If a font is not inside your PDF, whoever opens it substitutes one of their own. The substitute has different letter widths, so lines wrap differently, text overflows, and your design is no longer the one you approved on screen. The fix is to put the font inside the file, or turn the text into shapes.
Embedding versus outlining
- Embedding keeps the text as live text and stores the font inside the PDF. This is what a normal print PDF export does, and it is usually all you need.
- Outlining converts each letter into a vector shape. It cannot go wrong on another computer, but the text is no longer editable. Keep an editable copy of your original file before you outline.
How to embed
InDesign and Illustrator
Fonts are embedded automatically when you export or save as an Adobe PDF. Use the Print preset, or at least a high-quality setting, and the fonts go in. A font licence that does not allow embedding is the rare exception, and it will warn you.
Canva
Download as PDF Print. Canva embeds the fonts it provides.
Word and PowerPoint
Use File > Save As and choose PDF, then open Options and choose a standard (high-quality) output rather than minimum size. Some unusual fonts will not embed this way, which is where outlining or a different font comes in.
How to outline
- Save an editable copy first.
- InDesign: select the text frames, then Type > Create Outlines.
- Illustrator: select the text, then Type > Create Outlines.
- Export to PDF as usual.
Outlining very small text can make it look slightly heavier on screen. At print size the difference is usually not noticeable, but keep body text embedded where you can.
Check that it worked
Upload your PDF to the free file check on the homepage. It lists any fonts that are not embedded, before you order. The rest of the usual problems are in the print-ready PDF checklist.