Inconsistent font and icon sizes

[Solandri]

This problem began when Windows 10 auto-updated to build 1809 17763.253

The sizes of fonts and icons are now inconsistent throughout Windows. A right-click pop-up menu in one program will have the same font size as the system. A right-click pop-up in another program will have a font size that's twice as big. In Chrome, the font sizes are the same as before in the tab name and URL bars, but the font in the downloaded files list at the bottom is about 2 points bigger now.

Likewise, icon sizes are inconsistent. The weirdest is when I drag files. If I drag a PDF file from the desktop (the PDF on the left in pic), the cursor turns into an icon to indicate I'm dragging a file. That icon remains the same size as the original icon. But if I drag the exact same file inside File Explorer (right side of pic), the icon to indicate I'm dragging a file is a large size icon. (Pic is of a different PDF file because I just thought of testing the same file right now. But I tested it and it behaves the same as the pic.)

https://imgur.com/a/tvEAlUo

It's like this throughout my system, seemingly at random. Some places fonts are bigger than before, some places they're the same size as before. Some places icons are bigger, some places they're the same size. It even effects the default fonts in Chrome - they're bigger on some web pages, original size on others. (The headline fonts on the homepage of Toms Hardware became bigger. But the font for the article and forum posts remains the same as before.)

Windows display scaling is set to 100%. Custom scaling is disabled. Manually changing the icon size in file explorer to something different and back doesn't fix it. Computer is a Lenovo X1 Extreme laptop (I searched for any Lenovo options to change font and icon size, and wasn't able to find any).

Unfortunately the Windows Update rollback period has expired so I can't revert to the previous build I had. This is just such a weird problem that I'm having trouble searching if anyone has encountered something similar. Does anyone have any suggestions I can try before I give up, and wipe and reinstall?

 

[photonboy]

*maybe start with #5

1) One thing I'd try is resetting the ICON and THUMBNAIL cache. THIS is the tool I used:
https://www.thewindowsclub.com/icon-cache-rebuilder-for-windows-10

2) Second thing to try is run DDU then reinstall your video drivers.
https://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html

That may force something to reset to defaults.

3) Third, open File Explorer-> View-> Options-> Folder and Search Options... then set every page back to DEFAULTS.

4) Try changing the SCALING to anything else, reboot, then change back to 100%.

5) type "Control Panel" then click on it in Start (first letter or two should show it)-> Appearance and Personalization-> Change FONT settings -> Restore Default settings

Those are the only things I can think of so far.

 

[gardenman]

I think the drag/drop icon issue is actually normal. It's the same for me.
- If dragging from desktop to Explorer it's normal (48 pixels I think).
- If dragging from Explorer (to Explorer or the desktop) it's large (96 pixels I think).

Others have discussed this before and never came up with a resolution. Here's a link to a few threads about it: https://www.tenforums.com/general-support/46275-change-windows-10-drag-files-icon-cursor-size.html Although that guy also had transparency issues with the icon.

Continuing with photonboy's ideas:

6) DISM and SFC?

7) Ctrl + Middle mouse scroll up/down changes font size in many programs. It may not affect menu font size.

I probably can't help, but it would be nice to see a few screenshots of the font issues with the menus and such. Maybe a few screen shots of additional icon size problems (excluding the drag and drop discussed above).

 

[Solandri]

I probably can't help, but it would be nice to see a few screenshots of the font issues with the menus and such. Maybe a few screen shots of additional icon size problems (excluding the drag and drop discussed above).

Here's what the right-click menu on Media Player Classic looks like on another system. Font is the same size as the menu font. Granted it's an older version.

https://imgur.com/a/42CPdKA

Here's what it looks like on my system. Font looks to be a few points larger than the menu font. I also added Notepad++ since it's suffering a font blurring issue, even though I have scaling set at 100%. The font for program name on top is fine, but the font for menus and the live text area is blurred.

https://imgur.com/a/zN8GRgp

Maybe that has something to do with it? Part of windows thinks scaling is not 100%? I tried changing scaling to 125% then back to 100%. Doesn't help.

 

[Solandri]

4) Try changing the SCALING to anything else, reboot, then change back to 100%.

Ah ha. That did the trick. I thought it was enough to change scaling to something else, back to 100%, then reboot. But changing it to 125%, rebooting, back to 100%, and rebooting worked. Problem solved. Thanks.

 

[photonboy]

I also recommend you do the following related to backups:

1) Setup SYSTEM RESTORE, if not done already, then make manual Restore Points before you do anything critical. Windows will then also make Restore Points before some tasks too.

2) Use a tool like SyncbackSE Free to automate a backup of any critical folder you have to make DAILY backups. Like work documents. Note that the "Documents" folder will backup but there are apparently hidden files that will not copy thus always result in errors. Still works though.

3) Backup IMAGE of C-drive... I use Acronis True Image to automate WEEKLY backups of C-drive. My main setup is:
- weekly
- incremental
- chain (1 full + four incrementals)
- auto-delete older
- 2nd highest compression
- verify backup

You should also have a RESTORE CD/DVD or USB stick made for the tool you use in case you can't boot back into Windows. With Acronis TI however I did boot to my USB stick after a boot failure then select all BUT the main part (largest) of my last restore point and it restored those files without touching my main Windows install so I could boot back up.

(Errors can still sneak in to Windows you don't notice though. So after I finish my clean restore I'm making a backup that I will NOT delete so I don't need to start from scratch should I get these weird glitches again from Windows that I can't fix and my oldest backup still has)