How to read Kannada (Indic) on Android

Like I had written earlier you can't read/write Kannada on an Android phone. I have given this feedback to Google and its also on the bug list. But I am not sure when will Google implement it. The biggest thing I missed is reading Kannada blogs. But then this tip helped me to get Kannada back on mobile.

1. Search for Opera Mini on Android market
2. Install it
3. Or use this QR code

4. Type about:config in url bar and then press go
5. Scroll down until you see the setting Use bitmap fonts for complex scripts
6. Change it to yes and save
7. Now try sampada.net and you should be able to read Kannada on Android

This setting will make the Opera Mini to render the page on server side and then deliver it. Hence even though your phone doesn't have Unicode fonts or rendering capability, you can still read it.

I tried it on my Nexus One and it worked. It should work on most of the other Android mobiles.

76 Responses

  1. Santhosh says:

    Thej, Does it work for tamil fonts? Did you try reading any tamil blogs?

  2. Thejesh GN says:

    I haven’t tried but it should work.

  3. prasanna says:

    Cool, Thx for the tips. Used the QR codes to download the Opera Mini and worked on Galaxy S, but the page title on the browser is still garbled…and any workarounds to enable kannada fonts in applications like tweetdeck for android?

  4. Thejesh GN says:

    @prasanna this is a temporary hack. As of now I don’t know anything that enables actual indic rendering.

  5. Ashly A K says:

    Yes, this should work for Tamil, Telengu, Hindi etc. It is working great with Malayalam for a long time for me :)

  6. Vinayak Naik says:

    Thanks a lot. Now I am able to read e prajavani on my samsung galaxy s
    actually my wife wanted an article on biotechnology in kannada. We have searched many sites. Unfortunately we have not find even a single article.

  7. Mangesh says:

    Thanks Thejesh,

    I was using Opera on my Galaxy S, but still was not able to read kannada portals. Your tip helped me to resolve that issue.

  8. Rajesh says:

    The option of Opera Mini does not work for Kannada prabha…
    any tips on that….

  9. Goobe says:

    Thanks for the article! It works!!

  10. Basappa says:

    Thanks for the tip. It works for me on HTC Hero. But do you know how to make it work on the default browser that comes with the phone?

  11. Vinay says:

    Hey, Thanks a lot, it worked. I wanted to access kannada websites like sampada.net , thatskannada.in on my galaxy s and was unable.
    Thank you for your tip :-)

  12. guddappa says:

    hi, as u mentioned i did up to no4, but did’t see
    no 5. Use bitmap fonts for complex scripts
    pls help………..
    when i type about:config its taking me to opera:config and its doesen’t have ‘Use bitmap fonts for complex scripts’option

    sahayakkagi dhanyavadagaLu

  13. pj says:

    I’m using opera mini 6 on a nokia 7210 supernova. Is there any way i can get to read kannada sites?

  14. Pramod says:

    Super. Works great

  15. Pramod says:

    Super. Works great in Samsung Galaxy Pop

  16. G Basavaraj Gandi says:

    It works not only on android, it also works on windows mobile,Symbian OS and java platform.

  17. M V Bhaktha says:

    How & from where can I download Kannada fonts for my Android phone (HTC D HD) and how to install it on my phone. I have downloaded Anysoftkeys for Kannada but it isn’t showing any options to type in Kannada.

  18. seema deepak says:

    Sir,
    Im using HTC HD2, windows mobile. Ur tipis not helping me. Can u please help me to read kannada portals…..

    • Loki says:

      Hi

      Search for the application “New Hunt” from the market. Install it. You will able to view, Kannadaprabha, Prajavani, oneindia in kannada. This will not resolve the ongoing kannada fonts issues, but it will enable you to see kannada fonts and read newspapers in kannada within this application, I am using HTC Senstation 4G and it works for me.

      Loki

  19. Venkatesh says:

    Thanks Bhai….
    I am using C5 -03 nokia Symbian OS, & it started working …..

    oh great tip!!!!!

  20. Hehede says:

    thanks a lot.
    it worket in my samsung galaxy 551.

  21. Nagaraj says:

    hi am using HCl android based tab ? can you tell me how to instal kannada fonts and read it in tab

  22. sangamesh says:

    Thanx lot.. it worked

  23. sandeep says:

    It worked fine. JAI KARNATAKA.
    Let me know is it possible to implement in the contacts fonts also.
    Thanks.

  24. BASANAGOWDA says:

    Hey, I am able to read kannada in my htc wildfire s. To look at Queen of World Scripts in Android phone is really great.

    Thank you,
    Basanagowda

  25. Thirumalesh says:

    Thanks!
    its working fine with Sonyericsson Experia neo.
    mobile nallu kannadada oodalu bahala khushiyagutte.

    dhanyavadgalu!!!

  26. Chandan says:

    Thanks a lot… It helped me. :) I’d missed reading all my Kannada blogs for so long.

  27. BALU says:

    Hi, i am using htc wildfire. I can not type in Kannada in mobile. I used any soft keyboard with Kannada. But i see only boxes. Any help will be appreciated.

  28. latha says:

    It is working to me for Telugu. Good Job.

    Thanks

  29. Abhay says:

    Thej, You simply rock! I was very much in need to read and follow blogs and online kannada magazines. Keep it up

  30. kumar says:

    Thank you.It worked on my HTS Salsa

  31. Shouri says:

    Awesome.. thanx a lot dear. Works fine in my Galaxy Pro.

  32. jar jad says:

    Thank you for the good writeup. It in truth used to be a enjoyment account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you! However, how can we be in contact?

  33. Ramakrishna Marati says:

    Thank you very much. It helped me a lot. I tried in my Samsung Galxy pop. It is working

  34. Dileep says:

    it worked… thanks a ton brother….

  35. deepak says:

    thank u so much man.. thanks.. now it support all the fonts

  36. bharatesh says:

    thanks for the info. please let me know better ways of having local language support.

  37. sangamesh says:

    thanx lot, it works perfectly

  38. Prakash says:

    Super……
    Works fine.
    Excellant work

  39. guruprasad subbarao says:

    great. its working on my Sony Ericsson xperia mini. :)
    thanks for the input

  40. D.Sunil says:

    Thanks dude…
    Helped me a lot :)

  41. Niranjan says:

    Hi..I’m not able to see setting Use bitmap fonts for complex scripts in my opera mini. mine is samsung galaxy ace. Please help. Thank you very much.

  42. Manjunath says:

    Great Thanks Dude…

    It worked for me superb!!!! – Please concentrate on kannada application for android in future.. we all need this.

    Thanks.
    jai Karnataka.

  43. jnanesh says:

    It worked…sooper guru..but its not working in otherbrower..but in galaxy x s i am able to read kannada

  44. Greeshma says:

    Thank u so mch…. it worked on ma mobile…. thanx a bunch… :) :) :)

  45. sk murali says:

    ಗುರು ತುಂಬ ತುಂಬ ಉಪಕಾರವಾಯಿತು

  46. mahadeva says:

    thank u very much guru I am very happy…..

  47. nani says:

    he man in config there is no settings&bitmap fonts.please tell me a direct download

  48. ash says:

    Thanks. Any tips For kannadaprabha

  49. ash says:

    Thanks.any tips on kannadaprabha

  50. Vivek says:

    Hi. I am using Opera Mobile 11, not Opera mini. I didn’t find this option in Opera Mobile Software. Please help me find similar setting for Opera Mobile 11 also.

    Thanks in Advance, Vivek :)