Thursday, December 30, 2010

How to remove custom fonts (user fonts) on Ubuntu

Update: 3 January 2011 / 28 Muharam 1432H, Is.

24 Muharam 1432H

After clicking the Install Font button, see Pic 1, and trying out a new font, it turns out that that new font isn't what i want on my list of fonts. But how does one remove it?

Pic 1 - The Install Font button. Easy to install, hardly know how to uninstall :p


Before removing the unwanted font, Pic 2:

Pic 2 - The unwanted font shown in OpenOffice.org Writer. Before removing.


After removing the unwanted font, Pic 3:

Pic 3 - The unwanted font shown in OpenOffice.org Writer. After removing.


Like any seasoned Windows user, i did go through the fonts file, see Pic 4, but couldn't find the font i want to delete. By the way, the file is located here:
File System > usr > share > fonts.

Pic 4 - Locating the fonts folder in Ubuntu.


So, i did some searching and found these to be helpful:
- How to remove installed fonts in Ubuntu
- How to Delete Ubuntu Fonts

Turns out that a font installed using the Install Font button is referred to as custom fonts or user fonts.

Here, i refined the explanations.


1. Run the Terminal. The Terminal, shown in Pic 6, is located here:
Panel > Applications > Accessories > Terminal. See Pic 5.

Pic 5 - Refer Step 1. Running the Terminal from the menu.


Pic 6 - The Terminal, freshly loaded.


2. Type in the command as follow:
cd /home/username/.fonts
Source: How to remove installed fonts in Ubuntu
Refer Pic 7.

Pic 7 - Refer Step 2. Changing directory to the fonts folder.


3. Change the part username in Step 2 to your username. Mine is aisha. See Pic 8.

In my case, it's:
cd /home/aisha/.fonts
Then press the Enter button. A new command line appears as shown in Pic 9.

Pic 8 - Refer Step 3. Changing the username in the command.


Pic 9 - Refer Step 3. We are now in the fonts folder.


4. To see the list of items in the fonts folder, type the command as follow:
ls
Source: How to remove installed fonts in Ubuntu
Refer Pic 10. Then press the Enter button. A list of custom fonts appears, similar to Pic 11.

Pic 10 - Refer Step 4. Adding command to see the list of items in the fonts folder.


Pic 11 - Refer Step 4. List of user fonts installed in my laptop.


5. From the list, similar to as seen in Pic 11, look for the font(s) you want to remove. Then type in the the command as follow:
rm
Source: How to remove installed fonts in Ubuntu
followed by the name of the font(s) you want to remove. The are two ways to add the font name:
  1. You can either type-in the name, or
  2. Highlight the name. Press Ctrl+Shift+C to copy. Then press Ctrl+Shift+V to paste.
Then press the Enter button.

In my case, i want to remove the Arabic Typesetting font. So, my command, as shown in Pic 12, will be like this:
rm arabtype.ttf

Pic 12 - Refer Step 5. Adding the command to remove the unwanted font(s).


6. Upon pressing the Enter button in Step 5, a new line to confirm the removal appears. Refer Pic 13.

To proceed with the removal, type in:
y
then press the Enter button, see Pic 14. Then command line seen in Pic 9 appears, also shown in Pic 15. The removal process is completed.

Pic 13 - Refer Step 6. Confirmation required.


Pic 14 - Refer Step 6. Removal confirmed.


Pic 15 - Refer Step 6. Unwanted font has been removed.

6 comments:

  1. jhonny

    niceeeeeee work !!! thanks guy i need delete some fonts with problem in my ubuntu thanks again

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks a lot! I really was searching high and low for this information! I've got a corrupt font on the system and it was making me crazy. Thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for sharing!

    Another way (without using terminal )
    Open user folder [/home/user/] and press Ctrl+H which will show hidden files and folders
    , search for .fonts folder, open it and do the magic!

    Thanks again.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ahmed Wdalhaj,

    Thank you very much for sharing. Your method is so much easier!

    ReplyDelete