Roboto has been the default font for ChromeOS for years. However, it seems like Google is preparing to part ways with Roboto because, according to newly posted codes, Google could be adopting a new default font for ChromeOS.
Once, Google allowed ChromeOS users to change the default font from Roboto to anything they liked, enabling a small amount of customization. However, the feature slowly disappeared over the years, and Roboto remained the default font for ChromeOS. Now only the Chrome browser, with a built-in setting, allows you to change the default font.
Since 2018, Google has opted for the Google Sans (formerly Product Sans) font as the default in many locations. Interestingly, Google Sans was among the list of options back when you could choose to change the default font.
According to newly posted codes, ChromeOS could shift from the Roboto font to using Google Sans in its UI. It is said that the change is to align the UI elements with Google’s Material 3 guidelines. Over the years, various elements of the Material 3 design have been implemented on ChromeOS.
As per the developers, the Google Sans font may not be applicable everywhere in the UI of ChromeOS. Notably, Google Sans may not be supported by certain glyphs, and moreover, the Google Sans font may not be available on some devices, i.e., basically indicating devices running ChromeOS Flex.
On these unsupported devices, and in the UI elements where Google Sans won’t work, it is expected that Google will use the Roboto font. Reportedly, the Google Sans font is expected to appear with ChromeOS version 126, which is scheduled for June. Since there is no flag associated with the application of this font, you could expect the font to appear immediately after the update.
Recently, ChromeOS gained an update that allowed Microsoft365 files to be directly opened and edited on Chromebooks, a feature that was previously missing.