How to Change the Default Font in Gmail

To change the default font in Gmail, click Settings > See all settings, scroll to Default text style on the General tab, pick a font, size and color from the toolbar above the sample text, and click Save Changes. Every new email you write will use that style.

This guide covers the default text style, changing the font for a single email on a computer or in the Gmail app, and what the default does and doesn’t affect. It follows Google’s Format your messages help page for computers and its Android version.

How to Change the Default Font in Gmail

1. Open Gmail on your computer.
2. At the top right, click Settings (the gear icon), then See all settings.
3. On the General tab, scroll to Default text style.
4. Use the toolbar to pick a font, size and text color. The sample text shows how it will look.
5. Click Save Changes at the bottom.

Result: Google says the style applies to all new emails you write. Gmail’s standard style is Sans Serif at Normal size in black, so that’s what you’re replacing.

What You Can Choose

• Font: pick from Gmail’s font list, such as Sans Serif, Serif, or fixed-width options.
• Size: Gmail offers only four font sizes.
• Text color: Black is the default. Pick a dark color if you change it, so your emails stay easy to read.
• Remove formatting: the toolbar also has a Remove formatting button if you want to start over.

Change the Font for Just One Email

1. Click Compose, or open a reply.
2. At the bottom of the message, click Formatting options to show the formatting bar.
3. Select the text you want to change, then choose a font, size, or color.
4. To go back to your usual style, select the text and click Remove formatting.

Result: only that message changes. Your default text style stays the same for the next email.

Change the Font in the Gmail App

Google’s Android steps work per message. There’s no default text style setting in the app.

1. Open the Gmail app and tap Compose.
2. Type your message, then double-tap the text you want to format.
3. Tap Format.
4. Choose an option such as Font, Text color, Bold, or Clear formatting.

Result: the selected text changes in that email. Google adds that if you tap a format button with no text selected, the effect applies to what you type next.

What the Default Font Doesn’t Change

• Emails you receive: they still use the sender’s fonts.
• Plain text emails: if you turn on Plain text mode (Compose > More options), Gmail sends the message without formatting.
• Your signature: it’s formatted separately, in the Signature section of the same General settings tab.
• The Gmail inbox text size: to make Gmail itself easier to read, use your browser’s zoom instead.

Troubleshooting

• New emails still use the old font: make sure you clicked Save Changes at the bottom of the settings page, then reload Gmail.
• Recipients see a different font: some email apps may substitute fonts they don’t have. Common fonts such as Sans Serif are the safest choice.
• Formatting disappeared: check that Plain text mode is off for that message.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a custom font?

Only the fonts in Gmail’s font menu are available for the default text style.

Does the default work in the Gmail app?

No. The default text style is a Gmail web setting. In the app, format each message as you write it.

More Gmail guides: How to create a signature in Gmail, How to set your profile picture in Gmail, How to enable keyboard shortcuts in Gmail, and How to install a Gmail add-on.