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imjimjim
Participating Frequently
November 18, 2011
Question

Missing Fonts in my inDesign file...

  • November 18, 2011
  • 5 replies
  • 64541 views

Just recently completed an inDesign file, but it is telling me it has missing fonts.  The file was originally started in CS4 by a coworker and completed by me in CS5.  I'm confused because the fonts show up in the file, but still are classified as missing.  I tried to send this file to print, but they could not print it because of the missing fonts.  If anyone could help me out, you would be doing me a huge favor.  Thanks everyone and have a great day. 

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5 replies

P
Precise_Formwork
Inspiring
January 27, 2015

How do you install fonts for the whole Adobe package; Indesign, Illustrator, Fireworks etc?

I'm getting errors saying Arial Bold's not available; though it is! Very peculiar.

Peter Spier
Community Expert
Peter SpierCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 27, 2015

OS? Where is Arial installed now?

B
Bo_LeBeau
Participating Frequently
November 18, 2011

Did your coworker provide you with the missing font? You will need it before going any further.

Open up a Finder window in Column View.

Select your hard drive icon in the sidebar.

Select Library,

Select Fonts. Drag your fonts into this folder.

It's best to close InDesign and reopen to get InDesign to recognize the new fonts. This may take awhile for InDesign to rebuild the font menu list.

Occasionally, a font won't show up correctly when placed in the default font folder. Also some fonts may not show up alphabetically in the font list. Scroll to the bottom of the list to see if it was placed there.

If the font is missing MIA. Go your InDesign CS5 folder. There is a Font folder installed there, place the problem font in this folder and InDesign should be able to see the font.

Only use this special font folder for problem fonts. Do NOT place all your fonts in there.

Fonts in this folder will ONLY be available to InDesign CS5, not Photoshop, Illustrator, Word or any other application on your computer.

They also won't be seen by any other version of InDesign. ex. InDesign CS4 or if you update to InDesign CS6 sometime in the future.

When reopening your file InDesign should find the missing font.

Jongware is right, if you were working with a substitute font, you need to check your pages to ensure the font is used everywhere it was originally intended.

Also not a good idea to turn off the Font Substitution pink highlighting; of all the composition highlight warnings this is probably the most important.

    I
    imjimjimAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    November 18, 2011

    I understand how to get the fonts to work and I just received the Helvetica font's from him and got those working but the Berthold Akzidenz Grotesk aren't working. They can in a file with a strange icon (a grey box with green letters that spelled out "exec"). When I "find first" to see where the missing font is located, its on the first and second pages and it is the background graphics, which I think an outside party designed. If I can't get the Berthold fonts to work, what should I do next? Thanks for your help.

    Peter Spier
    Community Expert
    Peter SpierCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 18, 2011

    Sounds like some sort of compressed archive, maybe. Can you post a screen shot of the icon? What's the full name, including extension if there is one, of the file?

    I
    imjimjimAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    November 18, 2011

    Anyone??

    Jongware
    Community Expert
    JongwareCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 18, 2011

    imjimjim wrote:

    I'm confused because the fonts show up in the file, but still are classified as missing.

    In Normal view (so not Preview), are they indicated by a glaringly obvious pinkish background? Are they listed as "Missing" in Find Font? It's also possible you found the pink highlight annoying and switched off "Highlight: Substitute Fonts" in your preferences.

    If you are used to working exclusively in Preview mode, you will miss out all of InDesign's visual warnings for problems like these, right up until you are trying to export or print it.

      I
      imjimjimAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      November 18, 2011

      Yes they did show up highlighted pink and yes I did turn off the highlight option.  They also show up missing in find font...

      BobLevine
      Community Expert
      BobLevineCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      November 18, 2011

      Did you try the Type > Find Font command?

      Bob

      I
      imjimjimAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      November 18, 2011

      Bob

      Yes I did that but it just lists the fonts that are missing.  I know I can go in and "find first" and then "change all" but I'd like to keep the original font being used. 

      Jongware
      Community Expert
      JongwareCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      November 18, 2011

      imjimjim wrote:

      ..I'd like to keep the original font being used.

      If the font is missing because you don't have it installed on your system, then don't use the Find Font function but find the font and install it. Problem solved.

      If you have been working for a while with the substitute font, you might want to check all of your pages.

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