PDF Conversion Issues

How to Fix Extra Characters and Preserve Page Size When Exporting Publisher to PDF

Rana Garcia Oct 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where exporting a Publisher document to PDF introduces an unwanted bold character and alters the page size from 6x9 to 8.5x11 inches.

How to Fix Extra Characters and Preserve Page Size When Exporting Publisher to PDF

Product: Microsoft Publisher
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Exporting a custom-sized document from Publisher to PDF format for printing or sharing.
Observed behavior: The resulting PDF contains a bold character not visible in the source file, and the document page size incorrectly defaults to 8.5x11 inches instead of preserving the original 6x9 inches.

Before you start

Ensure your PDF converter drivers are up to date, and save a backup copy of your original Publisher file before modifying fonts or layout settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Adjust Font Properties and PDF Export Settings

Address corrupted fonts causing phantom characters and force the PDF exporter to respect the original custom page dimensions.

Phantom characters in exported PDFs often stem from corrupted fonts or rendering glitches during the conversion process. Additionally, generic PDF printers may default to standard Letter size unless explicitly told to preserve the document's custom dimensions.

Verify and Replace Fonts

Select the text in your Publisher document and temporarily change the font to a universally supported system font (like Arial or Calibri). Export the file to see if the extra character disappears, indicating a corrupted original font.

Check for Hidden Objects

Use the 'Select Objects' tool or view the document in Master Page mode to ensure there are no hidden text boxes or stray characters hiding in the background.

Use Built-in PDF Export

Instead of using the 'Print to PDF' virtual printer, navigate to File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document. Publisher's native export method often retains layout fidelity and font rendering better than third-party virtual printers.

Configure Publish Options

Before clicking Publish in the Save dialog, click the 'Options' button. Ensure that the Print Options or Page Setup are explicitly set to match your exact 6 by 9 inch dimensions rather than defaulting to standard sizes.

Adjust Font Properties and PDF Export Settings

Tip: If you must use a virtual PDF printer, check the 'Printer Properties' within the Print dialog and manually add a custom 6x9 inch paper size before converting.

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Create and Export Custom Layouts Seamlessly with WPS Office

If you frequently encounter layout and font rendering issues with desktop publishing tools, consider switching to WPS Office. WPS Writer offers robust page layout tools—perfect for designing custom-sized books or flyers—with a reliable built-in PDF export feature that preserves your exact formatting without injecting phantom characters.

1. Set Custom Dimensions: Open WPS Writer, go to the Page Layout tab, click Size > More Paper Sizes, and enter your custom 6x9 inch dimensions.
2. Design Your Document: Utilize WPS Writer's text boxes, image insertion tools, and typography settings to design your layout.
3. Export to PDF: Navigate to Menu > Export to PDF. The built-in converter will perfectly preserve your 6x9 layout without any unwanted layout shifts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my PDF export show a different page size than my document?

When using the 'Print to PDF' feature, the virtual printer often defaults to standard paper sizes like Letter (8.5x11 inches) or A4. To fix this, you must explicitly set the custom paper size in the printer properties or use the software's native 'Export to PDF' feature which honors the document's original size.

What causes random or unreadable characters to appear in an exported PDF?

Phantom or garbled characters usually occur due to missing, unsupported, or corrupted fonts on your system. Ensuring that fonts are embedded during the export process or switching to standard web-safe fonts typically resolves this issue.

Can I open and edit a Microsoft Publisher (.pub) file in WPS Office?

WPS Office does not natively support the proprietary .pub file format. However, you can export your Publisher file to a PDF or a standard Word format (.docx), which can then be seamlessly opened, viewed, and edited in WPS Office.

PDF Troubleshooting