Pages looks different on PC and Android - BUG

I wouldn't call it a feature. Here's why:
If I download the Word android app I expect to have editing enabled (else I would have downloaded directly any other pdf reader).
Also I don't mind if the font used on Android app is different, or if line spacing changes etc. but I expect some basic things to be the same:

• same word at the start and end of the page
• same positions of images, shapes and ink

Also I use word for basic documents: text (using the default font Calibri), equations (default font Cambria Math), shapes, ink and some images.

I'm just expecting a paid software with dacades of history at its back to work when using it's core basic functions (I'm refering to this problem but also to the other questions I posted). I think that developers don't really care so much about giving users some basic options to choose from (no ruller in word, the undo function doesn't only undo but has also an automatically scroll up function that seems I can't disable, selecting lines with mouse needs to be pixel perfect, selecting a gruop of shapes and ink most of times does not result in the selection of all elements selected etc etc.)

Thank you for your replay!

Word is updated on both Windows and the 2 android devices I use.

I don't use any template or macros: I only open new blank page and write text, ink, shapes and equations. Also I create group of shapes and ink but this is all.

Reinstalling seems not to help. I think it's something deeper about how the code works in the way it chooses to display a page on Android that is different from the PC. Also I may be wrong and it could be something, hopefully, simplier.

I could say that it is a feature, not a bug, but that would not be satisfactory, even though true.

Word documents are not "pages" but a stream of formatted text. It will frequently give documents different appearances on different devices, even computers using the same version of Word. The longer the document, the more likely this will occur.

• Why has my page layout changed when I open my document on a different machine? by Suzanne Barnhill, MVP
• What must we do to ensure that one and the same document is displayed - Microsoft Community
• Word Doesn't Know What a Page Is by Daiya Mitchell, MVP

The Android application is different from the desktop application. The Windows and Mac versions are different as well, although closer and more powerful.

Compare Word features on different platforms - Office Support

To have it appear the same on every device, use PDF. However, doing so, you give up the editing capabilities of Word.

You can organize your document using the built-in heading styles. You can set one of them to have the paragraph formatting of "page break before" and/or "keep with next" to help.

• Moving/Reorganizing Pages in Microsoft Word
• Why Use Word's Built-In Heading Styles? by Shauna Kelly

Most likely, you are using a font in the Windows version that is not installed on your Android device. Word will display the expected font in the font dropdown, misleading many into thinking it's installed. But Word silently substitutes another font (often Calibri) and the document appearance changes.

In Word for Windows, you can try a File>Save As. Click on the Tools dropdown beside the Save button. Select Save Options and click on the option to Embed fonts in the file. Then see if you get a more accurate display on your Android device.

Hi Andrea_R3,

Thanks for your post in Microsoft Community.

It sounds like some of your documents looks different on PC and Android. You may troubleshoot by the following steps:

1. Check and make sure that the version of Office you use on PC and Android is same. Otherwise it may cause unexpected errors during use.
2. Check and update your Office on Android to the latest version.
3. There maybe some macros or templates in your documents which are supported by Android so that the format will be a mess when it is opened on Android. You could find more info about features supported on different platforms. Compare Word features on different platforms (microsoft.com)
4. Reinstall Office on your Android if the problem still persists.

Feel free to post back if you need further assistance.

Best Regards,

Lynn Sun | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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