MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Anti-aliasing aka font smoothing

Quoth · 02-13-2026, 06:15 AM

Because Win10 & Win11 are mess on the GUI, the Cleartype may be only in particular programs. Some can use it even if off at system level. MS kept adding new incompatible APIs for the GUI after Server 2003, hence the mess.
Win8 worked differently for Desktops and Tablets (no Cleartype). In Win10 & Win11 the Cleartype can be forced on at the GDI level and then programs that otherwise never use Cleartype (due to API used) will be rendered with Cleartype (Which is for lower resolution compatible screens only).

Anti-aliasing (AA) being used is separate from Cleartype AA (text only) or any similar RGB subpixel scheme on Apple or Linux. Anti-aliasing works without sub-pixel (RGB) addressing and also for graphics.

Using native pixels on 2 x 2 Retina mode (HiDPI mode if not Apple) for anti-aliasing isn't sub-pixel addressing.

02-13-2026, 06:15 AM	#35
Quoth Still reading Posts: 15,312 Karma: 113000119 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Because Win10 & Win11 are mess on the GUI, the Cleartype may be only in particular programs. Some can use it even if off at system level. MS kept adding new incompatible APIs for the GUI after Server 2003, hence the mess. Win8 worked differently for Desktops and Tablets (no Cleartype). In Win10 & Win11 the Cleartype can be forced on at the GDI level and then programs that otherwise never use Cleartype (due to API used) will be rendered with Cleartype (Which is for lower resolution compatible screens only). Anti-aliasing (AA) being used is separate from Cleartype AA (text only) or any similar RGB subpixel scheme on Apple or Linux. Anti-aliasing works without sub-pixel (RGB) addressing and also for graphics. Using native pixels on 2 x 2 Retina mode (HiDPI mode if not Apple) for anti-aliasing isn't sub-pixel addressing. Last edited by Quoth; 02-13-2026 at 06:17 AM.