Font like on iPhone for Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions for installation and configuration

Many Xiaomi smartphone owners dream of making their device look like an iPhone, starting with small things like changing the font to the branded San Francisco that Apple uses in iOS. However, standard MIUI settings do not offer this option out of the box. In this article, we will understand how to legally and safely install the font as close to the iPhone as possible on any Xiaomi device – from the budget Redmi to the flagship Xiaomi 14.

It’s important to understand that replacing the system font completely requires super-user rights (root) or workarounds through themes and third-party applications. We’ll look at both methods, from the simplest (without root) to the advanced (with modification of system files), and you’ll also learn what hidden MIUI settings allow you to fine-tune the display of text without risk to the system.

Apple's signature font, San Francisco, was designed specifically for high-resolution screens (Retina).

  • πŸ”Ή Readability: Optimized for fine text on smartphone screens.
  • πŸ”Ή Geometric accuracy: symmetrical letters and uniform spaces between signs.
  • πŸ”Ή Adaptability: automatically adjusts to screen size and pixel density.
  • πŸ”Ή Minimalism: The absence of serifs makes it modern and universal.

With standard Roboto or MiSans in MIUI, San Francisco looks more premium. WedΕ‚ug polls, 68% of Xiaomi users who switched from iPhones first want to return the usual font. But there is a downside: not all elements of the MIUI interface are correctly displayed with this font - for example, icons in the menu can "move" or the alignment of text in system notifications can be violated.

πŸ“Š Which typeface do you like better?
San Francisco (iPhone)
Roboto (Android)
MiSans (Xiaomi)
Other

Method 1: Install font through MIUI themes (without root)

The safest method is to use the built-in theme feature in MIUI, where many designers create themes that mimic the style of iOS, including fonts.

  1. Open the Themes app on your Xiaomi.
  2. In the search bar, enter the query: iOS font or San Francisco.
  3. Choose your favorite theme (pay attention to the rating and number of downloads).
  4. Click Apply - the font will change automatically.

⚠️ Note: Not all themes completely replace the font in all menus. Often only the text in the main applications (Settings, Phone, Messages) changes, and the system notifications and keyboard remain unchanged. To check how the font looks, click Preview before applying the theme.

Check out the screenshots in the topic description|Check the rating and reviews|Make sure the theme is compatible with your version MIUI|Make a backup of your current theme (Profile) β†’ Backup)

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If you didn’t like the result, you can return the standard font to Settings β†’ Decoration β†’ Themes β†’ Standard. It’s also helpful to know that some themes require an internet connection to download additional resources – this can slow down your smartphone on weak devices (such as the Redmi 9A).

Method 2: Manually modifying font through apps (without root)

If the themes don't work, you can use third-party apps like iFont or FontFix, which allow you to install custom fonts without superuser rights, but with some restrictions:

  • πŸ“± It only works on MIUI 12 and newer (older versions require root).
  • πŸ”„ Font resets after system update.
  • βš™οΈ Not all systems applications support change.

Instructions for iFont:

  1. Download and install iFont from Google Play.
  2. In the app, go to the Online tab and look for the San Francisco font (or similar, for example, SF Pro).
  3. Click Set - the application will prompt you to download the font file.
  4. After downloading, select Apply and confirm the installation.
  5. Reboot your smartphone.

πŸ’‘

Before installing the font via iFont, check its compatibility with your Xiaomi model in the file comments.Some fonts are device-specific-only optimized (e.g., Xiaomi 13 Pro).

⚠️ Note: When using third-party fonts, you may have trouble displaying characters in some languages (e.g. Chinese characters or Arabic scripts). If after installation you see "crazy cherries" instead of text, return the standard font and try another file.

Method 3: Completely replace the font with root (for advanced)

If you're willing to take the risk of taking full control of the system, you can replace the system file-level font.

  • πŸ”“ Root rights (e.g. via Magisk).
  • πŸ“ Backup copy of original fonts (/system/fonts/).
  • πŸ› οΈ A utility for working with a file system (for example, Root Explorer).

Step-by-step:

  1. Download the archive with San Francisco fonts (e.g. XDA Developers) and the archive must contain files: SanFranciscoText-Regular.ttf SanFranciscoText-Bold.ttf SanFranciscoText-Italic.tf
  2. Rename your files to the original MIUI fonts: SanFranciscoText-Regular.ttf β†’ Roboto-Regular.ttf SanFranciscoText-Bold.ttf β†’ Roboto-Bold.ttf
  3. Copy files to /system/fonts/ by replacing the originals (don’t forget to back up!).
  4. Change the access rights to 644 (rw-r----).
  5. Reset the device.
What if the phone does not turn on after the font replacement?
If after manipulation with system fonts Xiaomi goes to bootloop (cyclic reboot), you need to: 1. Log in Recovery Mode (Pressure Power) + Volume Up). 2. Connect to the PC through ADB and return the original font files with the command: adb push Roboto-Regular.ttf /system/fonts/ adb shell chmod 644 /system/fonts/Roboto-Regular.ttf 3. If ADB Unavailable – reflash the device via Fastboot with data storage (fastboot flash system) system.img).

