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How to Fix PowerPoint Showing a Regular Font Weight as Medium
Question details
The user is experiencing incorrect font weight rendering in PowerPoint, specifically with a Regular font appearing as Medium.
- Product
- PowerPoint
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Using specific third-party fonts (such as Passenger Sans) in a presentation.
- Observed behavior
- PowerPoint incorrectly displays the Regular weight of a font as Medium, whereas other applications on the same device display the font weight correctly.
Before troubleshooting, ensure you have administrative rights on your Mac to manage system fonts, and close all running Microsoft Office applications.
Install the TrueType (TTF) Version of the Font
OpenType (OTF) fonts sometimes have metadata compatibility issues with PowerPoint on macOS. Switching to a TTF format can resolve incorrect weight displays.
Many font display anomalies in Microsoft Office stem from how the software interprets OpenType font metadata. Installing the TrueType equivalent usually bypasses this compatibility glitch.
Check the font package provided by the manufacturer for files ending in a .ttf extension instead of .otf.
Open the Font Book application on your Mac, locate the problematic font (e.g., Passenger Sans), right-click it, and select 'Remove' to delete the existing OTF version.
Double-click the newly located .ttf file and click 'Install Font' in the preview window to add it to your macOS system.
Launch PowerPoint again, open your presentation, and check if the text now displays the correct Regular weight.
Submit Feedback and Contact the Font Manufacturer
If a TTF version is unavailable or doesn't fix the issue, the font's internal metadata may need an update from the creator.
Try WPS Office for Better Font Compatibility
If Microsoft PowerPoint continues to struggle with rendering third-party fonts correctly, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a powerful, lightweight alternative that effortlessly handles system fonts and avoids common metadata conflicts found in other presentation software.
- 1. Download the software: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office installer for your Mac.
- 2. Open your presentation: Launch WPS Presentation and open the PPTX file that was experiencing font weight issues.
- 3. Verify your fonts: Select your text and observe that the Regular weight of your third-party font is now displayed accurately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my font look bolder in PowerPoint than in other apps?
This is often caused by metadata conflicts within OpenType (OTF) fonts on macOS. PowerPoint may misinterpret the font's internal style data and apply a Medium or Bold weight instead of the intended Regular weight.
How do I know if I am using an OTF or TTF font?
On macOS, open the Font Book application, select the font in question, and click the 'Info' (i) button. Look at the 'Kind' field to see if it is classified as a TrueType or OpenType font.
Will embedding the font in my presentation fix the weight issue?
Not necessarily. Embedding the font ensures it displays on other computers, but it typically packages the same local font file. If the local font file has a metadata issue causing incorrect weights, embedding it will usually preserve the error.
