Install Read / Write Indian Language Fonts on Android

Android Phones released these days in India generally comes with atleast Hindi Font support but again it depends upon Manufacturer; Google doesn’t provide it. And after Flashing Custom ROMs, you even lose that so, here is a way to install Indic fonts / Indian Regional Languages on Android.

It all depends on Font and you just need proper Font which supports these languages whether unicode or whatever. You need following things to proceed:

Rooted Android Device
ES File Explorer (Free download from Android Market)
DroidSansFallback.ttf Indic TrueType Font

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Root access is necessary as we are installing Font in System Root Directory. If you haven’t rooted, You should search google “Root <device name>” or use popular one click rooting tools like Z4Root, Super One click root, etc.

Regional Language Fonts Adroid

Font Supports most popular Languages of India:

Hindi, Marathi, Sanskrit (Devnagri Script)
Nepali
Bengali / Bangla
Gujarati
Kannada
Tamil
Telugu
Malayalam
Punjabi / Gurmukhi

[alert-note] Set Hindi Keyboard for Jellybean as Input in Android 4.1 [/alert-note]

Devnagri Font Website Android Regional Language Font Android Talk

How to install regional Fonts on Android

Download the Font and Save it in SD Card
Open ES File Explorer – In settings, Enable Root Explorer and Mount System as RW
Copy the file from SD Card root and Paste it to /System/Fonts (Overwrite if necessary)
Reboot
Test if Fonts are rendering properly by sending an SMS from SMS440 or open some website in regional language.

[alert-note]How to create your own fonts easily with Free Font Builder Software[/alert-note]

Font is not restricted to just SMS Messages but also applicable everywhere on System. Like you can browse websites from browser, read Emails, etc and there will be no more Boxes or Question Marks symbol.

Note: There is a problem with rendering of joint alphabets in some languages but they still it is readable. Font link will be updated if I find some other good font with proper rendering and appearance.

[alert-note] How To Know the Font Used in an Image? [/alert-note]

Install Regional Language Keyboard and Write Multilingual

After installing the fonts, you may implement it even to write in various languages. For that, you need proper keyboard.

I found some language Keyboards which I am listing here.

Bengali Writing Keyboard

[alert-success] Writing in Regional Language Was Never So Easy Before Google Input Keyboard[/alert-success]

Write Hindi Keyboard for Android (Marathi Sanskrit Nepali Devanagari Font Keyboard) – Download
Write Kannada Keyboard for Android – Download
Write Bangla keyboard for Android – Download
Write Punjabi Keyboard for Android – Download
Write Telugu Keyboard for Android – Download
Write Malayalam Keyboard for Android – Download
Urdu / Arabic Keyboard for Android – Download
Gujarati Keyboard for Android – Download

All above fonts require Font already installed on Phone else they will type in English only.

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P.S. I could find only few Language Keyboard layout, if you find or have developed one for your language, please comment and let us know so that we will include in post and all will be benefited.

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 61 comments

gursaab - September 22, 2011

hi,, I have HTC hd2 with miui stable rom ,,I checked my root status and m rooted, then I download the fonts from ur link and tried to copy in system/fonts but got a error. exception found, ,,permission denied …what should I do plz help

gursaab - September 22, 2011

success, ,,copied, overwrite. fonts but still seeing boxes instead of Punjabi fonts on web browser 🙁

Rohit Langde - September 23, 2011

Please confirm if other fonts like Hindi are rendering properly. If none of the language fonts are showing up then you may have to repeat procedure.

Harsimran - February 22, 2014

While I know it is a long pending question and would have been resolved now, still answering as it might help other.

After copying and pasting the font, ensure that you grant read permission for others on the font. Long press the font after pasting and get into the properties, change access control and grant read access to everyone. Reboot and it should be done.

gursaab - September 24, 2011

hi,,,,I ve downloaded fonts from ur link and copies with es file manager and overwrites successfully ,,still no indian language fonts are rendering properly …I repeated the procedure 2,3 times but results are same, ,,should I try some other fonts ? from where I can download?

