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Fix Acrobat Reader Android Missing 'fi' and 'fl' Ligatures
Question details
Users experience missing 'fi' and 'fl' letter combinations when viewing PDF documents in Reading Mode.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Device & OS
- Android
- Scenario
- Reading PDF documents containing serif fonts while utilizing the mobile Reading Mode feature.
- Observed behavior
- The letter combinations 'fi' and 'fl' (ligatures) are omitted, causing words like 'specification' or 'reflect' to appear with blank spaces.
Check whether the missing text issue occurs in the original page layout of the PDF or strictly within the mobile Reading Mode.
Switch to Standard Page Layout
Bypass the Reading Mode rendering bug by viewing the PDF document in its original layout.
The missing ligatures issue is specific to the Reading Mode rendering engine on Android. By returning to the standard document view, you force the app to display the embedded fonts accurately.
Launch Adobe Acrobat Reader on your Android device and open the affected PDF document.
Tap anywhere on the screen to reveal the top menu bar, then tap the Liquid Mode or Reading Mode icon (often shaped like a teardrop) to switch back to the standard page layout.
Update Acrobat Reader to the Latest Version
Installing the latest app update may patch known font rendering bugs in Reading Mode.
Report the Bug to Adobe
Provide feedback to Adobe developers so they can investigate and resolve the ligature rendering issue in future updates.
View PDFs Flawlessly with WPS Office for Android
Avoid frustrating rendering bugs by switching to WPS Office. Our advanced mobile PDF engine accurately processes complex fonts and ligatures, ensuring you never miss a letter while reading on the go.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Search for WPS Office in the Google Play Store and install the free app on your Android device.
- 2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office, go to the Files tab, and locate the PDF document that had missing text.
- 3. Enjoy Smooth Reading: Tap the file to open it. Switch to the built-in Mobile View for an optimized and bug-free reading experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do the letters 'fi' and 'fl' disappear in PDFs?
These specific letter combinations are often encoded as a single joined character known as a ligature. Some mobile rendering engines struggle to decode them properly in specialized reading modes, resulting in blank spaces instead of the correct text.
Is my PDF file corrupted if words are missing letters?
No. If the issue only happens in Reading Mode on Android and the document looks normal on a computer or in standard layout, the PDF itself is fully intact. The missing letters are purely a local software rendering bug.
Will installing missing fonts on my Android phone fix the PDF?
No. The issue originates from the Acrobat app's internal Reading Mode engine, not your device's font library. Standard fonts embedded in the PDF are already sufficient; the app is simply failing to render those specific ligature characters.
