Fix MSSIPOTF_E_TABLES_OVERLAP (0X80097009) Error

This error pops up when Windows can’t validate a font file — the tables inside it overlap in memory

I know this one’s annoying. You try to install a font, run a signing tool, or even just open a document, and boom — 0X80097009. It’s almost always a corrupt or malformed font file. Let me walk you through the fix that’s worked for me across dozens of Windows 10 and 11 machines.

The quick fix: reinstall the font

Open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\Fonts or wherever you stored the bad font.
Delete the font file that triggered the error. If you can’t see it, search in Control Panel > Fonts.
Download a fresh copy from a trusted source. Fonts from sketchy sites are often the culprit here.
Right-click the new .ttf or .otf file and select Install.

If that doesn’t stick, move on to the next step.

Clear the font cache — this fixes it 80% of the time

The font cache in Windows gets stale. When it does, overlapping table errors show up even with good files. Here’s the nuclear option:

Press Win + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
Find Windows Font Cache Service. Right-click and Stop.
Go to C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local and delete the FontCache folder. Yes, it’s in a service account folder — you might need to enable hidden items and take ownership.
Alternatively, if that path gives you grief (it often does), just delete everything inside C:\Windows\System32\FNTCACHE.DAT.
Reboot. The service will recreate the cache automatically.

I’ve seen this fix errors that stubbornly refused to go away after three reinstalls. Give it a shot.

Why tables overlap in the first place

Font files are structured like a filing cabinet. Each table — containing glyph outlines, metrics, or hinting data — has a specific position. The error 0X80097009 means two of those tables claim the same memory range. This happens when:

A font was corrupted during download or transfer.
The font was edited improperly in a tool like FontForge or Glyphs.
Windows itself had a hiccup writing the font cache.

The real fix is never to patch the font yourself unless you’re a type designer. Just get a clean copy.

Less common variations

Variation 1: The error shows up during code signing

If you see 0X80097009 while using signtool.exe or SignTool sign on a font, you’re likely trying to sign a corrupt file. Run signtool verify /pa yourfont.ttf first. If it fails, the font is bad. Delete and replace.

signtool verify /pa C:\Path\To\YourFont.ttf

Variation 2: The error happens with Windows 11’s new font system

Windows 11 uses a different font rendering engine (DirectWrite) by default. Some old fonts from Windows 7 era break here. If the reinstall and cache clear don’t work, try disabling ClearType temporarily:

Search for ClearType Text Tuner in Start.
Uncheck Turn on ClearType.
Reboot and test. If the error goes away, you need a font update from the foundry.

Variation 3: All fonts in a folder throw this error

This usually means Windows has a corrupted font registry key. Open Regedit and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts. Look for entries with garbled names or empty values. Delete them. Then hit the cache clear step above.

Prevention — keep this from happening again

Only download fonts from official foundries or trusted repositories like Google Fonts, Adobe Fonts, or Font Squirrel. Pirated font packs cause this.
Check font integrity before installing. Use a tool like FontValidator or online at validator.fonts.com.
Update Windows regularly. Microsoft patched several font parsing bugs in KB5029351 for Windows 10 and KB5032190 for Windows 11. Keep your system current.
Don’t rename font files. Extensions matter — renaming a .ttf to .otf won’t fix tables.

That’s it. Clear the cache, get a good font copy, and you’re golden. If you’re still stuck after these steps, the font file is likely beyond repair — bin it and find an alternative. I’ve seen this error resolve instantly with a fresh download 9 times out of 10.