
For example, I labeled my duplicate folder "Catalina System Fonts". I would recommend making an identical copy of each system font folder (the one(s) listed above) and place them where you can easily get to them later (either on your Desktop or in a "Moved Fonts" folder you create in Documents). Restart in recovery mode and enable SIP, then restart as normal

Log out of root user and back in with your own username Open Terminal and type in “sudo mount -uw /” (no quotes) to enable write access on the system drive until next restartĭelete the unneccesary/unwanted fonts per the instructions below and Kurt’s minimum font list Log out, then log back in as the root user Restart in recovery mode (Command + R) and disable SIP (yes, you still need to do this step to make the following changes)ĭo a normal restart and follow the steps in this article to enable the root user on your machine Instead, I came across this multi-step solution that avoids having to run the OS off of a separate drive and instead makes the read-only partition writable again (that is, until you’re done, then you need to set it to read-only again): In Kurt’s guide, he recommends installing Catalina on another drive or partition, but I found that to be more hassle than it’s worth. The entire System file structure is now on a read-only partition. Unfortunately, Apple has made it even harder to delete things from the System folder in macOS Catalina (10.15), and disabling SIP no longer works. Once you've moved the unnecessary font files from the system folders, be sure to reenable SIP again! If you’re on macOS Mojave (10.14) or earlier, you'll need to temporarily disable a built-in security feature called System Integrity Protection that protects system critical files (like system fonts, for example) from being moved, modified, or deleted by malware. IMPORTANT: Before you delete any font files… Macintosh HD > Users > Library > Application Support > Adobe > FontsĪnd there are three main players that put fonts in those locations automatically: Apple has now removed all system fonts from the Macintosh HD > Library > Fonts folder.)
#Find fontbook on mac mac
It's helpful to know that there are a few main places fonts live on your Mac (the first two contain a mix of system critical fonts and ones that can be safely disposed of, while the last two can be emptied with no adverse effects): (In Catalina, only the first one listed below contains system-critical fonts. Whether you use one of these two, Font Book, or another option, just find what works best for you and use it consistently. I've been an Extensis Suitcase Fusion user for years, but after some major interface design flaws in the last couple of releases (which I reviewed here), I’ve now switched to managing my fonts with Font Explorer X Pro. you just copy all your fonts into your user fonts folder), get a good font manager and use it. If you've never managed your fonts before (i.e. More on that in just a moment… A couple of quick hints as you get started: However, with Apple’s latest macOS release, Catalina, there’s now a new wrench thrown in the gears when it comes to deleting system font files. A thorough scan through his detailed instructions and I was able to restore my font lists to their proper, usable lengths without causing a system crash. Over the years, I've consistently turned to Kurt Lang's extremely thorough and always up-to-date font management guide for macOS and OS X (Catalina all the way back to Panther ). Case in point was the unveiling of Apple's new system font San Francisco with the release of El Capitan, so it's never been more important to have a trustworthy guide to definitively determine which fonts should stay and which can be safely deactivated or disposed of.

#Find fontbook on mac upgrade
However, with each new macOS upgrade comes the addition of several new fonts that may or may not be system-critical. If, like me, with every new upgrade you mourn the loss of your curated list, chances are you already have some experience with managing fonts to optimize your workflow. What may have once been a carefully curated short list of go-to fonts has now ballooned to monolithic proportions with hundreds of unwanted fonts you would never dare to use even on a bad design day. This can be a real headache, scrolling for days to locate a favorite font that used to be within sight.
#Find fontbook on mac professional
Upgrading to the latest Mac operating system certainly has its perks, but one drawback as a professional graphic designer is opening up my favorite Adobe app only to discover an out-of-control font list. Note: This article has been updated to include new instructions for macOS Catalina users. With their latest macOS release, Apple has completely removed the ability to delete system fonts. ATTENTION macOS Big Sur users: Unfortunately, this article will no longer be of any help to you in paring down your system fonts.
