# Unable to get rid of "active" fonts **URL:** \ **Category:** MainType - Support\ **Created:** [December 19, 2012, 11:58am UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/unable-to-get-rid-of-active-fonts/3589 "2012-12-19T11:58:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hoods](https://forum.high-logic.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/7cd45c/32.png) [@Hoods](https://forum.high-logic.com/u/Hoods)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 11:58am UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/unable-to-get-rid-of-active-fonts/3589/1 "2012-12-19T11:58:59Z")
Hi Erwin Related to this old problem but I didn’t see a solution > [@Duplicate checker/cleanup tool](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/duplicate-checker-cleanup-tool/3520/5): > > Then the feature works as I told you. I think you mix up duplicates and similars. A duplicate is an exact copy of a font resource. You are now talking about similar fonts, e.g. several versions of a font. There is no way MainType can detect this. Sometimes two different fonts do have the same name, and surely you want to keep both. I’m very curious about these. Can you tell me the names, or send us the files? I have two fonts (families) which I can’t get rid of from the Active area, no matter what I do - there is no option to remove/delete the fonts. I have done a FULL uninstall - removing all databases etc - using even Revo Pro then reinstalling. I know the fonts are fine (Basic Sans and Register) because I always use them. Now, even when I try to reinstall the fonts Main Type says I am installing the font, but it just adds another instance with a red dot. I did something wrong - I forget what - for the fonts to have have gained the red dot for an “unknown font”. Incidentally, I have a few other font programs, some very basic ones don’t show the fonts as installed. I have Printer’s Apprentice, which also shows these fonts in the Active folder and “unknown” and I likewise have no option to delete them. Any suggestion? Something I can delete in the registry?? Any help will be appreciated as these are two of my favourite fonts! Regards Robin ---
**Author:** ![Bhikkhu\_Pesala](https://forum.high-logic.com/user_avatar/forum.high-logic.com/bhikkhu_pesala/32/9411_2.png) [@Bhikkhu\_Pesala](https://forum.high-logic.com/u/Bhikkhu_Pesala)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/unable-to-get-rid-of-active-fonts/3589/2 "2012-12-24T19:40:13Z")
I just ran into this problem. Rebooting didn’t solve the problem, so I uninstalled MainType, removed my databases, and reinstalled it. It didn’t take long to rebuild my font library. I have 3,120 fonts in my library. All is well again now. ---
**Author:** ![ErwinDenissen](https://forum.high-logic.com/user_avatar/forum.high-logic.com/erwindenissen/32/9430_2.png) [@ErwinDenissen](https://forum.high-logic.com/u/ErwinDenissen)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/unable-to-get-rid-of-active-fonts/3589/3 "2012-12-24T21:38:50Z")
If the problem persists after a full uninstall, it might be a bug. I’ll contact you next week (next year), to look for a solution. ---
**Author:** ![ErwinDenissen](https://forum.high-logic.com/user_avatar/forum.high-logic.com/erwindenissen/32/9430_2.png) [@ErwinDenissen](https://forum.high-logic.com/u/ErwinDenissen)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:57am UTC](https://forum.high-logic.com/t/unable-to-get-rid-of-active-fonts/3589/4 "2013-01-11T08:57:59Z")
Robin, I’m glad you told us you did solve the issue by rebooting. A little background information might help other uses as well: The fonts you tried to remove were fonts unknown by MainType (e.g. fonts with red “unknown fonts” dots). You will see such fonts when other software load fonts without providing information about the exact location of the fonts. Then there is no way of retrieving additional information about the fonts, and it is not possible to uninstall/unload/deactivate such fonts.