To change the default font in Gmail, click the Settings gear in the top-right corner, then See all settings. On the General tab, find Default text style, choose a font, size, and text color from the toolbar, then scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes. Every new email, reply, and forward you write on the Gmail website will use that style.
Gmail offers a set list of fonts, and the default style can only be changed on a computer. Below are the full steps, what the options mean, and what to do if your font doesn’t stick.
How to change the default font in Gmail
- Open Gmail in a web browser on your computer.
- Click the Settings gear icon, then click See all settings.
- Stay on the General tab and scroll to Default text style.
- Use the toolbar to pick a font, a size (Small, Normal, Large, or Huge), and a text color. The preview updates as you go.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes.
Open a new message to check it. To go back to Gmail’s original style, click the Remove formatting button (the T with a slash) in the Default text style toolbar, then save.
Fonts you can choose
The default text style menu includes common fonts such as Sans Serif (the default), Serif, Fixed Width, Wide, Narrow, Comic Sans MS, Garamond, Georgia, Tahoma, Trebuchet MS, and Verdana. The exact list can change. You can’t add your own fonts to this menu.
For business email, a clean font like Sans Serif, Verdana, or Georgia at Normal size is easiest to read on every device.
How to change the font for just one email
- In a message you’re writing, select the text.
- Click the font menu (it shows the current font name) in the formatting toolbar at the bottom of the window.
- Pick a font. Use the TT button for size and the A button for color.
If you don’t see the toolbar, click the Formatting options icon (an underlined A) at the bottom of the compose window.
Can you change the Gmail font on a phone?
The Gmail app for iPhone and Android doesn’t have a default font setting. You can format selected text in the app by selecting it and tapping the formatting option, but the choices are limited.
To make text easier to read on your phone, change the text size in your phone’s display settings instead. On iPhone, go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size. On Android, go to Settings > Display > Font size.
Changing the font you read emails in
Default text style only affects emails you write. To make your inbox and incoming messages bigger, zoom in your browser with Ctrl and + (Command and + on Mac). Gmail’s display density setting under the gear icon also changes spacing.
Why isn’t my default font working?
- You didn’t click Save Changes. It’s at the very bottom of the General tab.
- You’re in plain text mode. In the compose window, click the three-dot menu and make sure Plain text mode is unchecked.
- Your signature has its own font. Signatures keep their own formatting. Edit it in Settings > General > Signature.
- Replies look different. Quoted text from the original sender keeps their formatting. Only your new text uses your default.
- Different account. The setting is per Gmail account. If you use more than one, set it in each.
Frequently asked questions
Will recipients see my font?
Usually, yes. If they don’t have the font installed, their email app replaces it with a similar one.
What is Gmail’s default font?
Sans Serif at Normal size, which shows up as Arial on most computers.
Can I use Calibri or Times New Roman as my Gmail default?
Not directly, since they aren’t in the default text style menu. Serif is similar to Times New Roman.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.