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Fix Letters Appearing Beneath Text in Microsoft Word Fonts
Question details
The user needs to troubleshoot a rendering issue where specific fonts unexpectedly display overlapping letters, such as 'AV', underneath other characters.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Typing or viewing content in new or existing documents using a font that previously worked without issues.
- Observed behavior
- Extraneous letters appear directly beneath the normal text characters when a specific font is applied to the document.
Make sure you know the exact name of the problematic font and have closed any active Office applications before adjusting system font settings.
Test Microsoft Word in Safe Mode
Running Word in Safe Mode disables add-ins and customizations, helping you determine if a recent Office update or third-party plugin is causing the font rendering glitch.
Often, formatting issues that suddenly appear in previously working applications are caused by conflicting add-ins or corrupted startup templates. Safe Mode helps isolate the Microsoft Word environment.
Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
Type 'winword /safe' into the text box and press Enter or click OK.
Create a new document or open your existing one and type with the affected font. If the letters no longer appear beneath the text, you may need to disable your third-party COM add-ins from the Word Options menu.
Verify and Reinstall the Font File
A corrupted font file or an outdated version can result in unexpected character rendering and overlaps.
Check Font Behavior in Other Applications
Determining whether the glitch is isolated to Word or affects the whole system can pinpoint the root cause of the formatting error.
Experience Flawless Document Formatting with WPS Office
Tired of unexpected font rendering glitches and formatting issues in Microsoft Word? Switch to WPS Office, a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative. Enjoy seamless document editing, robust typography support, and perfect Microsoft Office format compatibility with a familiar interface.
- 1. Download the Suite: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office installer for your operating system.
- 2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing Word document to evaluate the text and layout.
- 3. Edit Without Glitches: Apply custom fonts safely and enjoy smooth, artifact-free text rendering as you type.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do custom fonts suddenly start overlapping in Word?
This usually happens due to a corrupted Windows font cache, incompatible font updates, or buggy third-party add-ins interfering with Microsoft Word's text rendering engine.
How do I clear the font cache in Windows to fix rendering issues?
You can rebuild the font cache by pressing Win + R, typing 'services.msc', stopping the 'Windows Font Cache Service', and then deleting the 'FontCache' dat files located in the 'C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local' directory before restarting your PC.
Are all custom fonts compatible with Microsoft Office?
While most TrueType (.ttf) and OpenType (.otf) fonts are widely supported, poorly optimized or highly customized fonts may lack proper kerning data, leading to unexpected behavior like overlapping characters in complex word processors.
