Skip to main content
caseyk66381946
Inspiring
April 29, 2019
Answered

InDesign packaging not packaging fonts folder after Windows 10 upgrade

  • April 29, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 11973 views

My office is currently undergoing updates on our computers. Several years ago we purchased the licenses for helvetica font.  Our IT department had to wipe our computers clean as well as updating to Windows 10, so in turn we had to reinstall all our adobe programs and fonts. I tried to package a couple files for the first time since our update and the packages will not package the document fonts folder. This is not only for helvetica fonts, but for all fonts we use. These include fonts from dafont.com, paid for fonts, and other fonts that came with the computer. BTW I am using Adobe Creative Cloud, so we are on the most current Adobe programs there are available. I have tried to package in both InDesign and Illustrator, neither work. My co-worker is experiencing the same issue.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Dov Isaacs

Are those fonts fully installed in Windows or did you use a shortcut to them? If a shortcut, make sure it's installed in the Windows fonts folder.


The combination of Windows and any Adobe application does not require that fonts be installed in the Windows fonts directory. The vast majority of the fonts I use (i.e., any fonts other than those installed by Windows or Office applications) are installed as links.

That having been said, further questions since it isn't quite clear what you are actually experiencing.

Taking “packaging” out of the equation, when editing the document itself in InDesign, are you having any problems accessing the fonts? If so, it isn't a packaging issue.

The fact that the packaging dialog is referring to “incomplete fonts” is the red flag here. It is indicative of something (I don't know what) wrong with how they were installed.

My recommendation would be to fully remove those Helvetica fonts from your system (as well as the Minion font that also seems to have the same issue) and reinstall them from scratch. Install the fonts from your source by right-clicking on the font file and selecting either Install for All Users (this puts a copy in C:\Windows\fonts) or Install as Shortcut for All Users (no copy placed in the Windows font directory). Do Not use the Install option, a new feature of a recent Windows 10 versions which only makes the font visible to the user installing the font. That type of font installation may be the problem, at least with Adobe applications.

          - Dov

UPDATE — Confirming that this is a packaging bug in InDesign affecting fonts installed only for the current user. It has been reported as bug ID-4213695. As recommended above, this bug is totally avoided by installing fonts by right-clicking on the font file and selecting either Install for All Users (this puts a copy in C:\Windows\fonts) or Install as Shortcut for All Users (no copy placed in the Windows font directory). Do Not use the Install option, a new feature of a recent Windows 10 versions which only makes the font visible to the user installing the font. We do not know whether this affects any other Adobe applications such as Illustrator. It does not affect Acrobat!

SECOND UPDATE – The problem also occurs with Adobe Illustrator. Same workaround applies. A bug as been reported against Illustrator!

1 reply

BobLevine
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 29, 2019

Is the folder being created? Did you select it? Do you get the typical licensing alert when packaging?

caseyk66381946
Inspiring
April 29, 2019

The package folder is being created. The links folder is being created. The documents folder is NOT being created. Yes, the typical message. I screen shot it.

BobLevine
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 29, 2019

This is the InDesign forum. That's an Illustrator alert.