How to Fix Arabic Text Search and Selection Problems in PDFs
Question details
The user is unable to select or search for Arabic text in a PDF document converted from Microsoft Word.
- Product
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Converting a Microsoft Word document containing Arabic text into a PDF file and attempting to search or select the text.
- Observed behavior
- Arabic text formatted with the 'Simplified Arabic' font becomes unselectable and unsearchable after the conversion to PDF, whereas text using 'Arial' functions correctly.
Verify the font used for the Arabic text in your original word processing document before converting it to a PDF, as certain system fonts have restrictive embedding permissions.
Change to a PDF-Compatible Arabic Font
Replace system fonts that have embedding restrictions with universally compatible fonts like Arial or Times New Roman before exporting to PDF.
Certain Microsoft system fonts, such as Simplified Arabic, Traditional Arabic, and Kufi Arabic, often contain font-embedding restrictions. This prevents PDF viewers from properly mapping the characters, making the exported text unselectable and unsearchable. Using a widely supported font resolves this issue.
Open the original document containing the Arabic text in your word processor.
Highlight all the Arabic text that currently uses the 'Simplified Arabic' font.
Navigate to the font dropdown menu on the Home tab and change the font to 'Arial' or 'Times New Roman'.
Save the document and export it as a PDF again. Open the new PDF to verify that text selection and searching now work correctly.
Use a Properly Licensed Professional Arabic Font
Acquire and use well-designed Arabic fonts that explicitly allow unrestricted PDF embedding.
Create and Convert PDFs Seamlessly with WPS Office
WPS Office provides robust font embedding and reliable PDF export capabilities, ensuring your Arabic text remains perfectly searchable and selectable after conversion.
- 1. Open the document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your source document containing the Arabic text.
- 2. Verify your font: Highlight the text and ensure a compatible font like Arial or Times New Roman is applied from the Home tab.
- 3. Access the PDF export tool: Go to the Menu in the top left corner and select 'Export to PDF'.
- 4. Generate the PDF: Click the 'Export to PDF' button in the dialogue box to generate a PDF where your Arabic text is fully searchable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Simplified Arabic font break during PDF conversion?
Simplified Arabic is historically restricted by Microsoft from being embedded in PDFs. Because the PDF file cannot embed the necessary font data to map the glyphs back to standard text characters, the resulting text becomes unsearchable and cannot be selected.
Does Times New Roman support Arabic text for PDFs?
Yes, Times New Roman contains standard Arabic glyphs and generally allows for unrestricted PDF embedding, making it a reliable and professional choice for creating searchable Arabic PDF documents.
How do I know if a font allows PDF embedding?
You can check font embedding permissions by viewing the font's properties in your operating system's Font viewer. If the embedding rights are listed as 'Restricted License' or 'Print and Preview', you may encounter issues when converting to PDF.
