Kobo Clara BW · Customization

Add your own fonts to the Kobo Clara BW

Copy TrueType or OpenType fonts to a folder on the Clara BW and select them from the reading menu. No extra software needed.

Tested on
Kobo Clara BW
Software
Kobo firmware
Difficulty
Easy
Estimated time
10 minutes
Last tested
August 2026
Last updated
August 2026

Kobo has supported user fonts for years, and the Clara BW is no exception. The whole process is copying files into a folder called “fonts” on the device. The one detail worth getting right is the file naming: Kobo builds a family from files whose names share everything before the first dash, so consistent naming is what makes bold and italic work. On the small screen, picking a font that is a little narrower than the defaults can be the difference between four and five words per line.

  1. Gather the font files

    You need the actual font files, ending in ".ttf" (TrueType) or ".otf" (OpenType). A single font family often comes as four files — regular, bold, italic and bold-italic. Copy all four so the reader can show bold and italic text correctly.

  2. Connect the Clara BW to your computer

    Use the USB-C cable and choose "Connect" on the device. It appears as a drive named KOBOeReader.

  3. Create a folder named "fonts" at the top level of the drive

    Open the KOBOeReader drive and make a new folder called exactly "fonts" in the root, next to the folders that are already there. The name must be lower-case and spelled that way.

  4. Copy the font files into the fonts folder

    Drag the .ttf or .otf files into the "fonts" folder. You can make sub-folders per family if you like; Kobo reads them too.

  5. Eject the drive and unplug

    Use your computer's eject or "safely remove" option, then disconnect the cable. The Clara BW rebuilds its font list, which takes a few seconds.

  6. Select the font while reading

    Open any book, tap the top centre of the screen for the reading menu, and open the font settings (the "Aa" icon). Your added fonts appear in the same list as the built-in ones, usually at the bottom. On a 6-inch screen it is worth trying the font weight and sharpness sliders as well.