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Text not rendering properly on some websites

  • 11 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 9 views
  • Last reply by unscodst

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I know this question has been asked multiple times and it usually ends in the solution: Some font rendering issues are caused by graphics driver incompatibilities. Could you try disabling Firefox's use of hardware graphics acceleration?

orange Firefox button (or Tools menu) > Options > Advanced

On the "General" mini-tab, uncheck the box for "Use hardware acceleration when available"


However my hardware acceleration has been disabled for a long time. I've had this problem for many months and every now and then it annoys me enough to search for solutions. I've tried increasing and changing the fonts in my Content Settings. I've uninstalled and reinstalled firefox. I've checked multiple websites fonts to see where it happens since it seems to pick and choose what sites it happens on. I've even cross checked sites on Google Chrome as well to verify that this only happens with Firefox.

This leads me to think there is a bigger problem/bug in play within Firefox's Rendering Engine, Gecko.

I know this question has been asked multiple times and it usually ends in the solution: Some font rendering issues are caused by graphics driver incompatibilities. Could you try disabling Firefox's use of hardware graphics acceleration? orange Firefox button (or Tools menu) > Options > Advanced On the "General" mini-tab, uncheck the box for "Use hardware acceleration when available" However my hardware acceleration has been disabled for a long time. I've had this problem for many months and every now and then it annoys me enough to search for solutions. I've tried increasing and changing the fonts in my Content Settings. I've uninstalled and reinstalled firefox. I've checked multiple websites fonts to see where it happens since it seems to pick and choose what sites it happens on. I've even cross checked sites on Google Chrome as well to verify that this only happens with Firefox. This leads me to think there is a bigger problem/bug in play within Firefox's Rendering Engine, Gecko.

All Replies (11)

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Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web Link} by holding down the <Shift>
(Mac=Options)
key, and then starting Firefox. A small dialog should appear. Click Start In Safe Mode (not Refresh).

Is the problem still there?


Hello,

In order to better assist you with your issue please provide us with a screenshot. If you need help to create a screenshot, please see How do I create a screenshot of my problem?

Once you've done this, attach the saved screenshot file to your forum post by clicking the Browse... button below the Post your reply box. This will help us to visualize the problem.

Thank you!


Type about:preferences#content<enter> in the address bar. Across from fonts and colors, press the Advanced button. On the bottom, turn on Allow Web Sites To Choose Their Own.

Fonts Information - Detected via Flash http://browserspy.dk/fonts-flash.php?detail=1

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Thanks for the reply FredMcD. I forgot to mention I have tried safe mode before and it didn't work, just tried it again and it still doesn't work.

I guess my screenshot didn't upload the first time but it's here now.

I also have turned on Allow Websites To Choose Their Own previously, I just checked and it's still on.

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I've called for more help.

Hold down the <Shift> key, and reload the page.

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Nope that didn't work either.

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Is there any more information I can provide? And sort of Firefox log or diagnostic I should upload?

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Was this with one website, or several?

Remove History For One Site Open the History Manager <Control><Shift> H. In the search bar, enter the name of the site. Right click on one of the listings and select Forget About This Site. This should remove all information, including any passwords / settings.

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This has been multiple sites. A familiar site that I assume a lot of people frequent is: https://play.google.com/store https://www.udacity.com/

I did a little more digging and these two sites use the Roboto or Open-Sans font. If I remove that then everything else renders fine. More specifically these fonts are placed in "" instead of just named and separated by commas like other fonts.

Ex: font-family: "Roboto", "Open-Sans", UILanguageFont, Arial, sans-serif;

Changing font weight or size doesn't stop the clipping either.

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I don't know fonts. But check these links; https://www.bing.com/search?q=font+repair&pc=MOZI&form=MOZSBR

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It's normal to use quotation marks around multi-word font names, like "Comic Sans MS" (heaven forbid), and while it is not needed around one-word font names, it shouldn't do any harm.

Firefox does a much better job smoothing downloadable fonts if hardware acceleration is enabled than if it is disabled. Can you use hardware acceleration on your system or does Firefox not allow it with your graphics driver software? If HA is being applied, then the troubleshooting information page will have entries like:

Direct2D => true DirectWrite => true

in the Graphics section. You can open that using either:

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
  • (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter
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You also might take a look at a particular setting related to ClearType to see whether it has a non-default value: Fixing font rendering for Firefox 45.

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Alright I turned on Hardware acceleration and both Direct2d and DirectWrite are true.

My font looks better on Google Play but not Udacity. It still has a problem on their very small Featured banner at the top.

In general though I think you have helped me solve it for now jscher2000

Thanks a lot!!