⚠️ Warning: Incorrectly replacing system fonts can cause apps (especially Google Play Services) to crash or even make the device blink.Before experimenting, make sure you have a full backup (TWRP backup) and access to Fastboot for recovery.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To help determine, we have compiled a table with the pros and cons of each method:

MethodRoot is required.CompatibilityRisks.Cost
MIUI themes❌ No.βœ… All devices.⚠️ Partial change of typeFree of charge.
iFont/FontFix❌ No.βœ… MIUI 12+⚠️ Reset after updateFree of charge.
Manual replacement (root)βœ… Yes.βœ… All devices.❌ Risk of a brickFree of charge.
Custom firmwareβœ… Yes.⚠️ Depends on the firmware.❌ Loss of guaranteeFree of charge.

For most users, a combination of themes and iFont is the best solution, which will allow you to achieve the maximum similarity with the iPhone without risk to the system. If you want a 100% identity, including system menus and notifications, you will have to consider root or switch to custom firmware like Pixel Experience, where the San Francisco font is already sewn in by default.

Additional settings for complete similarity to the iPhone

Replacing the font is only part of the job. To make Xiaomi's interface look like iOS, note:

  • πŸ“± Icons: Install an iOS-style icon pack (e.g. iOS 16 Icon Pack via Nova Launcher).
  • πŸ”§ Animations: in Settings β†’ Additionally. β†’ Select window animations without animation (like in iPhone).
  • 🎨 Color scheme: use themes with the iOS palette (shades of gray and blue).
  • πŸ”” Sounds: Replace system tunes with original ones from iPhone (files can be found on Zedge).

You can even install an iOS launcher to imitate it, like iOS 16 Launcher, to make a full dive, but remember that the more changes you make, the more likely you are to experience application conflicts or slow down. The best balance is font + icons + wallpaper.

πŸ’‘

The more you modify MIUI for iOS, the less stable the system becomes, and we recommend limiting your font and icons to avoid performance problems.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When changing the font, Xiaomi users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

  1. The font remains unchanged after you install the theme: Reason: the system cache is not updated. Solution: go to Settings β†’ Applications β†’ Application Management β†’ Topics and clear the cache. Then restart the device.
  2. Text is displayed curved or cropped: Reason: the font is not optimized for your screen resolution. Solution: try another font file (e.g. SF Pro Display instead of SF Pro Text).
  3. Apps fly out after you change the font: Reason: conflict with system libraries. Solution: return the standard font and use the rootless method.
  4. Font resets after MIUI update: Reason: System reset of themes. Solution: Before updating, back up the theme to Profile β†’ Backup.

If none of the methods worked, check:

  • πŸ“‹ Compatibility of the font with your version MIUI (for example, MIUI 14 may not work on MIUI 12.5).
  • πŸ›‘οΈ Antivirus: Some programs (e.g. Avast) block system files from being changed.
  • πŸ“‘ Internet connection stability – if the font is downloaded via iFont, an interrupted download may result in an error.
Can I install an iPhone font on Xiaomi without root and without a computer?
Yes, it can be done using iFont or MIUI themes. Both methods don't require root or PC connection. However, note that without root, the font doesn't change in all system menus.
Why do some characters appear in squares after installing the font?
This means that the font you choose does not support Unicode characters for your language.Solution: Try a different font file (e.g. SF Pro instead of SF Compact). Set an additional font for missing characters via iFont.
How to return the standard font if after the changes the phone began to brake?
Recoiling Methods: For those: Settings β†’ Decoration β†’ Themes β†’ Standard. For iFont: open the app and press Revert to Default. For manual replacement: return the original files from the backup to /system/fonts/. If the interface doesn’t respond, reset via Recovery (Wipe β†’ Wipe Cache Partition).
Will the iPhone font work on Xiaomi with custom firmware (like LineageOS)?
Yes, but the installation process is different. On LineageOS or Pixel Experience, the font changes through Settings β†’ Decoration β†’ Font. You can upload a San Francisco.ttf file to /system/fonts/ and select it in the settings. The main thing is to make sure the firmware supports custom fonts (in some builds, this feature is disabled).
Can you change the font only in individual applications (for example, WhatsApp)?
No, the system font settings apply to all applications. However, some messengers (such as Telegram) allow you to change the font inside chats through the theme settings. WhatsApp does not have such functionality - only a complete replacement of the font at the system level will help.