'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Fix Arial and Times New Roman Showing as Wingdings in Excel Online
Question details
Users need a reliable way to fix standard text appearing as unreadable symbols in Excel Online.
- Product
- Excel Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Viewing or editing spreadsheets in Excel Online via a web browser.
- Observed behavior
- Text formatted with Arial or Times New Roman incorrectly renders as Wingdings characters in the web browser, making the spreadsheet unreadable, while desktop Excel and Word Online continue to display the text correctly.
Ensure your web browser is fully updated to the latest version and save any ongoing work in your Excel Online tabs before modifying your browser settings or restarting your computer.
Change Browser Default Fonts to Calibri
Modifying the default sans-serif font in your browser settings can bypass the rendering glitch and restore readable text.
This rendering issue is often tied to how Chromium-based browsers interpret standard fonts within Excel Online. Overriding the browser's default font settings to use Calibri provides a stable workaround.
In Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, click the three-dot menu in the top right corner, select 'Settings', and navigate to the 'Appearance' tab.
Click on 'Customize fonts'. Look for the 'Standard font' and 'Sans-serif font' dropdown menus and change both to 'Calibri'.
Close all active browser windows and completely restart your computer to ensure the new font rendering rules are applied to your next Excel Online session.
Clear Browser Cache and Test a New Profile
If the font rendering issue returns after a restart, clearing the browser cache or testing a fresh browser profile can eliminate corrupted local data.
Switch to WPS Office for a Stable Desktop Experience
If browser-based font rendering issues in Excel Online disrupt your workflow, consider using WPS Office. It offers a powerful, free desktop application that completely avoids web browser glitches while maintaining full compatibility with your Excel files.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office desktop suite.
- 2. Save Your Excel File: Download your problematic spreadsheet from Excel Online to your local computer drive.
- 3. Open with WPS Spreadsheet: Open the file in WPS Spreadsheet to view and edit your data accurately without dealing with browser font issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my Excel Online fonts suddenly changing to Wingdings?
This is a known browser-based rendering glitch that affects Excel Online. It occurs when the browser temporarily misinterprets standard fonts like Arial or Times New Roman, incorrectly mapping them to symbol fonts like Wingdings.
Does this font rendering issue permanently corrupt the actual data in my Excel file?
No, the underlying data and font formatting in your file remain completely intact. The issue is purely visual within the web browser. If you open the exact same file in a desktop application, the text will display normally.
Will restarting my computer permanently fix the Wingdings issue?
Restarting the computer clears temporary visual caches and often provides a quick temporary fix, but the issue may return during future sessions. Changing your browser's default sans-serif font to Calibri is a more reliable long-term workaround.
