How to Install and Add Hebrew, Arabic and Unsupported Language Fonts to Android Phone
Android-based smartphone is getting more and more popular everywhere worldwide, however, the font support for more international languages have been lacking. The Droid font family of Droid Sans, Droid Sans Mono and Droid Serif typeface include extensive character set for Western European, Eastern/Central European, Baltic, Cyrillic, Greek and Turkish languages, with Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean regular font support on Droid Sans typeface, but not many other languages else.
For example, Hebrew, Arabic, Thai, Vietnamese, Myanmar (Burmese), RTL (Right to Left) languages and more non-mainstream languages, although the locale may be supported by the Android system, but the Android built-in default fonts does not have the typeface to display them correctly. As the result, whenever users receive and open a SMS text message, MMS message, email, document, file, or browse web pages encoded in these unsupported language and uses characters or scripts which is not of Roman or Latin alphabets, the word will be displayed as square white boxes or some other unreadable symbols.
For Android mobile device users who need to read languages that currently not supported by built-in Droid fonts, here’s a workaround to install another font which supports a larger group of characters and typefaces.
Tip: The font that been used by many Android users is DejaVu fonts, which is a free font family based on the Vera Fonts to provide a wider range of characters while maintaining the original look and feel. It may be possible that the DejaVu fonts does not support the characters for your native language, or you may dislike the DejaVu fonts. So it’s possible to basically just use another font in the guide below.
Note: The Android device must be rooted before installing the font.
- Download DejaVu fonts from sourceforge.net.
Note: Windows and Mac OS X users should download either dejavu-fonts-ttf-2.31.zip or dejavu-sans-ttf-2.31.zip, while Linux, BSD, Solaris and other OS users should download either dejavu-fonts-ttf-2.31.tar.bz2.
- Unpack the package to retrieve DejaVuSans.ttf font file, inside the ttf folder.
- Rename the DejaVuSans.ttf to exactly DroidSansFallback.ttf.
- Copy the DroidSansFallback.ttf to the root directory of the SD card on the phone, either through memory card access by connecting the phone to computer, or by inserting the SD card to a memory card reader.
Tip: It’s also possible to copy DejaVuSans.ttf to SD card first and then perform the rename operation.
- Run Terminal Emulator.
Tip: Terminal Emulator is available free from the Android Market.
- Go into super user mode by entering the following command, then tap Enter:
suNote: If the Terminal Emulator is not in the Superuser Whitelist yet, a dialog will be displayed asking for permission to run the app in superuser mode. Answer Yes or Always.
- Then run the following commands one by one:
Note: Backup or rename the /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf if you don’t want to overwrite it.
mount -o rw,remount -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system
chmod 4755 /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf
dd if=/sdcard/DroidSansFallback.ttf of=/system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf
rebootNote: Some other device may have different device node for the system partition, for which the mount command will have to be changed accordingly.
Tip: It’s possible to replace the entire line of dd command with the following copy command:
cp -rf /sdcard/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf - The phone will reboot.
- Once restarted, the Android device will use the DroidSansFallback.ttf font for any characters that it cannot display. This ensures that the default display fonts are not been messed up or changed
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Hi every body,
Everything was alright till i type chmod 4755… command, it says no directory or file found, please let me know what is going on, i renamed the file then put it on my sdcard right?
root directory is really just significant is it just the main sdcard folder or it has to be created as Root directory, please let me know.
Thanks
lkawkaw
Hi,
I have a rooted Motorola Atrix 4G phone. I followed all the steps except the mount command, where my device is a little different (/dev/block/mmcblk0p12) and I did ‘cp’ instead of ‘dd’, and I know everything went in successfully.
However, I still show the Arabic letters disconnected.
Has any one gone through the same problem. Any fixes suggested?
Thanks!
thanks u its work perfect on galaxy mini, use root explorer to easy copy & paste.
hi i have mb511 i wana instoll hebrew i need help i cant get it how to install can someone help me? its 2.1
Worked pefectly on Samsung Galaxy Player 2.3.6.
Thanks really helpfull here in Syria.
Hi
I have Samsung galaxy note purchased from UK Arabic language is not supported can I follow the mentioned steps to get it on board, this is my first time with android sorry
even if they are the one that I need to follow I need them in pictures if possible.
regards
I have just installed arabic fonts on my Android Phone, thank you for this install guide.
it works to my samsung galaxy tab!!!
amazing!
anyway, thanks a lot..!
I have a zte N600 and it only show simplified chinese, traditional chinese will show boxes. I would like to have both simplified and traditional chinese to work properly (meaning both can be shown on the same page). It seems the DejaVu fonts from sourceforge.net. only contains traditional chinese but not simplified chinese. I have to rollback to the original DroidSansFallback.ttf. So, it is important to backup before you touch any system files. Also, I need to modify the command to
busybox cp -rf /sdcard/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf
i have done everything above and i have all languages exept Thai.. does this pack include thai as it said on the description???
Hi I have trying to enter the above mentioned commands but i get a error message saying cannot find file on sd card . but i renamed the DroidSansfallback.ttf and copied it on to the sd card . i tried using the cp command but still the same …..
Need some help here guys
Regards
Melvin
Thank you … it works good ..
Even an old Chinese tablet
need help, I tried to to edit the Terminal emulator, it didn't work .
when I type su I get access denied
hi, thanks for the instructions. one question.. should this change the direction of typed numbers to RTL?
now when I type 123, it shows 321.
hi,
i followed this but i get boxes shown instead of the language….so how do i uninstall this stuff
also i get boxes shown for characters at the end of an english sentence or line, e.g. one line has
only '-' and the last one is for some reason a box.
thank you.
Work great!
But I think before installation Superuser and Terminal Emulator will need program "Universal Androot"
The original posted instructions worked fine with my Android Coby tablet MID7015 using the Opera Mini browser (does not show the correct lettering with other browsers).
I need to read news in arabic word in the correct way I see letters only not words in andriod Dell Streak with t mobile .
some time I try to open picture from Galary I could not it is freez untill I connect to the internet after that I can open Gallory I dont have internet plan I use Wi fi from home .
hey Ashraf use opera mini web browser u'll be able to read arabic (fully supported)
I am having the same problem than jon
Hi, i have followed your steps one by one but it doesnt reboot after doing it… instead the emulator shows me this: Usage: mount [-r] [-w] [-o options] [-t type] device directory
what does it mean? what shall i do? Please I really need your help
plz help i got this msj the type ttf not found
i try it but im having prblm it keep telling me fie type ttf not found plz help
I love you!!
I have been trying to display arabic characters on my device for two days now, very frustrating. And you have been my savior 
I followed your steps but it didn't work for me, so then I followed Sten's comment.. And it worked like a charm.
Now I have Arabic characters displayed instead of the white boxes.
I'll go ahead and roam for even more, connecting the Arabic characters. But so far, I'm satisfied and thanks to (both of) you.
It doesn't need to be rooted !
Mine is using original ROM. I just put the font (.ttf) on SDCard, in folder "font". My ebook reader can detect the font immediately.
jon, I don't know if you succeded since your post is quite old but the message means that you mistyped something.
My first guess would be that you did not put a space between mtdblock3 and /system
The space is necessary since it tells the system to mount the device mtdblock3 to the system directory
Work great!
A few fixes for those who didnt manage to run it:
1st u need: Superuser v.2.3.1 (market)
2nd u need: Terminal Emulator
make steps with renaming..
commands for linux (explained)
ALLOW READ/WRITE:
mount -o rw,remount -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system (1 line)
OPEN PERMISSIONS:
chmod 4755 /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf (1 line)
BACKUP:
cp /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf-backup
(1 line, space before /system)
REPLACE:
cp -rf /sdcard/DroidSansFallback.ttf /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf
(1 line, space before /system)
reboot
P.S do NOT use DD command
hello Sten
Thanks for your help
im having a problem
i cant write in the terminal emulator whenever i write in it the system doesnt work anymore and i need to restart it
i have an android 2.1 tablet and i really do need your help
Thanks in advance,,,
I have gone through all the instructions but for some reason when I start the emulator and write the command "su" I receive "access denied"…. please help, cant read emails from home….:(
[...] How to Install and Add Hebrew, Arabic and Unsupported Language Fonts to Android Phone My Digital Lif… found this.. if your technially savey, should not be too hard, but good luck. [...]
[...] a safer way to install extra font support other than the instructions specified this site below: How to Install and Add Hebrew, Arabic and Unsupported Language Fonts to Android Phone My Digital Lif… Since I think it requires flashing the ROM so I can be a root/super user to be able to have [...]
Thank you, It's work with me, but the letters are separated and the text direction from left to right, while it should be the opposaite from right to left.
Any solution in such case?
Regards,
alfaysal
Hi Yoel,
I got the same problem when rooted the phone.
Do you have any solution?
Is it possible you will contact me and share the knowledge with me?
My email: evgenyv@yahoo.com
Thanks in advance,
Evgeny
when I run the 2nd command starting with chmod, I get an error saying "Unable to chmod /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf: Read-only file system"
Help please!!!
[...] [...]
Thank you *so much* – this really worked for me.
I know this doesn't have anything to do with this guide,
but since i've rooted my phone, i can't get internet access over wifi (it connects perfectly well).
My system: Motorola XT701, Android 2.1-update 1
Thank you.
oh and by the way, im running on a mac, i think this might have something to do with it since i don't have the sync software on it (Windows Only), eventhough i just mount it with the drop down screen, but if not, even better, just help
i've done everything here and i keep getting the same messgae in the terminal after i plug everything in "usage: mount [-r] [-w] [-o options] [-t type] device directory" i dont know what this means and i don't know a solution, please help me get hebrew fonts, thank you!