Check if fonts are embedded in a PDF
If a font isn't embedded, the printer's software swaps in a different one. Check every font in your PDF and see exactly which pages use a missing one.
Checked entirely in your browser. Your PDF is never uploaded.
What font embedding means
An embedded font is stored inside the PDF, so the file looks the same on any computer or printer. When a font isn't embedded, the PDF only names it, and whatever reads the file has to find that font or substitute another. Substitutes change letter shapes and widths, which can push text onto new lines or out of its box.
The check only looks at fonts actually used to draw text. Fonts listed in the file but never used are ignored.
How to embed fonts when exporting
- Canva: download as PDF Print. If fonts still look wrong, turn on Flatten PDF, which turns each page into an image.
- Microsoft Word (Windows): File → Options → Save → Embed fonts in the file, then save as PDF with ISO 19005-1 compliant (PDF/A) selected in Options.
- InDesign and Illustrator: export using a PDF/X preset, which requires all fonts to be embedded.
- Affinity: export with a PDF/X preset, or choose to embed fonts in the export options.
Some fonts have licenses that forbid embedding. Design apps then either refuse to export or leave them out. If that happens, switch to a different font or convert that text to outlines.
Questions
Why do some font names start with six letters and a plus sign?
That prefix (like ABCDEF+Montserrat) means the font is subset-embedded: only the characters used in the document are included. That's normal and fine for printing.
The check says Helvetica or Arial isn't embedded. Is that a problem?
It's a smaller risk than other fonts because most printers have a close substitute, but spacing and line breaks can still change. Embedding is safer, and many printers require every font to be embedded.
Should I convert text to outlines instead?
It works as a last resort, and it guarantees the shapes, but the text can no longer be edited or searched and very small text can print slightly heavier. Embedding fonts is usually the better choice.