ZoomText - Font smoothing levels and expectations

ZoomText - Font smoothing levels and expectations

Problem

A ZoomText customer may experience problems with the quality of fonts and font smoothing with various apps in Windows. 


Resolution

When using magnification software with higher magnification powers imperfections and artefacts may be see in the rendering of on screen fonts. 
Notes
Update
16/02/2024:  Freedom Scientific has released December update for ZoomText 2024 which includes updated font smoothing support for Microsoft Office 365.  Visit  www.freedomscientific.com and check under Download for ZoomText.


Types of font smoothing

ZoomText uses two different font smoothing technology within their software.  These are Geometric smoothing and xFont font smoothing described below in more detail:
  1. Geometric smoothing is a medium quality smoothing algorithm that is reasonably effectively and appliccable throughout most applications and Windows operating system and comes only a small system overhead.  Some artefacts may still b  visible, especially at higher magnification powers. 
  2. xFont is a higher quality font smoothing technology that has to be supported by the application being used.  This technology is available in Microsoft Office 365 applications with version 2307 and above.  This type of font smoothing will stand up well at higher magnification powers where the application is supported (only Microsoft Office 365 apps currently).  The developers anticipate rolling out similar quality font smoothing with other applications where they can work with the developer to support xFont.


Font smoothing issues by ZoomText version

  1. Prior to version 2024 the xFont technology was disabled by default in 2022 due to a mixture of performance concerns and declining number of application with which it would work.
  2. Windows employs its own built in font smoothing techniques which may conflict with the technologies used by ZoomText although some experimentation may help on specific systems. 



Warning
Warning
  1. Font smoothing of xFont or geometric type are not available when using magnification factors below 2x.
  2. xFont is not available when using Remote Access.


Font Smoothing Examples

To help with understand the different levels of font smoothing below are shown examples of what is expected in each font smoothing scenario.

  1. In the example below it should be very clear that the edges of the font is shown with jagged appearance, no font smoothing is taking place.

  2. The next example shows geometric smoothing being applied by ZoomText.



  3. The final example shows the quality expected with xFont smoothing, ZoomText version 2024 again now offers this quality when used with a fully updated Microsoft 365 installation.




Notes
Tip
Customers with earlier versions of Office or are on 2023 and below who wish to see the quality of xFont potential can launch Windows Notepad and enter or copy/paste text to view xFont.