Rohit Langde - September 25, 2011

The DroidSansFallback.ttf Font I gave has maximum language support which other fonts lacked infact this can be said to be complete. I am clueless on why it didn’t turn out to be working for you.
I don’t think it’s a ROM problem because even I am on MIUI and the screenshots above were taken on same time.

gursaab - September 27, 2011

which rom u use ,currently m using miui 2.3.4 stable, I ll change which u suggest but I want these font on my phone, ,

Rohit Langde - September 28, 2011

The Screenshots above refers to when I was MIUI 1.9.09 Stable 2.3.4 but then upgraded to 1.9.16 Beta for Galaxy S even where it worked fine. Now, I am on HawKish Premium 4 RC2 even where the fonts are rendering properly.
Only difference between both of us following procedure is I used Root Explorer which I think won’t make difference as such because even you over written the older file.

saumil parmar - August 29, 2012

Really thanks Rohit..I have rooted Galaxy ace to cynogen 7.2 so i lost my guj.fonts now after ur updates ,it works 4 me…Really thanx 4 ur help.. 🙂

gursaab - October 3, 2011

hey buddy, ,fonts r working but only on opera mini I can read and copy easily , but they r not working on internet browser ,,email, ,Facebook, nimbuzz and all. is there anything remains, ,secondly I m not able to download gurmukhi keyboard coz m using custom rom on HTC hd2 and market do not recognize my device is there any link from where i can download apk file…..

Faisal - October 31, 2011

Hi
I cant read malayalam properly..Is there any update for the malayalam fonts in it…?

Thanks

rishin - June 25, 2012

mee too… 🙁

PSG - February 8, 2012

Working perfectly for my samsung i9000…

ssss - March 19, 2012

bro plz tell me how to root i9000 and full process

Raj Domadiya - March 26, 2012

Can u tell me that how can i install gujarati fonts in browser …so that i can view gujarati blogs and news paper also in my galaxy pop….

Maddy - March 29, 2012

Can u please tell me Which font i need to copy for gurmukhi keyboard.

dr.s.v.sawant - April 30, 2012

on my galaxy y duos gt s6102 android phone.it is not possible to set as root enable and mount as rw with es file explorer.what to do to install devanagari fonts.phone already has droidindia.ttf and droidSansFallback.ttf (4.7mb).what todo next.

Rishi Khanna - May 4, 2012

Rohit you had a query about keyboard formats
I think thePARKATCHAT (??????) format which is nothing but a variation of inscript format is going to be the future of the hindi keyboard
Just like people say QWERTY they will say PARKATCHAT (??????)
Apple, HTC are the 2 companies already giving this as native to the device. I know samsung is following soon. And in the android marketplace many of the free keypads are indeed PARKATCHAT (??????)such as multiling, go keyboard etc

pradip bhatere - August 15, 2012

I want read write hindi font in micromax a50 android. mobile plz help

Jeet Chowdhury - August 16, 2012

my original DroidSansFallback.ttf is some about 3.xxmb but this one only 7xxKB… why? can you please tell me?

Jeet Chowdhury - August 17, 2012

ok its working fine but… with this font some special character showing as box. can i merge those two font?

Jeet Chowdhury - August 17, 2012

do u know how to merge fonts using fontforge?

Rohit Langde - August 17, 2012

Hi Jeet, Good to know that it worked alright for you.
Reason behind some special characters appearing BOX is they are undefined in the Font file.
I haven’t really tried FontForge but you can give it a shot. Let me know outcomes of your experiment. If something goes wrong, replace the Font file again with the one given in article 🙂

Jeet Chowdhury - August 17, 2012

if something got messed up how to restore the font as everything will be shown then as box lol 😛 anyways i think there are some adb push method… have to search on google….

diganta - September 18, 2012

nyc work now i can read bengali txts on my android phone

Suhas - October 16, 2012

Hi Rohit,

We have developed a keyboard app ‘Velocity’ that supports almost all the major Indian languages, and are adding even more languages including other South Asian languages.
A trial version can be downloaded from the link : http://tinyurl.com/tryVelocity

Thanks
Suhas

Rohit Langde - October 16, 2012

Hi Suhas, Thanks for dropping by valuable comment.
Velocity is great because user won’t have to install number of keyboards as mentioned in article.
But the need of installing (copying Font file) is still there? Right?

Suhas - October 17, 2012

Yes, you are right, Velocity depends on system for font support.

