Formatting Issues

Fix Times New Roman Not Embedding in Word PDFs

Adam Davis Oct 13, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where the Times New Roman font fails to embed when a Microsoft Word document is exported or saved as a PDF.

How to Fix Times New Roman Not Embedding in Word PDFs

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Saving or exporting a document to PDF while retaining precise font embedding for standardized viewing.
Observed behavior: Times New Roman is missing from the embedded fonts list in the generated PDF file, even though other standard fonts are embedded successfully.

Before you start

Use a PDF reader like Adobe Acrobat to check the document properties under the Fonts tab to definitively confirm whether Times New Roman is missing from the embedded fonts list.

Solution 1Recommended

Use an Alternative Embeddable Font

Since this is a known rendering behavior in certain Word versions, switching to a similar standard serif font is the quickest temporary workaround.

Microsoft Word occasionally struggles to embed specific system fonts like Times New Roman during the PDF conversion process due to how the built-in PDF engine handles font licensing and subsetting.

Select Document Text

Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all the text within your Microsoft Word document.

Change the Font

Navigate to the Home tab and choose a highly compatible serif alternative such as Garamond, Georgia, or Cambria from the font dropdown menu.

Export to PDF

Go to File > Save As, select PDF as the format, and save the document. Check the new PDF with a font-inspection tool to ensure the new font is embedded.

Temporary Workaround: This method ensures your document layout remains intact and readable across all devices while waiting for an official patch from Microsoft.

Solution 2

Report the Behavior to Microsoft Support

If your organization requires the strict use of Times New Roman, escalate the issue through official Microsoft 365 support channels.

Export Documents to PDF with Embedded Fonts in WPS Office

WPS Office features a highly reliable, built-in PDF converter that flawlessly handles standard font embedding, including Times New Roman. Simply open your existing Word document in WPS Writer and export it to PDF to preserve your exact formatting.

1. Open Your Document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your .docx file containing the Times New Roman text.
2. Access the PDF Export Tool: Click on the Menu button in the top left corner, then select Export to PDF.
3. Configure and Export: Ensure your save path is correct, verify that standard export options are selected, and click the Export to PDF button to generate a file with correctly embedded fonts.

Flawless font embedding for Times New Roman and other standard fonts.Perfect compatibility with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats and layouts.Built-in, lightweight PDF converter that requires no extra plugins.Free and seamless migration from other Office suites.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I verify if Times New Roman is embedded in my PDF?

Open your generated PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader, press Ctrl + D to open Document Properties, and navigate to the Fonts tab. Look for 'Times New Roman' in the list; it should say '(Embedded)' or '(Embedded Subset)' next to the name if it was saved correctly.

Does using 'Print to PDF' instead of 'Save As' fix the font embedding issue?

Yes, using the 'Microsoft Print to PDF' virtual printer bypasses Word's standard 'Save As' export engine. Go to File > Print, select 'Microsoft Print to PDF' as your printer, and click Print. This often forces the system to embed the fonts directly into the resulting file.

Why do other fonts embed correctly but Times New Roman fails?

This specific anomaly is often related to how certain versions of Word's PDF rendering engine interpret the font licensing restrictions or system font paths for Times New Roman, causing it to be skipped during the embedding process while custom or non-system fonts are included.

Document & File Issues