Fix Times New Roman Changing to TimesNewRomanPSMT in Word PDFs
Question details
The user needs to prevent the Times New Roman font from unexpectedly changing to TimesNewRomanPSMT when exporting a Word document to PDF.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Exporting a Word document containing standard or copied text to PDF, utilizing a conversion service or standard save methods.
- Observed behavior
- The text appears correctly as Times New Roman in the Word document, but changes to a slightly different font (TimesNewRomanPSMT) in the resulting PDF.
Verify that the standard Times New Roman font is installed properly on your system and check if the issue is restricted to a specific paragraph containing pasted content.
Clear Direct Formatting and Reapply Font Styles
Direct formatting or copied content from other sources can introduce conflicting font metadata. Reapplying styles ensures the correct font is strictly recognized by the PDF engine.
When text is copied from the web or other documents, hidden font attributes might be brought along. These hidden attributes often trigger font substitution when the document is rendered into a PDF.
Highlight the affected text, or press Ctrl+A on your keyboard to select the entire document.
Navigate to the Home tab and click the 'Clear All Formatting' button (typically represented by an 'A' with a pink eraser).
Open the Styles pane on the Home tab and click on your desired paragraph style, such as 'Normal', to unify the text structure.
With the text still selected, go to the Font dropdown menu and manually select 'Times New Roman'.
Save as PDF Locally Instead of Using Online Export
If you are using Word's electronic-distribution PDF option, the conversion service might substitute unavailable fonts. Creating the PDF locally prevents this server-side substitution.
Export Documents to PDF Flawlessly with WPS Office
WPS Office offers a robust, locally-processed built-in PDF converter that perfectly handles Microsoft Word files. It ensures your Times New Roman fonts are preserved identically in the PDF output without unexpected shifts to TimesNewRomanPSMT.
- 1. Open Document: Launch WPS Office Writer and open your existing Word document.
- 2. Go to PDF Export: Click on 'Menu' in the top-left corner and select 'Export to PDF'.
- 3. Adjust Settings: In the dialog box, verify the export range and ensure 'Common PDF' is selected to retain standard font qualities.
- 4. Save as PDF: Click the 'Export to PDF' button to safely output the file with all original fonts precisely preserved.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the TimesNewRomanPSMT font?
TimesNewRomanPSMT is a PostScript version of the standard Times New Roman TrueType font. It is frequently used by PDF rendering engines, conversion servers, and commercial printers as a default substitute when the original font isn't embedded or recognized properly.
Why does the font only look different in the PDF and not in Word?
Microsoft Word relies directly on the fonts installed locally on your Windows or Mac device to render text on your screen. However, when exporting to a PDF via an online service, the remote server might not process your exact local font variant, forcing it to substitute it with the closest PostScript match (TimesNewRomanPSMT).
How can I force Word to embed fonts before converting to PDF?
You can embed fonts directly into the document by going to File > Options > Save. Check the box labeled 'Embed fonts in the file'. For optimal file size, you can also check 'Do not embed common system fonts'. Save the document, then proceed to export it to PDF.
