How to Fix Ligature Characters Like "st" When Converting Web to PDF
Question details
The user wants to prevent or correct the "st" letter combination from changing into a typographic ligature ("st") during a web-to-PDF conversion.
- Product
- PDF Editor / Web Browser
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Converting a webpage with specific fonts into a PDF document.
- Observed behavior
- The letters "s" and "t" merge into the single typographic ligature character "st" in the resulting PDF file.
Ensure you have a capable PDF editing program installed to make text modifications, and try to identify which specific font on the original webpage is causing the ligature issue.
Change the Browser or Web Page Font
Prevent ligatures during the initial conversion stage by using a different browser or adjusting the web font.
Different web browsers use different rendering engines when printing or saving a webpage to PDF. Switching to an alternative browser can sometimes prevent ligatures from generating.
Alternatively, if you have access to modify the page or use developer tools, changing the font temporarily can eliminate the ligature entirely.
Open the affected webpage in a different web browser, such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Mozilla Firefox.
Use the browser's built-in "Print to PDF" or "Save as PDF" feature to see if the ligatures still appear in the new document.
If the issue persists, you can use the browser's developer tools (F12) to inspect the text and temporarily change the CSS font-family to a standard font like "Noto Sans" or "Noto Serif" before saving.
Manually Edit the PDF Text
Use a PDF editor to manually replace the incorrect ligature characters after the conversion is done.
Fix PDF Formatting and Ligatures with WPS Office
WPS Office provides a powerful PDF editing suite that allows you to directly modify text, change fonts, and correct unwanted ligatures in your converted PDF documents effortlessly.
- 1. Open your file: Launch WPS Office and open the PDF containing the ligature issues.
- 2. Enter Edit Mode: Navigate to the "Edit" tab on the top ribbon and click on "Edit Text".
- 3. Select the incorrect character: Click on the text block and highlight the unwanted ligature (e.g., "st").
- 4. Correct the text: Type the correct "s" and "t" characters, adjust the font style if necessary, and save your document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do the letters "s" and "t" combine into one character when making a PDF?
This happens because of typographic ligatures, a design feature in certain fonts where specific letter combinations are joined for aesthetic purposes. When converting to PDF, the rendering engine may automatically apply these ligatures based on the original font's properties.
Can I turn off ligatures in my browser before converting a webpage to PDF?
Yes. If you use browser developer tools (usually accessed by pressing F12), you can inject a CSS rule like 'font-variant-ligatures: none;' into the webpage's body style before printing or saving as PDF to prevent the characters from merging.
Does changing the font fix ligature issues in a PDF?
Yes. Switching the text font to standard, web-safe fonts like Noto Sans, Arial, or Noto Serif usually resolves the issue. These standard fonts often do not enforce complex ligatures, allowing the PDF rendering tool to process the letters individually.
Why can't I edit the ligature text in my default PDF reader?
Standard PDF readers are designed primarily for viewing documents and applying basic annotations. To alter the actual text content and replace ligatures, you must use a dedicated PDF editing application that supports full text manipulation.
