Install new fonts in linux without root privileges

If you do not have root access, it is possible to install new fonts.

mkdir ~/.fonts

Move your fonts to ~/.fonts.

mkfontdir ~/.fonts

xset fp+ ~/.fonts
xset fp rehash

The new font should now be available. Check if the new font has been added by running xlsfonts.

xlsfonts

Try out the new font

xterm -fn "new_font"

For TrueType fonts, the installation process is a little different.

mkdir ~/.fonts

Move your fonts to ~/.ttfonts

mv *.ttf ~/.fonts

Create the fonts.dir and fonts.scale files.

cd ~/.fonts
mkfontscale

mkfontdir
fc-cache -fv ~/.fonts

The new font should now be available. Check if the font has been added by running fc-list.

fc-list

Try out the new font.

xterm -fn "xft:new_font"