Fix Fonts Printing as Gibberish When Converting Word to PDF
Question details
The user is experiencing an issue where text formatted in a specific font (Goudy Old Style) turns into unreadable gibberish when the Word document is printed or converted to a PDF on a new computer.
- Product
- Word Processor / PDF Converter
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A Word document was transferred to a new laptop. When attempting to save, export, or print this document to PDF, the text containing custom fonts fails to render correctly.
- Observed behavior
- Instead of the intended font, the resulting PDF displays gibberish, incorrect symbols, or corrupted text characters.
Before attempting to change PDF export settings, verify that the font used in the original document is actually installed and active on your current computer's operating system.
Install the Missing Font on the New Computer
Ensure the required font is installed locally so the PDF creator can embed it correctly during conversion.
PDF converters embed the fonts that are currently available on your computer at the time of creation. If you transferred a document to a new laptop that does not have the specific font (e.g., Goudy Old Style) installed, the PDF engine will attempt to substitute it, often resulting in gibberish or corrupted text.
Find the original font file (usually a .ttf or .otf file) from your old computer or download it from a trusted typography source.
Right-click the downloaded font file and select 'Install' or 'Install for all users' to add it to your system's font library.
Close and reopen your Word processing application so it can recognize the newly installed font, then attempt to save as PDF again.
Disable Reliance on System Fonts in PDF Printer Settings
Configure your PDF printer to embed document fonts rather than forcing the use of system fonts.
Replace Unsupported Type 1 Fonts with OpenType/TrueType
Update older fonts in your document to modern formats supported by recent Word processors.
Convert Word Documents to PDF Perfectly with WPS Office
Avoid font substitution errors and gibberish text by using WPS Office. Its powerful built-in PDF exporter automatically embeds document fonts accurately, ensuring your layout and typography remain exactly as intended across all devices.
- 1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open the Word document containing your custom fonts.
- 2. Access the Export tool: Click on 'Menu' in the top-left corner and select 'Export to PDF'.
- 3. Generate the PDF: Verify your save location in the dialog box and click 'Export to PDF' to create a flawless document with perfectly embedded fonts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my font change into symbols when I print to PDF?
This happens when the computer generating the PDF does not have the document's original font installed. The PDF converter attempts to substitute it, which can cause characters to map incorrectly and appear as symbols or gibberish.
Is it better to 'Save as PDF' or 'Print to PDF'?
It is generally better to use the built-in 'Export to PDF' or 'Save as PDF' functions. 'Print to PDF' relies on printer drivers that may strip out document fonts or fail to embed OpenType CFF fonts correctly.
Can I fix gibberish text in an already saved PDF?
No, once a PDF is exported with substituted or corrupted fonts, the text encoding is usually permanently altered. You must install the correct font, fix the issue in the source Word document, and export it to PDF again.
What does 'Rely on system fonts only' mean?
It is a setting found in some PDF printer properties (like Adobe PDF) that prevents the PDF from embedding the custom fonts stored within the document file, forcing it to only use fonts natively installed on the computer. Disabling this is recommended to preserve formatting.
