I have few developers in office who like to install fonts on regular basis. How can I allow a user to install a font without admin prompt coming up asking for admin credentials? We have Windows 8.1 in our environment.

            

I have tried this method on Windows 7 and it works absolutely perfect. But it's not working in Windows 8.1

I even tried by giving full access to fonts folder, fntcache.dat and registry but still admin prompt comes up.

1. Disable UAC (This doesn't mean users will get admin access, only prompt is removed)

2. Give user(s) modify access to %systemroot%\Fonts

(You need to first give administrators full rights on the fonts folder, to modify its permissions)

3. Give user(s) modify access to %systemroot%\system32\FNTCACHE.dat
4. Give user(s) modify access to HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Fonts

• Edited by Saif Ch Monday, September 29, 2014 7:16 AM

Hi Saif,

You can do it manually if only selective users or use GPO as well for those users.

Below article should help you out.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsserver/en-US/fc178004-d0b0-40c3-b41a-da8129c8d3ef/issue-with-implementing-group-policy-to-allow-users-to-install-fonts?forum=winserverGP

Basically it says as below:

1. Disable UAC (This doesn't mean users will get admin access, only prompt is removed)

2. Give user(s) modify access to %systemroot%\Fonts

(You need to first give administrators full rights on the fonts folder, to modify its permissions)

3. Give user(s) modify access to %systemroot%\system32\FNTCACHE.dat

4. Give user(s) modify access to HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Fonts

I dont think its  possible to set the rights on the fonts folder
for GPO. This was possible under Windows XP

you can install it trought script from server
http://blogs.technet.com/b/heyscriptingguy/archive/2008/04/25/how-can-i-install-fonts-using-a-script.aspx

or you can allowed user to use 3rd party application, so fonts won't appear in the installed font list, i never try this in Windows 8.1, but works with Windows 7

• Edited by britishdhez Wednesday, September 24, 2014 6:59 AM

Hi Satyajit321,

Thanks for your response.

I have tried this method on Windows 7 and it works absolutely perfect. But sadly it's not working in Windows 8.1

I even tried by giving full access to fonts folder, fntcache.dat and registry but admin prompt comes up.

Has anyone found an actual working solution for this!  I can not give my users admin access to the boxes just to install fonts.

1. Disable UAC (This doesn't mean users will get admin access, only prompt is removed)

If you are disabling UAC in Windows 7 by moving the slider all the way to the bottom, you are fully disabling UAC.

With Windows 8.1 this is not the case.  With Windows 8.1 the "all the way to the bottom" position is NOT a "UAC disabled" state.

Personally if the user needs to do the kinds of activities that require him to assume administrative control over his or her computer, why not add his username to the Administrators group?  People work too hard nowadays to restrict people from doing what they need to do for fear of them doing something wrong.  If they can't do their jobs with straight user permissions, I say promote them, and train them to take good care of their computers. 

You might just get a more productive employee.

-Noel