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KAnki requires custom fonts to properly display characters from different writing systems. This guide shows you how to install and configure fonts for your target language.

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Why custom fonts are needed

Kindle devices have limited built-in font support. For languages with non-Latin scripts (Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, etc.), you must install a custom font that includes the necessary character sets.

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Font requirements

Your font file must meet these requirements:
  • Format: TrueType Font (.ttf)
  • Character coverage: Must include all characters in your vocabulary
  • File name: Must be named exactly language.ttf
  • Location: kanki/assets/fonts/language.ttf
The font filename must be exactly language.ttf (lowercase). KAnki looks for this specific filename and will not work with other names.

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Installing a font

1

Find or download a font

Choose a TrueType font that supports your target language’s character set.
  • Google Fonts - Free, open-source fonts
  • Adobe Fonts - Professional fonts (requires subscription)
  • Font Squirrel - Free commercial-use fonts
  • Language-specific repositories (see examples below)
2

Rename the font file

Rename your downloaded font file to exactly language.ttf:
Terminal
mv NotoSansJP-Regular.ttf language.ttf
3

Connect your Kindle

Connect your Kindle to your computer via USB cable.
4

Copy to Kindle

Navigate to the KAnki fonts directory and copy your font:
Kindle/documents/kanki/assets/fonts/language.ttf
Replace any existing language.ttf file.
5

Disconnect and test

Safely eject your Kindle and launch KAnki to verify the font displays correctly.
  • Source: Google Fonts
  • Coverage: Complete hiragana, katakana, and kanji
  • Style: Clean, readable sans-serif
  • File size: ~5-8 MB (depending on weight)

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Alternatives

  • Noto Serif JP: Serif style for traditional appearance
  • M PLUS 1p: Open-source Japanese Gothic font
  • Sawarabi Gothic: Lightweight option

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Download and install

Terminal
# Download from Google Fonts, then:
mv NotoSansJP-Regular.ttf language.ttf

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Converting fonts to TTF

If you have a font in a different format (.otf, .woff, etc.), convert it to .ttf:

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Using online converters

  1. Visit CloudConvert or OnlineConvert
  2. Upload your font file
  3. Select TTF as output format
  4. Download the converted file
  5. Rename to language.ttf

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Using FontForge (advanced)

Terminal
# Install FontForge
sudo apt-get install fontforge  # Linux
brew install fontforge          # macOS

# Convert font
fontforge -lang=ff -c 'Open($1); Generate($2)' input.otf language.ttf
TTF files are preferred over OTF because they have better compatibility with Kindle’s older browser engine.

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Font file size considerations

Larger font files may slow down KAnki on older Kindle devices:
LanguageTypical file sizeNotes
Japanese5-15 MBLarge due to kanji coverage
Chinese10-20 MBLargest due to character count
Korean5-10 MBModerate size
Arabic2-5 MBSmaller with RTL support
European1-3 MBSmallest files

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Optimizing large fonts

If your font file is too large:
  1. Use a lighter weight: Choose “Regular” or “Light” instead of “Bold”
  2. Subset the font: Include only characters you need (advanced)
  3. Choose a simpler font: Some fonts have smaller file sizes

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Verifying font installation

1

Launch KAnki

Open KAnki on your Kindle after installing the font.
2

Load a card

Navigate to a deck and start a study session.
3

Check character rendering

Verify that:
  • All characters display correctly (no boxes or missing glyphs)
  • Text is readable and properly sized
  • Special characters and diacritics appear correctly

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Troubleshooting display issues

If characters don’t display correctly: 
❌ Font doesn't include required character set
✅ Download a font with complete coverage for your language

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Multiple language support

KAnki uses a single font file for all languages. You cannot use different fonts for different decks.
If you study multiple languages with different scripts:

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Option 1: Use a multi-script font

Choose a font family that covers multiple scripts:
  • Noto Sans: Includes variants for most world scripts
  • Arial Unicode MS: Wide character coverage (if available)

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Option 2: Switch fonts when changing languages

Manually replace language.ttf when switching between languages:
  1. Keep multiple font files on your computer (e.g., japanese.ttf, chinese.ttf)
  2. Rename the appropriate one to language.ttf when transferring
  3. Replace the file on your Kindle

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Option 3: Use Noto Sans CJK

For studying Japanese, Chinese, and Korean simultaneously:
Terminal
# Download Noto Sans CJK (covers all three languages)
mv NotoSansCJK-Regular.ttf language.ttf
Noto Sans CJK files are very large (15-25 MB). This may impact performance on older Kindle devices.

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Font licensing

Ensure your chosen font allows personal use:
  • Open source fonts (Noto, Open Sans): Free for any use
  • Commercial fonts: Check license terms
  • Google Fonts: All fonts are open source and free
Do not distribute font files with your KAnki configuration unless you own the rights or the font is open source.

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Testing before full installation

Before creating a large vocabulary deck:
  1. Install your chosen font
  2. Create a small test deck with 5-10 sample cards
  3. Verify all characters render correctly
  4. Test with the most complex characters in your vocabulary
  5. Check readability on your specific Kindle model

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Next steps

Language setup

Configure vocabulary and proficiency levels

Deck management

Organize your flashcard decks

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