How to Fix PDF Text Appearing as Symbols When Editing
Question details
The user needs to read and edit a PDF file but encounters an issue where the text displays as unreadable symbols, squares, or gibberish instead of normal characters.
- Product
- PDF Editor
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Opening or attempting to edit a downloaded or converted PDF document.
- Observed behavior
- The document displays strange symbols instead of readable text. This prevents the user from understanding or accurately modifying the PDF content.
Before attempting complex fixes, try opening the PDF file in a standard web browser like Chrome or Edge. If the text displays normally there, the issue is likely with your PDF editor's local font library rather than a corrupted file.
Use the 'Print to PDF' Feature to Re-encode the File
Printing the problematic file to a new PDF can often bypass font embedding errors and generate a clean document with properly rendered text.
When a PDF's text layer has broken encoding or missing embedded fonts, the operating system struggles to display the characters. By using the 'Print to PDF' virtual printer, you force the system to flatten the current readable layout into a brand new PDF file.
Right-click the problematic PDF file, hover over 'Open with', and select Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Safari.
Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to open the browser's print menu.
In the 'Destination' or 'Printer' drop-down menu, select 'Save as PDF' or 'Microsoft Print to PDF'.
Click 'Save', choose a new location on your computer, and then open this newly created PDF in your PDF editor to check if the symbols are gone.
Change the Font of the Garbled Text
If you are able to select the gibberish text in your PDF editor, simply changing the font to a standard system font can instantly restore readability.
Contact Support with File Details
If the file was generated by a specific software and remains completely corrupted, you may need to escalate the issue to the software's support team.
Read and Edit PDFs Flawlessly with WPS Office
WPS Office offers a powerful PDF editor equipped with broad font compatibility and advanced OCR technology. If your PDF text is hopelessly garbled due to encoding errors, WPS PDF can intelligently extract and rebuild the text for you.
- 1. Install WPS Office: Download and install WPS Office, then open your problematic PDF file using WPS PDF.
- 2. Attempt Direct Editing: Click the 'Edit' tab. If the text displays correctly in WPS, you can immediately begin making changes.
- 3. Use OCR for Corrupted Encoding: If the text still appears as symbols, go to the 'Tools' tab and select 'OCR'.
- 4. Extract the Text: Run the OCR tool to bypass the broken internal encoding, allowing the software to visually read the text and convert it back into editable characters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my PDF text look like weird symbols or squares?
This usually happens when the creator of the PDF failed to embed the necessary fonts into the document, or there was a text encoding error when the file was converted to PDF. Your device substitutes missing fonts, which can result in unreadable symbols.
Will converting the PDF to a Word document fix the gibberish text?
It depends. If the text layer is fundamentally corrupted, a standard conversion to Word might just transfer the symbols over. However, if you use a converter with an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) feature, it will visually read the document and accurately recreate the text in Word.
How can I check which fonts are missing in my PDF?
In most PDF readers, you can go to 'File' > 'Properties' and look for a 'Fonts' tab. This will list all the fonts the document is trying to use. If a font does not say 'Embedded' or 'Embedded Subset' next to it, and you don't have it installed on your computer, it might be the cause of the display issue.
Can I permanently fix the PDF so it opens correctly for others?
Yes. Once you restore the text readability (for example, by changing the font to Arial or using the Print to PDF trick), save the document as a new PDF. Make sure your PDF editor is set to 'Embed fonts' in its save preferences so the issue doesn't happen to the next recipient.
