How to Fix Capital S Appearing as B When Editing a PDF
Question details
Typing an uppercase 'S' incorrectly produces the letter 'B' when attempting to edit or create text within a PDF document.
- Product
- PDF Editor
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Editing existing text or typing new content into a PDF document.
- Observed behavior
- Instead of the intended uppercase 'S', the letter 'B' is displayed on the screen.
Test editing a different PDF file to determine if the issue is specific to a single document, and check if the current document was created from a scan or a Word file.
Change the Selected Font
Switching to a fully installed, standard system font resolves incorrect character mapping caused by missing or unembedded fonts in the PDF.
PDF documents often rely on embedded fonts to display text correctly. If the original font used in the document is missing from your system or was not embedded properly during creation, the PDF editor will substitute it. This substitution can cause character mapping errors, resulting in the wrong letters appearing when you type.
Click into the text box where you are experiencing the typing error to highlight the text.
Locate the text formatting toolbar in your PDF editor and click the font drop-down menu.
Select a common, universally installed system font such as Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri.
Type the uppercase 'S' again to verify that the correct letter now appears.
Repair and Update Your PDF Software
Fixes underlying software corruption or known bugs in the PDF editor installation.
Edit PDF Text Accurately with WPS Office
Avoid font substitution errors and corrupted text formatting by using WPS Office. Its powerful PDF editor ensures that exactly what you type is what appears on the page, with seamless font management.
- 1. Open your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open the PDF document you need to edit.
- 2. Enter Edit Mode: Navigate to the 'Edit' tab at the top of the screen and click on the 'Edit Text' button.
- 3. Modify the text: Click on any text block and use the formatting panel to adjust fonts. Type your text accurately without mapping errors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my PDF editor substitute fonts automatically?
If the specific font used to create the original document is not installed on your computer and wasn't embedded into the PDF file, the editor attempts to substitute it with the closest match available. This process can sometimes map characters incorrectly, causing the wrong letters to appear when typing.
How can I check if a PDF has embedded fonts?
You can usually check this by opening the PDF, going to 'File' > 'Properties' (or 'Document Properties'), and clicking on the 'Fonts' tab. This will display a list of all the fonts used in the document and indicate whether they are embedded.
Will recreating the PDF fix text editing errors?
Yes. If the PDF was corrupted during its initial export, returning to the original source file (such as a Microsoft Word document) and exporting it again as a PDF—while ensuring the 'Embed fonts' option is checked—can completely resolve text input bugs.
