Fix Square Symbols Appearing in PDF Form Fields on Windows
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where text in PDF form fields renders as unreadable square symbols, particularly affecting foreign characters.
- Product
- Acrobat Reader
- Device & OS
- Windows 10 64-bit
- Scenario
- Filling out or viewing a PDF form containing specific fonts or foreign language characters.
- Observed behavior
- PDF form fields display square symbols (often referred to as 'tofu') instead of the actual text or foreign characters.
Verify whether the square symbols appear across all PDF documents or only within a specific form, as this helps determine if the issue is with the file's font embedding or the software itself.
Update Windows and Your PDF Reader
Outdated software versions may lack compatibility with newer font embeddings or contain bugs affecting text rendering on 64-bit systems.
Software updates often include patches for font rendering engines and expanded language support. Ensuring both your operating system and PDF reader are up-to-date is the most effective first step.
Open Acrobat Reader, navigate to the 'Help' menu at the top, and click on 'Check for Updates'. Follow the on-screen prompts to install any available patches.
Click the Start menu, go to 'Settings' > 'Update & Security' > 'Windows Update', and click 'Check for updates'. Install pending updates and restart your computer.
Reopen the problematic PDF form to see if the text and foreign characters now display correctly in the fields.
Modify the Form Field Font Properties
If you are the creator of the form or have editing capabilities, changing the form field to use a standard, fully embedded font can resolve the missing character issue.
Test the PDF Form in an Alternative Reader
Opening the file in a different PDF application can help determine if the rendering failure is isolated to Acrobat Reader.
Open and Fill PDF Forms Smoothly with WPS Office
Avoid font rendering issues and square symbols by using WPS PDF to view, fill, and edit your PDF forms. WPS Office provides excellent font compatibility and a lightweight viewing experience for Windows users.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free version for Windows.
- 2. Open Your PDF Form: Launch WPS PDF, click 'Open', and select the PDF document displaying the square symbols.
- 3. Fill Out the Fields: Click directly into the form fields. WPS PDF's robust rendering engine will display your text and foreign characters correctly.
- 4. Save Your Work: Once completed, click the 'Save' icon to keep the filled data intact with the proper font formats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do square symbols appear in PDF documents?
Square symbols, often called 'tofu', indicate a missing font or an encoding issue. If the PDF requires a specific font that isn't embedded in the file or installed on your computer, the PDF reader displays squares instead of the actual characters.
How can I make sure fonts are embedded in a PDF?
To embed fonts, you must use a PDF authoring or editing tool. In the document export settings or form field properties, ensure the option to 'Embed all fonts' is checked so that the file retains the character data regardless of where it is opened.
Does 64-bit Windows cause PDF font issues?
The 64-bit OS architecture itself rarely causes font issues directly. However, using an older or incompatible 32-bit PDF reader on a 64-bit system might sometimes lead to rendering bugs, which can usually be resolved by updating the PDF reader to its latest version.
