Fonts/Console

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This page describes configuration of fonts on the Linux console. For information about configuring fonts in a GUI context, such as when using a desktop environment or window manager - and including running terminal emulators in that context - please refer to the Fontconfig article.

Kernel

If a manual kernel configuration is created, a font can also be selected in the kernel itself. This is particularly useful when a 4K monitor is in use. Currently the largest font available is a Terminus 16x32, but larger fonts will be available in kernel version 6.9.

KERNEL Enable Terminus 16x32 font

Device Drivers  --->
    Graphics support  --->
        Console display driver support  --->
            [*] Framebuffer Console support

Library routines  --->
    [*] Select compiled-in fonts
        [*] Terminus 16x32 font (not supported by all drivers)

OpenRC

In order to use a specific font in the console, set the consolefont variable in /etc/conf.d/consolefont to the name of a file found in /usr/share/consolefonts/ (without the .psfu.gz suffix).

FILE /etc/conf.d/consolefontSetting the console font

consolefont="lat9w-16"

Next add consolefont init script to boot runlevel:

root #rc-update add consolefont boot

media-fonts/terminus-font is a good option; It has fonts with sizes from 12 to 32 pixels making it suitable for HD screens or providing an option for larger console fonts.

systemd

Configuration of the systemd virtual console is done using the /etc/vconsole.conf configuration file.

To set a specific font set the FONT to the name of a file found in /usr/share/consolefonts/ (without the .psfu.gz suffix). The FONT_MAP is set to the name of a file found in /usr/share/unimaps/ (also without any suffix).

FILE /etc/vconsole.confSetting the console font

FONT=lat9w-16
FONT_MAP=8859-15

New configuration can be reloaded by:

root #systemctl restart systemd-vconsole-setup.service

Tip
It is also possible to override the FONT and FONT_MAP using vconsole.font= and vconsole.font_map= kernel command line parameters.