Embedding Fonts in Microsoft Word Documents in Windows
The fonts you use in a document determine how that document appears when viewed or printed. If you share your documents with others and they don't have the same fonts on their system, Microsoft Word will substitute your font with another. This affects the layout and formatting of the document, so the number of pages might not be the same as the original and line and page breaks will not be where you intended them to be. The worst thing that could happen is that your text may be unreadable with symbols and boxes substituting characters.
Microsoft Word allows you to embed fonts in your document, however, the fonts must be TrueType fonts and available for embedding. To identify the type of font, whether it is Postscript, Open Type or TrueType, just right click on the font file located in the Fonts folder in the Control Panel and select Properties.
Figuring out if a font is embeddable is another issue. There are four permissions of font embeddability – installable, editable, print/preview and restricted.
• Installable - Allows fonts to be embedded in the document and installed permanently in the computer.
• Editable - Allows fonts to be embedded in the document but only installs fonts temporarily in the system.
• Print and Preview Only - Allows fonts to be embedded in the document but only installs fonts temporarily in the system for printing purposes.
• Restricted - Font cannot be embedded in a document.
So how do you find out if a font is embeddable? In Windows 7, you could just right-click on the font file, select Properties then go to the Details tab.
The tool updates Windows so it displays more information when you right-click on a font file and choose Properties. Embedding is one of the tabs added in the font properties. Once you know that a font can be embedded, you need to instruct Word to do the actual embedding.
In Microsoft Word versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003
1. Choose Options from the Tools menu. Word displays the Options dialog box.
2. Click the Save tab and put a check next to Embed TrueType Fonts
3. If you will be using a small number of characters or symbols in a particular font, choose the Embed Characters In Use Only check box as well
4. Click on OK.
In Microsoft Word version 2007 | 2010
1. In Outlook 2010, click the File tab and go to Options. In Word 2007, click the Office button and then click Word Options.
2. At the left of the dialog box click Save.
3. Make sure the Embed Fonts In the File check box is selected.
4. If you will be using a small number of characters or symbols in a particular font, choose the Embed Only the Characters Used in the Document check box
5. Click on OK.
In Microsoft Word version 2013
- Select File and go to the tab called Options
- Go to the save tab
- Check "Embed Fonts in the file"
- Click Save
You should know that when you embed a font, the size of your document can increase significantly.
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