Set your default font before you start typing
Google Docs uses a default font called Arial when you open a blank document. If you want every new document to start with a different font — say, Times New Roman or Calibri — you can change this default in your settings. The change applies only to your account, not to documents other people share with you.
The default font setting is separate from changing the font in a document you are already working on. This guide covers setting the font that appears when you create a new blank document. If you need to change the font in a document you have already started, that is a different process covered in the FAQ section below.
Key Takeaways
- Open any Google Docs document, click File, then Settings to reach the default font menu.
- The default font dropdown shows your current choice and lets you pick from about 20 fonts that Google Docs offers.
- Your choice affects only new blank documents you create — it does not change fonts in existing documents or documents shared with you.
- If you change your mind, you can return to File > Settings at any time and pick a different default.
- You can set both a default font and a default font size in the same menu.
How to open the settings menu
Start by opening any Google Docs document — a new blank one or an existing one. Click the File menu in the top left corner. A dropdown list appears with options like New, Open, Share, and others.
Scroll down in that menu until you see Settings. Click it. A small window opens with the heading "Default font" and a dropdown box showing your current default font. This window is small and stays on top of your document, so you can see it clearly without anything blocking the view.
Choose your new default font
Click the dropdown box to see the list of available fonts. Google Docs offers roughly 20 fonts in this menu, including Arial, Times New Roman, Courier New, Georgia, Calibri, Trebuchet MS, Garamond, Verdana, and others. The list is alphabetical, so you can scroll to find the one you want.
Click the font you want. The window closes automatically, and your choice is saved. The next time you create a new blank document, it will open in that font. You do not need to restart Google Docs or do anything else — the change takes effect when ready for all new documents you create after that moment.
What happens to documents you already have
Changing your default font does not affect documents you have already created or edited. If you had a document in Arial and you change your default to Times New Roman, that document stays in Arial. Only new blank documents use the new default. This is true whether the document is in your own Google Drive or shared with you by someone else.
If someone shares a document with you, it keeps whatever font the owner chose — your default setting does not override it. When you open that shared document, you see the font the owner selected, not your personal default. If you want to change the font in a shared document, you need permission to edit it, and the change will be visible to everyone who can see that document.
Change the font size at the same time
The File > Settings menu also has a dropdown for default font size, right below the font choice. You can set both the font and the size together in one visit to the settings window. Most people use 11 or 12 point, but you can pick any size from 8 to 36 point.
Like the font choice, the size change applies only to new blank documents you create after you make the change. If you set the default to 14-point Times New Roman, every new blank document will open with that combination. Existing documents keep their original font and size.
Switch back to Arial or try a different font
If you decide you want to go back to Arial or try a different font, open File > Settings again and click the dropdown. Pick a new font and close the window. Your next new document will use that font instead. You can change your default font as often as you want — there is no limit to how many times you can open the settings menu and pick a different choice.
Some people change their default font depending on what they are writing. For example, you might use Calibri for work documents and Georgia for personal writing. You can switch between them whenever you want by returning to the settings menu.
How your default font works across devices
If you are signed into the same Google account on your phone, tablet, and computer, your default font choice syncs across all of them. When you open Google Docs on any device, new documents will use the font you set. This means you do not have to set the default separately on each device.
If you sign into a different Google account on another device, that account will have its own separate default font setting. Each account stores its own preferences independently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does changing my default font affect documents I share with other people?
No. Your default font setting is personal to your account. When you share a document, other people see the font you chose for that specific document, not your default setting. If they change their own default font, it does not change the font in the documents you shared with them.
Can I set a default font size too?
Yes. The File > Settings menu has a dropdown for font size right below the font dropdown. You can set both at the same time, and both explore only to new blank documents you create after you make the change.
What if I want to change the font in a document I already started?
Highlight the text you want to change, click the font dropdown in the toolbar at the top of the document, and pick a new font. This changes only the text you selected, not your default setting for future documents. You can change different parts of the same document to different fonts this way.
Will my default font choice sync across my devices?
Yes. If you are signed into the same Google account on your phone, tablet, and computer, your default font choice syncs across all of them. When you open Google Docs on any device, new documents will use the font you set on any other device.
What if the font I want is not in the default font menu?
Google Docs offers a limited set of fonts in the default menu for speed and reliability. If you want to use a different font in a specific document, you can change it after you create the document by selecting the text and using the font dropdown in the toolbar. That dropdown has more fonts available than the default settings menu.