How to Change Fonts on Android devices

If you are using a gadget that sports Android, you might decide, one day, that you want a different font than the default one.

Thankfully, this operating system can be customized any way you want it. There are 2 ways to change the font; one of them should be used on a rooted device, the second one on an unrooted smartphone or tablet.

Methods for rooted devices

1. iFont app

We will begin with the first category. What you will have to use for it: font changer applications located in Google Store. We shall discuss iFont and Font Installer.

The is supported by almost all models manufactured by Samsung (no matter if the devices are not rooted). However, you should know that gadgets made by other manufacturers should be rooted before you can change their Android fonts. Here is what to do in order to install a custom font after you’ve downloaded and flashed it on your device.

Tap on the desired font and then tap on the key called Download.
Tap on Set; when done, tap on OK should you be asked to access the mode called System Mode.
The smartphone or tablet you own is going to reboot. The font will then be applied on it.

2. The local TTF file method

In case you choose a local TTF file, step one will require you to copy it to /sdcard/ifont/custom folder that’s located on your gadget and afterwards tap on Menu while you’re in the iFont main screen.
Select the Settings main menu, then click on Change Font Mode; in case your device (other than a Samsung one) is rooted, then select System Mode. Should your Samsung gadget be rooted, opt for Samsung Mode.
Once you’re into the iFont app’s menu, find Custom tab, then tap on whichever font you wish to flash.
Tap on Set, then on OK in case you are asked if you want to modify the font.
Tap on OK should you be required to setup your device to System Mode. After you are done, you should wait for the gadget to reboot.

3. How to modify a font by hand

You can also modify a font by hand. For this you should use system fonts. Here are the most important ones: Roboto-Italic.ttf, Roboto-Bold.ttf, Roboto-Regular.ttf and Roboto-BoldItalic.ttf. But this method is for the more advanced users. So let’s turn our attention to the two most important ways to manually change fonts: via a dedicated file manager application and Android Debug Bridge.

a) Using a dedicated file manager

The dedicated file manager application works just fine without entering a command in a command prompt window. To make use of it, here are the pre-requisites: TrueType font files (the ones that have this extension: *.ttf) that have to be transferred to the /sdcard directory of your gadget, read + write permissions for the /system directory and use a file manager/explorer app which can go to the root directory. For the latter we recommend ES File Explorer.

Here are the step that help you change the font.

Copy, save and download Times_New_Roman.ttf to the /sdcard directory, then open the ES File Explorer.
Tap on Menu.
Tap on Settings and then choose Root Settings. Now enable Root Explorer.
Turn on Up to Root. Allow permission to SuperSU (or Superuser, depending).
Turn on Mount File System, then go to /system/fonts folder and find Roboto-Regular.ttf.
Long-tap on it and afterwards be sure to tap on Rename.
Enter a different name for the file, tap on OK and, when done, go to the place where the original Times_New_Roman.ttf is. Give this font the name of Roboto-Regular.ttf like this: long-tap it, choose Rename, enter a different name and then tap on OK.
Long-tap the file whose name you just changed.
Opt for Copy To from the device’s popup menu, then choose /system/fonts from its directory browser.
Tap OK; the file shall be transferred to the directory. Now you need to go to the /system/fonts directory and then long-tap on the Roboto-Regilar.ttf file.
Choose, from the menu, Properties. Now tap Change in this option’s dialog window and select Read permission for Other, Group and User.
Activate Write permission for User, then tap OK.
Reboot the gadget.

b) Via the Android Debug Bridge

Let’s see what requirements to attend to so that you can employ the Android Debug Bridge: the TrueType font file of your choice, turn on ADB, use a laptop/PC that has USB drivers and Android SDK flashed on it.

Change the name of the Times_New_Roman.ttf to Roboto-Regular.ttf on your laptop. Copy the Roboto-Regular.ttf to the /sdcard directory, then launch a command line on your comp.
Enter
adb shell
then execute:
su
mount -o remount,rw /system
Backup the Roboto-Regular.ttf into something different by giving it a different name:
cd /system/fonts
mv Roboto-Regular.ttf Roboto-Regular.ttf.bak
Now move the impostor file from the /sdcard folder into the fonts one:
cp /sdcard/Roboto-Regular.ttf /system/fonts
The file you transferred should be easy to read, otherwise the system is going to bootloop:
chmod 644 Roboto-Regular.ttf
Now close the interactive shell like this:
exit
You should reboot the gadget.

4. The Font Installer method

After discussing the iFont app, we will now talk about . The steps to flash it on your device are below.

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Copy the TTF font file of your wish to the /sdcard directory and then open the Font Installer.
Backup the device’s installed fonts by tapping on Menu, choosing Backup&Restore, then opting for Backup (be sure to offer permission to SuperSU). Tap on Local; this will launch the directory explorer.
Find the TTF file, then tap on it. A popup dialog will open.
Tap, from it, on Install. Next up: grant, again, permission to Superuser (or SuperSU if you’re using that), then reboot your gadget by tapping on Yes.

The non rooted devices methods

1. iFont method

Now, if you own a non-rooted device, there are various ways to have its font modified to one you like: (that works only with Samsung gadgets), custom launchers and different OEM skins.

The iFont can be used like this:

Turn on, for step 1, the flashing of apps from the option called Unknown Sources. Open the iFont next, go to Online tab and tap on the font name you prefer to have on your phone/tablet.
Tap on Download.
Tap on Set. Follow this up by tapping on the new font. The latter will be applied right away.

2. GO Launcher EX

GO Launcher EX is a popular custom launcher that will help change your default Android font. Its major con: the font in the device’s menus and the apps will not get modified, just parts of the custom launcher user interface. If you don’t mind this, follow our guide on how to get it on your Android device.

Copy the TTF font files to /sdcard/GOLauncherEX/fonts, then launch it and tap on Menu on the main home screen.
Tap on Preferences. Tap on Visual Settings afterwards and then swipe to Font tab.
Tap on Scan Font. The font files will now be located. Tap Select Font.
Tap on the font you’d like to see on your device and it will be applied in a couple of seconds. If you flash GO Launcher Fonts you will have access to other fonts.

3. OEM method

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OEM skins are great to use. LG and Samsung smartphones seem to prefer them more than other manufacturers. You will find them in either LG Smart World or Google Play Store.

Here is how to get them: