Use the Font preference tool
to choose which fonts are used in different parts of the desktop, and the way in which fonts are displayed on the screen.
The font selector button shows the name of the font and its point size. The name is also shown in bold, italic, or regular type.
To change the font, click the font selector button. The font picker dialog opens. Select the font family, style, and point size from the lists. The preview area shows your current choice. Click OK to accept the change and update the desktop.
You can choose fonts for the following parts of the desktop:
- Application font
-
This font is used in the menus, toolbars, and dialog boxes of applications.
- Document font
-
This font is used to display documents in applications.
In some applications, you can override this choice in the application's preferences dialog.
- Desktop font
-
This font is used in icon labels on the desktop.
- Window title font
-
This font is used in the titlebars of windows.
- Fixed width font
-
This font is used in the Terminal application and applications to do with programming.
You can set the following options relating to how fonts are displayed on the screen:
- Font Rendering
-
To specify how to render fonts on your screen,
select one of the following options:
-
Monochrome: Renders fonts in black and
white only. The edges of characters might appear jagged in some cases because
the characters are not antialiased. Antialiasing is
an effect that is applied to the edges of characters to make the characters
look smoother.
-
Best shapes: Antialiases fonts where
possible. Use this option for standard Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors.
-
Best contrast: Adjusts fonts to give
the sharpest possible contrast, and also antialiases fonts, so that characters
have smooth edges. This option might enhance the accessibility of the GNOME
Desktop to users with visual impairments.
-
Subpixel smoothing (LCDs): Uses techniques
that exploit the shape of individual Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) pixels to
render fonts smoothly. Use this option for LCD or flat-screen displays.
- Details
-
Click on this button to specify further details of how
to render fonts on your screen.
-
Resolution (dots per inch): Use the spin
box to specify the resolution to use when your screen renders fonts.
-
Smoothing: Select one of the options
to specify how to antialias fonts.
-
Hinting: Hinting
is a font-rendering technique that improves the quality of fonts at small
sizes and an at low screen resolutions. Select one of the options to specify
how to apply hinting your fonts.
-
Subpixel order: Select one of the options
to specify the subpixel color order for your fonts. Use this option for LCD
or flat-screen displays.
- Go to font folder
-
Click on this button to open the Fonts
folder.
A preview of a font shows the characters of a font at different sizes, as well as copyright and technical information. To preview a font, perform the following steps:
-
Open the Font preference tool by choosing in the top panel.
- Click on Details.
- Click on Go to font folder. The Fonts folder opens.
-
Open a font to display a preview.
To add a TrueType font to your system, perform the following steps:
-
Open the Font preference tool by choosing in the panel menubar.
- Click on Details.
- Click on Go to font folder. The Fonts folder opens.
-
Open a file manager window and select the TrueType font that
you want to add.
-
Copy the TrueType font file that you want to add to the Fonts folder.
The new font will not appear in the Fonts folder until you next log in. You will need to relaunch applications for them to have access to the new font. These are known bugs in Gnome.
You can also open the Fonts folder by typing the following URI into Nautilus file manager's Open Location dialog: fonts:///.