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Fix Perpetua Font Showing as Black Squares in Mac Word
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where a specific font appears as black boxes instead of standard text.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- macOS Sonoma
- Scenario
- Typing or opening documents containing the Perpetua Regular font after a recent macOS system update.
- Observed behavior
- Perpetua Regular text is replaced by black squares in Microsoft 365 apps, while other Perpetua font styles and Apple Pages display the font correctly.
Ensure you have saved all open documents and have administrator privileges on your Mac, as you will need to access the Font Book application to manage your system fonts.
Validate and Reinstall the Perpetua Font via Font Book
Removing the corrupted font file and reinstalling a fresh copy often resolves rendering glitches caused by system updates.
System updates can sometimes corrupt individual font files or their cached data. Removing the problematic font and reinstalling it ensures Microsoft 365 has a clean file to render.
Press Command + Space to open Spotlight Search, type "Font Book," and press Return to launch the application.
Use the search bar in the top right corner of Font Book to search for "Perpetua". Click to select the Perpetua Regular variant.
Right-click on the Perpetua Regular font and select "Remove Perpetua". Confirm the deletion when prompted by the system.
Download a fresh, uncorrupted copy of the Perpetua Regular font file (.ttf) from a trusted source, double-click the downloaded file, and click "Install Font".
Completely quit Microsoft Word or other affected applications by pressing Command + Q, then reopen them to verify if the black squares have disappeared.
Update Microsoft 365 and macOS
Since the issue started after a system update, applying the latest patches from Microsoft and Apple can fix known font-rendering compatibility bugs.
Try WPS Office for Seamless Document Editing on Mac
If Microsoft 365 continues to experience font rendering issues or compatibility bugs on macOS Sonoma, WPS Office serves as a highly compatible, lightweight, and free alternative that handles all your documents effortlessly.
- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the WPS Office official website and download the Mac version installer.
- 2. Install the Application: Open the downloaded .dmg file and drag the WPS Office icon into your Applications folder.
- 3. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office and seamlessly open your existing .docx files to resume editing with proper font rendering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a font show up as black squares on my Mac?
Black squares or "tofu" boxes appear when an application cannot render the selected font correctly. This is usually caused by a corrupted font cache, a damaged font file, or specific software compatibility glitches following a macOS system upgrade.
How do I safely clear the font cache on macOS?
You can automatically clear the system font cache by booting your Mac into Safe Mode. Shut down your Mac, turn it back on, and press and hold the Shift key until the login screen appears. After logging in, simply restart your Mac normally.
Will using another word processor fix the font issue?
Yes, if the font rendering bug is specific to Microsoft 365's software environment, opening the exact same document in a highly compatible alternative like WPS Office or Apple Pages will usually display the font correctly without black squares.
