How to Fix Excel for Mac Not Displaying Barcode Fonts
Question details
The user is unable to view barcode fonts in Excel and other Office applications after updating Microsoft 365 on a Mac.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Attempting to view or print spreadsheets containing barcode fonts after completing an Office software update.
- Observed behavior
- Barcode fonts fail to display correctly, likely due to font compatibility issues, an incomplete font installation, or a corrupted macOS font cache.
Ensure you have a backup of your original barcode font files (.ttf or .otf) downloaded from a trusted provider before removing or reinstalling them.
Reinstall Barcode Fonts and Clear macOS Font Cache
This is the most effective method to resolve missing custom fonts caused by cached data conflicts after a Microsoft 365 update.
macOS relies on a font cache to load fonts quickly. When Office updates are applied, this cache can sometimes become corrupted, causing custom fonts like barcodes to stop rendering. Clearing the cache and reinstalling the font forces the system to rebuild the font data.
Ensure that Microsoft Excel, Word, and all other Office applications are completely closed.
Open the 'Font Book' app on your Mac, search for your barcode font, right-click it, and select 'Remove' to delete it from the system.
Open the 'Terminal' app (found in Applications > Utilities). Type the command 'sudo atsutil databases -remove' and press Enter. You will be prompted to enter your Mac administrator password.
Locate your original barcode font file (.ttf or .otf), double-click it, and click 'Install Font' in the preview window.
Reboot your Mac completely. Once restarted, open Excel and check if the barcode fonts are now displaying correctly.
Verify Font Compatibility and Update
Use this method if clearing the cache does not work, as older fonts may no longer be compatible with newer Office versions (like 16.78).
Try WPS Office for Seamless Font Compatibility on Mac
If Microsoft 365 updates continue to cause rendering issues with your custom fonts, WPS Office provides a lightweight, free, and highly compatible alternative. It natively supports custom macOS system fonts, ensuring your barcodes and specialty typography look exactly as intended without constant troubleshooting.
- 1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office for Mac from the official website and complete the installation.
- 2. Open Your Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Spreadsheets and open your existing .xlsx file containing the barcode data.
- 3. Apply Your Fonts: Select your cells and easily apply your custom barcode font from the standard font dropdown menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my custom fonts disappear after a Mac Office update?
Office updates can sometimes reset default preferences, alter application sandboxing rules, or conflict with the macOS font cache. This prevents the application from properly locating or rendering third-party custom fonts like barcodes.
Where are barcode fonts installed on a Mac?
Fonts installed on a Mac are typically stored in either the system-wide directory (/Library/Fonts/) or the specific user's directory (~/Library/Fonts/). They are best managed using the built-in Font Book application.
Do I need special formatting for barcode fonts to work in Excel?
Yes, standard barcode fonts (like Code 39) usually require special start and stop characters, such as an asterisk (*), at the beginning and end of the text string for a barcode scanner to properly read the data.
