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Fix Adobe Acrobat Missing fi and fl Characters in PDF Reading Mode
Question details
Users experience missing or clipped letter combinations like "fi" and "fl" when viewing certain PDF files in Reading mode.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- Android
- Scenario
- Reading a document on a mobile device holding it horizontally, relying on Reading mode to avoid side-to-side scrolling.
- Observed behavior
- Letter combinations "fi" and "fl" (ligatures) are omitted or replaced with typos (e.g., "xed" instead of "fixed"). The text also copies incorrectly in this mode, though it displays fine in Continuous mode.
Verify if this text rendering glitch occurs across multiple PDF files or is isolated to one specific document, and ensure your Android operating system is fully up to date.
Update Adobe Acrobat to the Latest Version
Software updates often contain bug fixes for font rendering and ligature issues on mobile devices.
The missing "fi" and "fl" issue is often linked to how older versions of Adobe Acrobat process specific font ligatures in mobile Reading mode. Updating forces the app to load the newest rendering engine.
Launch the Google Play Store app on your Android device.
Type 'Adobe Acrobat Reader' into the search bar and tap on the app in the results.
Tap the 'Update' button if it is available. Wait for the installation to finish.
Open the problematic PDF document in Acrobat and switch back to Reading mode to see if the missing characters now appear correctly.
Use Continuous Mode Temporarily
Switching to Continuous viewing mode bypasses the Reading mode rendering bug entirely.
Share the File via Adobe Document Cloud for Analysis
If the issue only happens with a single file despite updating the app, the file's font embedding might be corrupted.
Read PDFs Without Missing Text Using WPS Office
If your current PDF reader continues to clip text in reading mode, WPS Office offers an excellent, built-in PDF viewer with advanced font recognition that perfectly renders complex ligatures on any mobile device.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Install WPS Office for free from the Google Play Store or the official WPS website.
- 2. Open Your PDF: Launch the app, tap 'Open', and navigate to your device storage to select the problematic PDF file.
- 3. Activate Mobile View: Tap the 'Mobile View' icon at the bottom of the screen. The text will adapt to your phone screen size while perfectly displaying all 'fi' and 'fl' characters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are specifically "fi" and "fl" missing in my PDF text?
These letter combinations are frequently formatted as "ligatures"—a single unified character combining two letters to improve typography. If a PDF reader's mobile text-reflow mode lacks support for specific font ligatures, it drops the character completely, resulting in missing text.
Does this text clipping happen on printed copies of the PDF?
No, this is typically a display glitch isolated to the Reading/Reflow mode on mobile devices. If you print the document or view it on a desktop PC, the original font spacing and ligatures usually render perfectly.
How do I fix copied text that is missing characters?
If your PDF reader fails to recognize the ligature in Reading mode, copied text will also drop the characters. To copy text accurately, switch to Continuous viewing mode before copying, or open the PDF in an alternative app like WPS Office.
