If you want a very readable font for your internet browser, try the Ubuntu font family. Ubuntu is a distribution of Linux, a free, open source operating system. You can download the free Ubuntu font family and install it on your Windows or Mac. This CyberKenBlog post tells how.
- First, download the Ubuntu font family and unzip the downloaded folder.
- Next, double click on that unzipped folder. Inside you will see a list of fonts in the Ubuntu font family, starting with Ubuntu-B and ending with Ubuntu-RI. You will need to install each of these in your computer’s font cache. How to do this? First, if you’re using a Windows computer: Right click on the Ubuntu-B font (at the top of the list), and then click on “install” in the drop-down menu. Repeat this step for each of the fonts in the list. If you’re using a Mac computer click on the Ubuntu-B font and select “open in font book”. When it’s open in font book click on the “install” button. Repeat this step for each of the fonts in the Ubuntu family folder.
Now that all the Ubuntu fonts are installed in your font cache (called font book in Mac) you are ready to configure your web browser to use the Ubuntu font as its default font. Instructions for accomplishing this task in the Safari, Chrome, and Internet Explorer browsers are below:
How to make the Ubuntu font your default font in the Safari browser:
- Start the Safari browser by clicking on its icon.
Click on the “wheel” icon in the top right-hand corner of your browser. - Select the “Preferences” menu.
- Select the “Appearance” tab.
Click the “Select” button in the “Standard Font” option. - Select “Ubuntu” in the drop-down menu.
How to make the Ubuntu font your default font in the Google Chrome browser:
- Start the Chrome browser by left clicking on its icon.
- Click the Chrome menu on the browser toolbar. The icon for this menu is in the top right hand corner. It looks like a stack of three short, horizontal stripes.
- Select Settings.
- Click “Show advanced settings” at the very bottom of the page.
- In the new page that opens, in the “Web content” section, click on the “Customize fonts” button.
- Under the Standard font heading click on the drop-down menu black triangle and select “Ubuntu” from the drop-down list.
- You may wish to do the same under the “Sans-serif” heading, since the Ubuntu font is a sans-serif font.
- Click on the OK button at the bottom of the Customize fonts drop-down menu to save your changes.
How to make the Ubuntu font your default font in the Internet Explorer browser:
- Open Internet Explorer by clicking on its icon (looks like a small blue “e” with a yellow, tilted halo).
- Left click the Tools button at the top right corner (looks like a gear wheel), and then left click on “Internet Options”.
- Left click on the fonts button at the bottom of the menu.
At the left is a menu of choices for your default web page font. Select “Ubuntu” in this list and then click on the OK button at the bottom to save your changes.
Note: If you use another browser than the three mentioned above, you will likely find instructions about how to change its default font by searching the phrase “change font in the ………………… browser”, where your browser’s name appears in the dotted line space.
