PDF Conversion Issues

How to Fix Å, Ä, and Ö Characters Missing in PDF Export

Khadija Khan Oct 23, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users need to resolve an issue where specific Scandinavian letters are missing or rendering as incorrect symbols after converting a document to a PDF.

How to Display Å, Ä, and Ö Correctly When Exporting to PDF

Product: PDF Exporter
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Exporting a text document that contains Scandinavian characters (Å, Ä, Ö) into a PDF format.
Observed behavior: The characters å, ä, and ö are either omitted entirely or displayed as unreadable symbols in the exported PDF file.

Before you start

Before exporting your document, ensure that the font you have applied natively supports extended Latin and Scandinavian characters.

Solution 1Recommended

Use a Supported Font and Enable Font Embedding

The most common reason for missing special characters is that the chosen font does not support them or is not embedded correctly during the PDF creation process.

When a PDF is generated, it relies on the font data to draw the characters. If the font lacks the specific glyphs for å, ä, or ö, or if the PDF software relies on system fonts instead of embedding them, the characters will display incorrectly on different devices.

Select your text

Highlight the text containing the Scandinavian characters in your document.

Change to a standard font

Switch the font to a widely supported system font such as Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri from the font dropdown menu.

Access export settings

Navigate to the 'File' or 'Menu' tab and select 'Export to PDF'.

Enable font embedding

Click on 'Options' or 'Advanced Settings' in the export dialog box and ensure the 'Embed fonts in the file' checkbox is ticked before clicking 'Export'.

Font Embedding Complete: Embedding fonts increases the PDF file size slightly but guarantees that all characters will display perfectly regardless of the device opening the file.

Solution 2

Update Your PDF Application

Outdated word processors or PDF applications may contain bugs related to character encoding during the PDF generation process.

Export PDFs Flawlessly with WPS Office

WPS Office provides a highly reliable PDF export engine that natively supports extended Latin and Scandinavian characters. It handles font embedding automatically, ensuring your documents look exactly as intended without requiring complex configuration.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document containing your Scandinavian text.
2. Click Export to PDF: Navigate to the 'Menu' button in the top left corner and select 'Export to PDF'.
3. Configure advanced settings: In the export dialog, click 'Advanced' to confirm your layout and font settings.
4. Save the PDF: Choose your destination folder and click 'Export' to generate a flawless PDF file.

Automatically embeds fonts for 100% accurate character renderingFully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats for seamless editingGenerates high-quality PDFs without corrupted or missing symbolsLightweight, fast, and completely free to use for basic exports

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do å, ä, and ö turn into weird symbols when exported to PDF?

This happens due to a character encoding mismatch or when the PDF reader substitutes an unsupported font. Embedding the font during the PDF export process typically resolves this.

Can I use custom downloaded fonts with Scandinavian characters?

Yes, but you must ensure the custom font includes the specific glyphs for Å, Ä, and Ö. Additionally, you must check the 'Embed fonts' option when exporting the PDF so the custom font is saved inside the file.

Does the PDF reader affect how these characters are displayed?

Yes, if the fonts are not embedded in the file, the PDF reader (such as a web browser or Adobe Acrobat) will try to use local system fonts to display the text. If your local device lacks that specific font, it may display the characters as empty boxes or garbled text.

PDF Troubleshooting