What AFM files are and why you might delete them

AFM files are Adobe Font Metrics files — small text documents that store information about how fonts display and print. Your computer creates them automatically when you install certain fonts, and they sit in system folders where you rarely see them. Most people never need to think about AFM files at all, but they can accumulate over time, take up disk space, or occasionally cause printing problems if they become corrupted.

You might delete AFM files if you are cleaning up your hard drive, removing fonts you no longer use, or troubleshooting a printing issue where a font is not rendering correctly. Deleting them is safe — your system will recreate them if it needs them again.

Key Takeaways

  • AFM files are font metric files stored in system folders; deleting them does not remove the actual fonts from your computer.
  • On Windows, AFM files typically live in C:\Windows\Fonts or in process-specific font folders; on Mac, they are usually in /Library/Fonts or ~/Library/Fonts.
  • You can delete individual AFM files by locating them in File Explorer or Finder and moving them to Trash, then emptying Trash to complete the removal.
  • If a font stops working after you delete its AFM file, reinstalling the font will recreate the metrics file automatically.

Finding AFM files on Windows

On Windows, AFM files live in several places depending on where the fonts were installed. The most common location is the system Fonts folder at C:\Windows\Fonts. To navigate there, open File Explorer, type the path into the address bar at the top, and press Enter. You will see a list of font files; AFM files have the .afm extension and often sit alongside .ttf or .otf font files.

Some applications also store AFM files in their own folders. Adobe Creative Suite programs, for example, may keep font metrics in C:\Program Files\Adobe or in a user-specific AppData folder. If you installed fonts for a particular program, check that program's installation directory or search your entire drive for *.afm files using File Explorer's search function.

Finding AFM files on Mac

On Mac, AFM files are usually stored in one of two locations: /Library/Fonts (system-wide fonts) or ~/Library/Fonts (fonts just for your user account). To reach these folders, open Finder, click Go in the menu bar, and select Go to Folder. Type the path you want to search, then press Enter.

You can also search for all AFM files at once. Open Spotlight (Command + Space), type "*.afm" or just search for ".afm", and Finder will show you every AFM file on your computer. This is useful if fonts are scattered across multiple folders or if you are not sure where a particular font's metrics file is stored.

Deleting individual AFM files safely

Once you have located an AFM file you want to remove, right-click it and select Delete (Windows) or Move to Trash (Mac). The file moves to your Recycle Bin or Trash folder but is not permanently gone yet. If you realize you deleted the wrong file, you can recover it from Recycle Bin or Trash before you empty it.

After you have confirmed the file is the one you meant to delete, empty your Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac) to permanently remove it. On Windows, right-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop and select Empty Recycle Bin. On Mac, click Finder in the menu bar, select Empty Trash, and confirm. Once emptied, the file cannot be recovered.

Deleting AFM files in bulk

If you want to remove many AFM files at once — for example, all metrics files for fonts you no longer use — you can select multiple files. In File Explorer or Finder, hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and click each file you want to delete. Once you have selected them all, right-click and choose Delete or Move to Trash, then empty the bin as described above.

Be cautious when deleting in bulk. If you are unsure whether a font is still in use, delete only its AFM file first and test the font in your applications. If the font still works, the metrics file was not essential. If it stops working, you can restore it from Trash and reinstall the font to regenerate the metrics file.

What happens after you delete an AFM file

Deleting an AFM file does not remove the font itself from your computer. The actual font file (.ttf, .otf, or other format) remains in place. The next time your system or an process needs the font metrics, it will recreate the AFM file automatically. This usually happens without any action on your part — you may not even notice it happened.

If a font stops displaying or printing correctly after you delete its AFM file, the simplest fix is to reinstall the font. Uninstall it from your system (right-click the font file in the Fonts folder and select Uninstall on Windows, or drag it to Trash on Mac), then reinstall it from your original source. This will regenerate all the necessary metrics files and usually resolves any display issues.

When to leave AFM files alone

AFM files are small and rarely cause problems, so there is no strong reason to delete them unless you are actively removing fonts or troubleshooting a specific issue. If your hard drive is full, deleting AFM files will free up only a small amount of space — you will get much more room by removing large applications, video files, or old backups instead.

If you are not sure whether a font is still in use, do not delete its AFM file. Fonts are often embedded in documents, templates, or design files, and removing their metrics can cause unexpected display changes. Only delete AFM files for fonts you have confirmed you no longer need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting an AFM file break the font?

No. The AFM file is just metadata about the font. Deleting it does not remove the actual font file, and your system will recreate the metrics file the next time it needs it. The font will continue to work normally.

Can I delete all AFM files at once?

Technically yes, but it is not recommended. Deleting all AFM files at once could cause display issues with fonts you still use. Instead, delete only the metrics files for fonts you have confirmed you no longer need, or delete them one at a time and test your fonts afterward.

Where do I find AFM files if I cannot see them in the Fonts folder?

Some applications store AFM files in their own directories rather than the system Fonts folder. Use your operating system's search function to look for *.afm files across your entire drive. On Windows, search in File Explorer; on Mac, use Spotlight or open Terminal and run find ~ -name "*.afm".

What if I accidentally deleted an AFM file I needed?

Restore it from your Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac) if you have not emptied it yet. If the bin is already empty, reinstall the font from your original source. This will recreate the metrics file automatically.

Do I need to restart my computer after deleting an AFM file?

No. You do not need to restart. However, you may need to close and reopen any applications that were using the font so they load the updated (or recreated) metrics file.