy.ttf

Delete the system font cache

Delete the Photoshop font cache before deleting the system font cache.

macOS

1. Quit Photoshop and the Creative Cloud desktop app.
2. Select Applications > Utilities.
3. Open Terminal.
4. Type the following command in Terminal, and then press Return.

Windows

1. Exit Photoshop and the Creative Cloud desktop app.
2. Navigate to \Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\Appdata\Local\FontCache.
3. Delete all .dat files that include FontCache in the filename.

Validate fonts using Font Book on macOS

For persistent font issues on macOS, use Font Book to validate your installed fonts and identify damaged files.

1. Select Applications > Font Book.
2. Select All Fonts.
3. Press Command + A to select all fonts.
4. Select File > Validate Fonts.
5. Select the checkbox next to damaged or duplicate fonts.
6. Select Remove Checked.
7. If Font Book crashes during validation, restart it and use the Down Arrow key to identify the font that causes the crash.

Isolate the problematic font on macOS

Keep only one version of each font in one of these folders:

• /Users/[user name]/Library/Fonts
• /Library/Fonts

1. Create two folders on your desktop named "fonttest" and "goodfonts".
2. Move half your fonts from a Library/Fonts folder to the fonttest folder.
3. Test Photoshop for the original problem.
4. If the problem persists, move fonttest folder contents to goodfonts, then move half the remaining fonts from Library/Fonts to fonttest and test again.
5. If the problem disappears, move Library/Fonts contents to goodfonts, then move half the fonttest fonts back to Library/Fonts.
6. Continue dividing and testing until you identify the problematic font.
7. Remove the damaged font and restore all good fonts to the original location.

Run the FontTest.jsx script

The FontTest script can help identify damaged fonts on your system. Before using the script, read the FontTest ReadMe for installation and usage instructions.

Download FontTest.jsx.zip

After downloading, unzip the file and follow the ReadMe instructions to run the script and interpret the results.

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