Ishan - October 23, 2012

Works perfectly on my Wildifire S !! thank you so much, now i can use my phone to read anything and everything !

Shashank - November 15, 2012

Thank You very very much!! Working perfectly!!!

heeralal - November 18, 2012

i have a micromax a50 mobile. i have downloaded ES File Explorer. i go to setting –>root seetings–>click on root then message is shown “Soory,this test is failed.this feature cannot be run on your phone.”
please solve this issue.

Rohit Langde - November 19, 2012

You need to ROOT your phone before using this feature.

nishant - March 20, 2013

how to root my micromax a52

heeralal - November 19, 2012

Can I know benefit of root mobile?

Rohit Langde - November 20, 2012

There are numerous benefits of Rooting Android, Check some of them here- https://www.blogsolute.com/worth-rooting-android-not-changing-rom/21957/

cvramana - November 23, 2012

hi very thankfull to u,its wrkg for read my languege.but i can’t write without regional keyboard.

Rohit Langde - November 23, 2012

Yes, Installation of Regional keyboard is essential to write.

cvramana - November 23, 2012

thanq rohit, can u suggest me some keypads for telugu except paninikeypad.

cvramana - November 24, 2012

Hi rohit when i installed font frm android market it ask reboot system,i made yes but it’s not work just give samsung name only

Dhakshina - January 21, 2013

Hai, i am using micromax a50. i cant able to view tamil fonts. and cannot able to use uc browser latest versions. please help me.

Kishor - January 25, 2013

I have rooted HTC Desire HD using Sabsaprime v11

I can see Marathi font correctly on esakal (using browser)

BUT when I use face book all the words are crumpled (??? —– > ??? , ?????? —–> ??? ?? )
Pl help, thanks

Pradip - March 21, 2013

Hey i am using Galaxy ace cm 7 version .i have tried the above procedure not once but many of the times but not succeeded. this method is not at all helpful.
Please suggest some other method, just make that easy

Rohit Langde - March 22, 2013

I am clueless, why it isn’t working for you. Same Font file was tested on Galaxy ACE running Stock ROM and it worked well.

Harsimran - February 22, 2014

I think one key thing that this article is missing – no offense though ; is the requirement to grant read access to the system/everyone to the font after copying/pasting.

I rooted my nexus5 yesterday, replaced the font, it did not work. granted the read access and restarted (tried mutiple versions of the font and this process is true for all) and it worked.
For granting read access, after replacing the font, in es explorer, long press the font, get into the properties and ensure everyone has read access to it. reboot.

sajayan ks - April 6, 2013

Please help me to root. Bsnl penta ws802c 2 g. Is it possibile to. Upadate to jellybean if yes how to……..thank you

Prathamesh - June 25, 2013

hello
i want to know that lenovo ideapad A2107 can support Marathi & hindi
thank you

Akif - July 3, 2013

bangla charterers are broken what to do ???

Arsh_Sekhon - July 7, 2013

……..plzzzz post any help regarding rooting and installing custom rom,overclocking bsnl pnta ws802c 2g…………plzzz help———i will be thankful to u

Girijesh - September 12, 2013

Thanks dude.. It works for my Xperia.. 🙂

nagarajan - December 12, 2013

sir, i have pandigital-nova tablet with android 2.3.4.. As instructed in this site, i have rooted the device and installed unicode devanagari and Tamil fonts. Now iam able to see Sanskrit (Deevanagari) letters in the document. I have even installed panini keyboard for Sanskrit and Tamil and am able to enter text in Devanagai script in mangal font. Bu the conjunct consonants like tya, rtha etc. are displayed as- t y ya and r t ya. How to correct this error. Solution is needed

sahej singh - April 21, 2014

i am having problems in copying that font in systeme/font folder i hv already rooted my device and enabled root explorer in ES file manager but i cant find tht option Mount System as RW .. please help me to install punjabi fonts on my Nexus 5 device. thnks

sahej singh - April 21, 2014

Hi ,, i have rooted nexus 5 and i am not able to copy that font file in system/font folder it shows access denied , i hv Enable Root Explorer and but dont know hot to Mount System as RW , so may be coz of mount system its not getting copied ,, please help me to install punjabi fonts in this device … thnks