Affinity programs won't start or install, Windows Admin font problem

[CvV]

I recently installed all 3 Affinity programs on my new Windows11 PC. They worked without any problems. Then I added all the fonts from the Windows/fonts folder from my old Windows10 PC. Surprisingly, all 3 Affinity programs wouldn't start anymore, no error message or crash, there's simply nothing happening. I uninstalled Designer (which I don't use that much), and tried installing the same version of Designer again. It wouldn't let me. I just get the loading circle next to my Windows cursor and then nothing happens. I checked TaskManager to see if maybe Designer is already running multiple times in the background, but there are no processes running. I emptied the Windows fonts folder on my Win11 PC, except for the fonts which Windows warns about are system specific. Now the Affinity programs do start again!?? But I still want to use all my fonts from my Win10 PC. So, I right clicked only 1 font > more options (or Shift+F10) > Install for all users (the Admin shield option). Restart Publisher,  and... now it will start! I made a test file with this one font and Export as PDF, and it's okay now!! Solution: install your fonts via right click, apparently Affinity needs fonts to be available to all users via the Admin option.
 

[Old Bruce]

You have narrowed the problem down to Fonts. Perhaps one (or more) of them is badly corrupted, or the computer's font cache is corrupted. Someone with Windows experience could help you find the problem fonts and or tell you how to fix the cache.

Thanks for posting what the solution was to getting things up and running again.

[CvV]

On my Windows 10 PC I have exactly the same fonts and Affinity programs installed. It was that by coping and pasting the fonts on my new Windows 11 PC that the problem occurred. On my Windows 10 PC I always drag and dropped the fonts in the Windows/Fonts folder and that worked fine. There seems to be an issue with Windows 11 <> Admin privileges fonts <> Affinity. All other programs I use on the Windows 11 PC didn't have this font issue, and would simply start with a double click.

[Dan C]

Apologies for the delayed response here @CvV!

I can confirm that we always recommend installing the fonts through Windows, as simply copy and pasting the font files into the Windows Font folder can cause issues on any version of Windows.

Just to confirm, have you been able to resolve this issue by installing the fonts?

[CvV]

Hi Dan, thank you for the reply.

I actually have always dragged or copy and pasted fonts in the Windows/Fonts folder. I never had issues with that with any Windows version. Other programs I have installed on my new Windows11 PC worked fine with this method. But maybe Affinity is more strict about this. Anyway, it's solved now. From now on I will install my fonts with a right click and give them Admin priviliges.