# How to Change Editor and Terminal Fonts in Islands Dark VS Code Theme

> Customize your Islands Dark VS Code theme by changing editor and terminal fonts. Learn how to override settings in settings.json for a personalized coding environment.

- Repository: [Bradley Wyatt/vscode-dark-islands](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-05-06

---

**You can change the default fonts by overriding `editor.fontFamily` and `terminal.integrated.fontFamily` in your personal VS Code [`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json), which takes precedence over the theme's shipped configuration.**

The Islands Dark extension by **bwya77/vscode-dark-islands** ships with predefined font defaults that apply automatically upon installation. Because the extension bundles a [`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json) file containing font configurations, you can customize your editor and terminal typography without modifying the theme source code.

## Default Font Configuration in Islands Dark

The theme pre-configures two specific font families in the repository root's [`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json):

- **`editor.fontFamily`**: Set to `"IBM Plex Mono"` (line 4)
- **`terminal.integrated.fontFamily`**: Set to `"FiraCode Nerd Font Mono"` (line 5)

These values live in [[`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json)](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json) and serve as fallback defaults. VS Code merges this file with your user configuration at startup, with user settings automatically taking priority.

## Method 1: Override via User Settings (Recommended)

The cleanest approach is to override the defaults in your personal configuration. This persists across theme updates and requires no repository modification.

### Using the Settings UI

1. Open **File > Preferences > Settings** (or press `Ctrl+,` on Windows/Linux, `Cmd+,` on macOS).
2. Search for **"Font Family"**.
3. Locate **Editor: Font Family** and **Terminal > Integrated: Font Family**.
4. Enter your desired font name, such as `"JetBrains Mono"` or `"Fira Code"`.

VS Code writes these values to your user [`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json) immediately.

### Editing settings.json Directly

Open your user settings JSON (click the icon in the top-right of the Settings tab) and add:

```json
{
  "editor.fontFamily": "JetBrains Mono",
  "terminal.integrated.fontFamily": "JetBrains Mono"
}

```

Save the file—the change applies instantly to all open editor and terminal windows.

## Method 2: Modify the Theme's settings.json (For Forks)

If you are maintaining a fork of the theme or distributing a customized version, edit the source configuration directly:

1. Open [`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json) at the repository root.
2. Modify the font values:

```json
{
  "// Islands Dark Settings v0.0.2",
  "workbench.colorTheme": "Islands Dark",
  "editor.fontFamily": "Fira Code",
  "terminal.integrated.fontFamily": "Fira Code"
}

```

3. Save the file and reinstall the extension:

```bash
./install.sh

```

This script copies your modified configuration into VS Code's extensions folder.

## Key Files in the Repository

Understanding the file structure helps when troubleshooting font issues:

- **[`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json)** (repository root): Contains the default `editor.fontFamily` and `terminal.integrated.fontFamily` values that ship with the theme.
- **[`themes/islands-dark.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/themes/islands-dark.json)**: Defines the color palette and UI token colors; does not control font families.
- **[`install.sh`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/install.sh)**: Bash script that copies theme files into the VS Code extensions directory during manual installation.

## Summary

- Islands Dark defaults to **IBM Plex Mono** for the editor and **FiraCode Nerd Font Mono** for the terminal via its bundled [`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json).
- **User settings always win**: Add `editor.fontFamily` and `terminal.integrated.fontFamily` to your personal [`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json) to override without touching the theme files.
- **Fork customization**: Edit the theme's [`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json) directly and run [`./install.sh`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/./install.sh) to distribute custom font defaults.
- Font changes apply immediately; no window reload is required for user-level overrides.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What are the default fonts in Islands Dark?

According to the source code in [`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json), the theme defaults to **IBM Plex Mono** for the editor and **FiraCode Nerd Font Mono** for the integrated terminal. These are defined on lines 4 and 5 of the configuration file.

### Do I need to reload VS Code after changing fonts?

No. When you modify font settings through the Settings UI or your user [`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json), the changes apply instantly to both the editor and terminal panes. You only need to reinstall the extension if you modified the theme's own [`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json) and are running a local build.

### Can I use different fonts for the editor and terminal?

Yes. The `editor.fontFamily` and `terminal.integrated.fontFamily` settings are independent. Set each to a different font family in your user settings, such as `"JetBrains Mono"` for editing code and `"Fira Code"` for terminal commands.

### Why should I avoid editing the theme's settings.json?

You should only edit the theme's [`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json) if you are creating a fork or custom distribution. User-level overrides in your personal [`settings.json`](https://github.com/bwya77/vscode-dark-islands/blob/main/settings.json) are safer because they persist when the extension updates from the Marketplace. If you edit the theme files directly, your changes will be overwritten on the next update.