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Exporting a word document to pdf in not converting fonts properly

Anonymous
2025-04-17T02:26:12+00:00

Hi, I am doing a booklet for my church, and I have a specific font I need to use, EB Garamond. There are versions of this font also used throughout such as EB Garamond Semi bold and EB Garamond Extra bold.

However, when I export to pdf, it reverts to standard EB Garamond.

I have tried changing the options in File -> Options -> Save ->Preserve fidelity when saving document and playing around with embedding fonts, but nothing seems to work.

I have also tried saving as pdf, but still no result.

When I print to pdf the fonts are how I want then, but the margins are off, and when I try to fix them, it messes the formatting up.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2025-04-23T04:11:13+00:00

Hi, thanks for your help.

I have solved the problem. It was due to licencing. I downloaded the font through adobe and downloaded their creative cloud and that seemed to fix the issue.

Thanks

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  1. John Korchok 232.4K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2025-04-17T16:35:14+00:00

    There are lots of problems with Google fonts in Office. Fortunately, Office includes a Garamond (created by Monotype) in the fonts that come with Office. You'll get better results from using it instead. In general, you'll get better results with fonts from major type foundries than from the free ones you download.

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-04-17T13:50:16+00:00

    Dear Chris,

    Thank you for reaching out regarding the issue with converting your document to PDF. I understand how critical it is for your church booklet to display the correct font variants, and I appreciate the detailed information you provided.

    It sounds like when you export or “Save As PDF” from Word, the conversion process is not retaining the font weights (such as EB Garamond Semi Bold and Extra Bold) as expected. Interestingly, printing to PDF yields the correct fonts but results in layout issues with your margins. Although you have already tried adjusting the “Preserve fidelity” and font embedding options, here are a few additional steps and considerations that might help resolve this issue:

    1. Confirm Font Embedding Settings:
      • In Word, go to File > Options > Save and ensure the “Embed fonts in the file” option is enabled.
      • Uncheck “Do not embed common system fonts” if it’s selected. This setting may help ensure that all font variants are embedded properly when exporting.
    2. Verify Font Licensing and Installation:
      • Some fonts have restrictions on embedding, which might cause Word to substitute a different variant during conversion.
      • Double-check that you have all the necessary EB Garamond files (including Semi Bold and Extra Bold) installed, and verify that there are no licensing restrictions that could be interfering with the correct embedding.
    3. Export Versus Printing to PDF:
      • The “Save As PDF” feature in Word and the “Print to PDF” option use different conversion processes. Although printing to PDF shows the desired fonts, the printing process sometimes alters margins or scaling.
      • When using the Printing method via “Microsoft Print to PDF,” check the printer properties and scaling options. Look for settings like “Fit to Page” or “Shrink to Fit” that might help retain your original formatting without altering the margins.
    4. Advanced PDF Options and Compatibility:
      • When saving as PDF, click on Options to view additional settings. You might try toggling the “ISO 19005-1 compliant (PDF/A)” option. Although primarily for archival, this standard sometimes improves font embedding fidelity.
      • Ensure you’re using the latest version of Office. Updates often refine PDF conversion features and address similar issues.
    5. Alternative PDF Conversion Tools:
      • If adjusting these settings in Word does not yield the correct results, you might consider using a dedicated PDF conversion tool (for example, Adobe Acrobat) to create the PDF. These tools are often more robust in preserving font styles and formatting while giving you control over margin and layout settings.

    I hope these suggestions help you achieve the desired output,

    Thank you again for providing such detailed context and for your patience. Please let me know if you have any questions about these steps or if you need further guidance—I’m here to help!

    Warm regards,

    Scott_LA | Microsoft Community Support.

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