Want to give your Xiaomi a unique look, but standard fonts in MIUI or HyperOS are already boring? Custom font installation is one of the easiest ways to personalize a smartphone. However, not all users know that Xiaomi devices have at least 5 official and informal methods of changing fonts — from built-in tools to manual editing through ADB.
In this article, we’ll break down all the current ways, including the nuances for different firmware versions (MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS), models with an unlocked bootloader, and how to avoid typical errors. Importantly, on devices with HyperOS (for example, Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13), some methods work differently than on older MIUIs, we will warn about this separately.
1.Official method: fonts through the "Themes" app
The safest and easiest method is to use the built-in Themes app, which is available on all Xiaomi smartphones and allows you to install fonts without rooting or unlocking the bootloader. Here's how it works:
The fonts in the Themes app are divided into free and paid. Free ones usually have a limited set of characters (for example, there are no Cyrillic letters), and paid ones cost from 50 to 300 rubles. Xiaomi regularly holds promotions when premium fonts are distributed for free.
- 📱 Open the “Themes” app** (icon with brush).
- 🔍 Go to the Fonts section (tab at the bottom of the screen).
- 👁️ View the available options: tap on your favorite font to see an example.
- 💾 Click Apply - the font will install automatically.
⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO X5 or Redmi 12) after installing the font through the "Themes" can be confused display in individual applications (for example, in Telegram or VKontakte), this is due to the fact that not all fonts support Unicode completely, the solution is to restart the phone or return the standard font.
2. Mi Fonts app: extended font selection
If the built-in fonts are scarce, use the official Mi Fonts app, which is available on Google Play and offers over 1,000 fonts, including Cyrillic fonts, without rooting rights and works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices.
The advantage of Mi Fonts is the ability to preview the font in real time (for example, how the text will look in WhatsApp or SMS), and there are filters by style: handwritten, monowidth, decorative, etc.
- Download Mi Fonts from Google Play.
- Launch the application and allow access to the system settings.
- Select the font category (for example, Cyrillic or Latin).
- Put it on your favorite typeface. → Install → Apply.
Check the version of MIUI/HyperOS (in Settings → About phone)
Update the "Themes" app to the latest version
Back up your current font (via Settings → Additional → Backup)
Connect to Wi-Fi (fonts weigh up to 20 MB)-->
⚠️ Note: HyperOS (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T or Redmi K70) Mi Fonts may not show all fonts due to changes in security policy, in which case try clearing the app's cache or using the method with a security policy. ADB (described below).
3. Manual installation of font through files (no root)
If you find a font in.ttf or.otf format (for example, downloaded from Google Fonts), it can be installed manually. This method works on most Xiaomi devices, but requires accuracy.
Important: the font should support Unicode and contain Cyrillic characters (if you need them), check this in advance by opening the font file on your PC, and note that not all system applications (such as the Caller or Calendar) will correctly display custom fonts.
- 📁 Download the.ttf font to your phone (for example, to the Download folder).
- 📂 Rename the file in Latin (such as MyFont.ttf) to avoid errors.
- 🔧 Move the file to the folder /sdcard/MIUI/theme/ (Create it if it's not there).
- 🔄 Reboot the phone.
- 🎨 Go to Settings. → Topics → Fonts and select your font.
| Typeface format | Support for MIUI | Support for HyperOS | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .ttf | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes. | The most universal format |
| .otf | ✅ Yes. | ⚠️ Partially. | There may be problems with display in some applications |
| .woff | ❌ No. | ❌ No. | Requires conversion to.ttf |
| .zip (archive) | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes. | You need to unpack before installation |
⚠️ Warning: If the phone starts to brake or overheat after installing the font, remove it and return the standard. Some fonts (especially those with a lot of glyphs) can load the processor when rendering text.
4. Installation of font via ADB (for power users)
The ADB (Android Debug Bridge) method is suitable if previous methods have failed or you need to install the font systemically (for example, for Xiaomi 12T on HyperOS), this method does not require root rights, but you need a computer and enabled debugging over USB.
The advantage of the method is that the font is installed at the system level, so it will be seen by all applications, including Google Chrome and YouTube. However, if installed incorrectly, text artifacts or even bootloop (locking on the download).
adb shell
su
mount -o rw,remount /system
cp /sdcard/Download/YourFont.ttf /system/fonts/
chmod 644 /system/fonts/YourFont.ttf
reboot- 🖥️ Install. ADB and Fastboot Tools on PC.
- 📱 Turn on Debugging. USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Tap 7 times, then return to the additional → For developers).
- 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trusted device.
- 📝 Run the command prompt and enter the commands above (replace YourFont.ttf with your file name).
What if the ADB font is not used?
⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 14 Pro) the standard path to fonts has changed to /system/product/fonts/. If you install the font in an old folder (/system/fonts/), It won't work. HyperOS may also require a font signature via Magisk.
5. Installation of font via TWRP (for stitched devices)
If your Xiaomi has an unlocked bootloader and custom recovery (TWRP) installed, you can flash the font as a.zip archive. This method gives maximum compatibility, but is only suitable for power users.
Advantages:
- ✅ It works on all versions. MIUI HyperOS.
- ✅ You can install font packages with additional styles (for example, bold and italic).
- ✅ There is no limit on the number of fonts.
Disadvantages:
- ❌ Requires unlocking the bootloader (resets all data!).
- ❌ Soft-brick risk in case of error.
- ❌ HyperOS may not work with some system applications.
- Download the font in.zip format (for example, from the XDA forum).
- Reboot your phone to TWRP (clip Power + Volume up).
- Click Install → select font file → swipe for confirmation.
- After the firmware, run Wipe Dalvik/Cache.
- Reboot to the system.
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Before you run your typeface through TWRP, back up your current firmware (TWRP → Backup → System Image) to help you recover your phone if something goes wrong.
Problems and Solutions: Why is the font not installed?
Even if you follow the instructions, you may encounter errors, and here are the most common problems and solutions.
| Problem. | Probable cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The font is not displayed in the list | Wrong format or path | Check the extension (.ttf) and folder (/MIUI/theme/) |
| The text became "squares." | The font does not support Cyrillic. | Set a font with a full set of characters (e.g. Roboto or Noto Sans) |
| Phone overheats | Too heavy typeface | Return the standard font or choose a lighter one. |
| ADB is an error in the read-only file system. | Partition /system is protected from recording | Use the adb remount command before copying. |
| Font is lost after the update | MIUI/HyperOS resets settings | Reinstall the font or use Magisk Module (for rooted devices) |
⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14 Ultra), some of the system fonts are protected by DM-Verity. ADB or TWRP, The phone can stop loading, and then you can just flash it through the Mi Flash Tool.
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On HyperOS, the most reliable way to change fonts is to use Mi Fonts or official themes. Methods with ADB and TWRP work unstable and can lead to problems.