Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a change in the visual style of the interface after the next system update. MIUI and the new HyperOS shell are constantly being improved, but with new features, developers sometimes change the usual design, including system fonts. This can cause discomfort, since the usual Roboto or MiSans in the new interpretation looks different, changing the readability and perception of information on the screen.
It is possible to return the classic text, and it does not require an advanced user or root rights. The system allows you to flexibly customize the display of characters through built-in personalization tools. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to replace the font with a standard one, consider the nuances of working with the thematics and answer questions that arise when trying to change the system settings of the design.
Changing typography affects not only aesthetics, but also the ergonomics of the device. Some users note that new fonts are worse read in bright sun or have too thin outlines, which reduces contrast. Understanding how to manage these parameters gives you complete control over the appearance of your gadget.
Why the font changes to Xiaomi and Redmi
The main reason for the changes in the display of text is a global update to the interface. Xiaomi is striving to unify the design, introducing its own font MiSans (in global versions) or Mi Lanting (in Chinese builds), these changes are designed to improve readability on high-resolution displays, but in practice the result is often controversial.
Also, the font may change after installing a theme from MIUI Themes. Many themes have their own character sets that replace the system ones. If you've recently updated your screen, that's probably the reason. Sometimes users accidentally activate the "Close Text" or "Enlarged Font" option in the special features section, which also changes the visual perception.
⚠️ Note: Some third-party themes may not display Cyrillic correctly or contain character errors. Always check the topic ranking and other users' reviews before installing them to avoid problems with the readability of the menu.
It is important to understand the difference between the system font and the typeface applied to the theme. System font is basic and applies to all interface elements unless overridden by the theme. Returning to the classic requires resetting the theme settings or manually installing a standard character set through official channels.
Method 1: Change the font through personalization settings
The easiest and safest way to get text back to normal is to use the built-in settings menu. In modern versions of MIUI 13/14 and HyperOS, this section is put into a separate menu or integrated into the screen settings. First, you need to open the Settings app on your device.
Next, you'll find the Personalization (or Wallpaper and Personalization) section, and this menu contains the Font item, and you'll click on it, and you'll find a catalog of available fonts, and here you'll find a number of options, including standard ones and downloads from the Internet, and your task is to find and choose the Classic, Default, or Roboto variant.
If the list doesn't have the right option, it may have been removed or hidden, then try clicking on the "Download more fonts" button or a similar option at the top of the screen, which will redirect you to the store where you can find standard sets, and after selecting the desired style, the system will ask you to confirm the application of the changes and possibly restart the device.
☑️ Font-change algorithm
It's worth noting that in some regions and firmware versions, the standard font may be called differently, such as in global versions it's often Roboto, and in Chinese versions it's MiSans Regular. Carefully study the preview before use to make sure the characters are displayed correctly.
Method 2: Using the “Themes” application to reset
Often the cause of non-standard fonts is an active theme. Themes app manages all the visual design of the smartphone, including icons, sounds and, of course, fonts. To return the classic look, you need to reset the theme to factory settings.
Open the Themes app and go to the user profile (usually the little person icon in the lower right corner). Select the Themes section. Here you will see a list of installed designs. Find a theme called Classic, Default or No Theme and click Apply. This action will force all visual changes, including fonts, to reset to the original state.
If you don't find a standard theme, you can try to delete the current active theme, and after deleting, the system will automatically switch to the basic design, but this method does not always guarantee the return of the classic font if the system defaults on the new MiSans style.
What to do if the “Apply” button is inactive?
In such cases, only a complete abandonment of the theme in favor of a standard interface will help.
Comparison of popular system fonts
Understanding the differences between the available fonts will help you make an informed choice: different headsets have different character heights, boldness and letter spacing, which directly affects the amount of text that fits on the screen.
| Name of font | Description | Readability | Style. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roboto | Classic Android font, neutral and strict | Tall. | Standard. |
| MiSans | Xiaomi’s modern font optimized for screens | Very high. | Modern. |
| Mi Lanting | Chinese Standard, often found in the Globals | Medium | Decorative |
| Serif | The serif font, similar to printed text | Low (for menus) | Bookish |
Roboto’s choice is most often associated with the notion of “classic font” for users accustomed to pure Android.It provides maximum compatibility with all applications and does not cause problems with displaying special characters. At the same time, MiSans offers smoother lines, but can look unusual after iOS or older versions of MIUI.
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Helpful tip: If you often read screen text in dim light, choose sans-serif fonts such as Roboto or MiSans. They are less ripple and less eye-wasting.
When switching between fonts, pay attention to the display of numbers and punctuation marks. In some headsets, they can be too small or, conversely, they break out of the general rhythm of the line, which is especially noticeable in instant messenger applications and typing.
Setting the size and fat content of the text
Often the problem is not the style of the font itself, but its size or saturation. The system allows you to fine-tune these parameters regardless of the typeface you choose. To access these settings, go to Settings → Screen → Text Size and Fat.
So here you'll see a size slider. You can move it around, you can make the text bigger for better reading, or you can make it smaller to fit more information on the screen. You can have a separate slider that's responsible for the fat content. You can get more fat content and often make the text look more contrasting and more like the classic type, even if the type is changed.
Also worth checking is the Special Features → Visual Effects (or Enlargement) section, which makes sure that it doesn’t include the “Big Text” or “Enlarged Font” modes, which can ignore standard settings and force the characters to stretch, making the interface clumsy.
⚠️ Note: When setting the maximum text size, some interface elements may be cropped or superimposed on top of each other. If you notice such artifacts, reduce the size to a comfortable value.
The combination of the right typeface (like Roboto) and matching fat often yields a better result than simply changing your headset. Experiment with settings to find the perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality.
Solving font display problems
Sometimes, after changing the font, users encounter artifacts such as “quadricks” instead of letters, blurred text or the complete disappearance of menu inscriptions, which can be the result of a conflict of font versions or an error in the system’s cache.
The first step should be to remove a newly installed font or theme. If that doesn't work, try clearing the cache of the MIUI Theme Manager system service. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps, find Themes and click Clear → Clear Everything.
In more complex cases, when the font “flyed” after a failed update or interference with system files (for example, through ADB or Root), you may need to reset the settings to factory.
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The main conclusion: 90% of font problems are solved by simply resetting the theme to a standard (Classic) and restarting the device.
If the problem persists even after the reset, the font file itself may be damaged, in which case only flashing the device or waiting for an official update that will correct the error in a particular version of MIUI will help.