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meredith.e.hudson
Participant
July 25, 2025
Question

Font issue

  • July 25, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 482 views

My entire team and myself have recently encountered an issue with fonts - here is an example. I have a file that I saved in January (always running auto updates, by the way). This file uses DM Sans Bold, which is installed on my computer. It is also available via Adobe Fonts, but I have had a copy installed on my machine for at least 2 years.

It used to appear in the Character window as

  • Font Family: DM Sans
  • Font Style: Bold

 

When opening this file from January, there is no missing font warning, but the type using that font looks incorrect. When I click on the type, the font shows up as

  • Font Family: DMSans 36pt Bold*
  • Font Style: Bold

and has the diamond on the far right like a missing font would. No matter if I have the fonts installed or am using the Adobe Fonts version, the font still shows up with the wrong font name and without a warning.

 

In other files, I have experienced fonts just outright changing with no warnings.

 

Working in regulated packaging - this is a scary issue to be having. I also downloaded Beta 29.8 - same issue. I've been working with these same files for years - why would this change?

    3 replies

    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Community Expert
    Mike_Gondek10189183Community Expert
    Community Expert
    July 25, 2025

    Hi Meredith,

     

    I would have everyone install the font the exact same way, and get rid of the other version completely. Even though the name is the same. the FOND ID is likely different. The FOND ID is a social security number for fonts. So even though the names are similar, consider them to be 2 entirely different fonts (like identical twins, but they are not the same person). 2 options I know of are:

    • using fonts.adobe.com
    • installing from google fonts

    This is a free font from Google fonts, and they did some strange things of making 3 versions of the fonts without any explanation. 

     

    I do not like this having 4 groups for the same fonts. It clutters and lengthens your fonts menu without any explanation. There is font hinting and such to not have a need for fonts design at specific sizes, so the creator of DM Sans has created a font that causes more confusion and problems untles you all install the same fonts. Get rid of the extra one you do not need, like a virus, it will just cause you all repeated troubles.

     

     

    Jeremy,

     

    You should probably start your own post as your probelm is with different fonts. Thanks for screen shots, but could not follow what you started with and ended up with. 

     

      B
      Community Expert
      Bobby HendersonCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 26, 2025

      I've tried testing DM Sans on my notebook at home (still running Win 10 Pro). First I tried the static versions of DM Sans available at Adobe Fonts. Then I downloaded/installed the variable version from Google Fonts. I can't replicate the missing fonts issue on my computer system. But that doesn't cancel out the possibility there could be bugs in the font files.

      It's an excellent suggestion to make sure everyone using DM Sans is adding/installing it from the same exact source. Font files get updated from time to time. If one person is using a certain build of DM Sans on their computer and then another person has a newer build of the font files it's likely font substitution issues will occur when exchanging documents with text objects styled in that typeface. The fact there are both variable and static versions of DM Sans available also complicates the issue.

      J
      Jeremy28121925wk2l
      Participating Frequently
      July 25, 2025

      I've also had this issue on more than ten occasions using Illustrator v29.6.1. When opening a file, some fonts will be changed to Myriad Pro with no indication (other than appearance) that there are missing fonts or that font substitution has occurred. Myriad Pro is the [Normal Character Style], and I can see that it's applied that style with overrides for size and weight (at least). The strangest part is that it's not always every instance of the same font. Sometimes, only a single type block will be substituted; sometimes, only a single weight; and sometimes, a whole font family will be substituted. Closing the file without saving, restarting the computer, and reopening the file does not fix the issue. Our workflow requires saving Illustrator files and PDFs with outlined type for deliverables. This provides a good paper trail showing that fonts were correct when the file was last saved.

      I've seen this with Trade Gothic LT Std and Bison.

      Now that I know it's not just my system being uniquely buggy, I'll start collecting screenshots.

      J
      Jeremy28121925wk2l
      Participating Frequently
      July 25, 2025

      OK. Here are screenshots with a slight variation on this theme. In this case, the default character style is coming from the dieline created by the factory. I canceled out of the warning in the first screenshot, went to the Find/Replace Font menu item, and the Find/Replace dialog says there are no missing fonts. I scrolled down--Nope, nothing in the list. Since there isn't a font to substitute in the list of document fonts, each instance of the messed up font has to be changed individually, and it is very easy to miss some, especially if there are single characters, like numbered call-outs.

       


      Abhishek Rao
      Community Manager
      Abhishek RaoCommunity Manager
      Community Manager
      July 25, 2025

      Hi @meredith.e.hudson,

       

      Thanks for flagging this. I completely understand how frustrating font inconsistencies can be. Just to check, do you also have DM Sans activated from Adobe Fonts, in addition to the installed version?

      Try going to the Creative Cloud desktop app and deactivate DM Sans if it's active there. Then restart Illustrator to see if your system-installed version loads correctly. Also, please confirm your OS version and whether this issue happens only with older files or in new ones too.

      It may also help to sign out and back into the Creative Cloud app. If the issue persists, try clearing your font cache using the steps here: Troubleshoot fonts in Illustrator and InDesign

      Let me know how it goes or if you're still seeing the diamond icon. A screenshot would also be helpful.

       

      Looking forward to your update.

       
      Abhishek 
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