How to View Full Font Names in Adobe Acrobat DC Pro
Question details
The user wants to find out how to view the complete original font names used in a PDF, rather than the shortened internal names displayed by the software.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat DC Pro
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Inspecting font properties or attempting to edit text in a PDF document where the font identifier is abbreviated.
- Observed behavior
- The Edit PDF tool displays truncated or internal font names (such as "ND" instead of "ND_ArialMT"), making it difficult to identify the actual font family.
Ensure your PDF document is not restricted by security passwords, as this may prevent you from viewing the detailed document properties and font information.
Inspect Font Information via Document Properties
Accessing the document properties is the most accurate way to review the actual embedded fonts and subset names used in your PDF file.
PDF documents often store internal font identifiers and subset names. Because of this, editing tools might display a short internal tag instead of the full font family name. Checking the dedicated Fonts tab will reveal the complete metadata.
Launch Adobe Acrobat DC Pro and open the PDF document you want to inspect.
Click on the 'File' menu in the top left corner and select 'Properties'. Alternatively, press Ctrl+D (Windows) or Cmd+D (Mac).
In the Document Properties dialog box, click on the 'Fonts' tab located at the top.
Look through the list to see the original embedded font names, their font types (e.g., TrueType, Type 1), and their embedding status.
Use WPS Office to Inspect PDF Font Properties Easily
WPS Office includes a lightweight and highly capable PDF editor that lets you quickly check document properties, view embedded fonts, and edit text seamlessly.
- 1. Open WPS Office: Download and install WPS Office, then open your PDF file using the built-in WPS PDF tool.
- 2. Open the Menu: Click on the 'Menu' icon located at the top-left corner of the WPS PDF interface.
- 3. Select Document Properties: Choose 'Document Properties' from the drop-down list to open the metadata window.
- 4. View Font Information: Switch to the 'Fonts' tab to see the comprehensive list of fonts and embedded subsets used in your document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my font name have a 6-letter prefix in the PDF?
When a font is embedded as a subset, PDF software automatically assigns a random 6-character tag followed by a plus sign (e.g., ABCDEF+Arial). This ensures the subset doesn't conflict with the full system font.
Can I edit the text if the font is only an embedded subset?
You can make minor edits using the embedded characters, but if you type a character that isn't included in the subset, the software will substitute it with a default system font.
How do I ensure the full font name is preserved when creating a PDF?
To preserve the full font name, change your export settings in the original authoring program (like Word or InDesign) to embed the entire font rather than a subset. Keep in mind this will increase the final file size.
