# Number of fonts allowed with Windows XP.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-fonts-allowed-with-windows-xp/159972>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 8, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-fonts-allowed-with-windows-xp/159972 "2003-03-08T21:48:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-fonts-allowed-with-windows-xp/159972/1 "2003-03-08T21:48:30Z")

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What is the limit for the number of fonts allowed in Windows XP. I was able to have around 550 with ME before nasty things happened.

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-fonts-allowed-with-windows-xp/159972/2 "2003-03-08T21:57:50Z")

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I didn’t know there was a limit. I had around 600 even back when I had 98.

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-fonts-allowed-with-windows-xp/159972/3 "2003-03-08T22:05:57Z")

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There seems to no longer be a limit, but there was [one.](http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B131943)

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**Author:** ![richardb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/96bed5/32.png) [@richardb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/richardb)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-fonts-allowed-with-windows-xp/159972/4 "2003-03-10T01:10:14Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \*  
> \*\*There seems to no longer be a limit, but there was [one.](http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B131943) \*\*

Just to let you know, it is possible to surpass this “limit.” That is, the 1000 fonts they mention as a limit, because it is not a number of fonts per se, but the actaul size of the bits used to describe the path and file name of each font:

> [@](#):
>
> All font files are registered under a single key in the registry, and a registry key cannot exceed 64 KB in Windows 95. If font names average 20 characters in length and font file names average 10 characters in length, the maximum number of TrueType fonts you can install falls between 1000 and 1500.
> 
> If a TrueType font file is located in a folder other than the Fonts or the System folder, the full path to the font is included in the registry, using up more space in the key and reducing the number of fonts you can install.

(Quote from your link).

I installed all my fonts in a directory (right off the root directory) named simply “f”. Other than sticking them in the root of the C: drive, I figured that was as short a path name as I could get away with.

I don’t remember how many fonts I had, but it was way over 1500.

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**Author:** ![Pantone\_Swatchbook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cc9497/32.png) [@Pantone\_Swatchbook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantone_Swatchbook)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-fonts-allowed-with-windows-xp/159972/5 "2003-03-10T01:35:44Z")

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Use Extensis Suitcase or Font Reserve to manage fonts. I have well over 20,000 fonts and I can navigate through my catalog with effeciency thanks to Suitcase.