Problem fonts on epubs

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We're working with the latest version of InDesign and have noticed that fonts packaged from InDesign are exported to epub files but don't display correctly on Kindle e-readers. We've tried replacing the packaged fonts with both licensed and free fonts, without obfuscation. We've found that the fonts become corrupted and invisible on e-readers after being packaged by InDesign. The only solution is to replace the fonts with the non-packaged ones, which can be downloaded again from Google Fonts. Is there an InDesign solution that avoids having to replace them again?

nik.m

Community Manager

Hi @Vicky33, just wanted to follow up on this conversation and check whether you were able to try the steps suggested by my colleague Abhishek. Are you still experiencing the same behavior?

If you haven’t tested the app using those steps yet, please do so and let us know how it goes.

Thanks,
Nikunj

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Vicky33Author

Participant

Answered. Thanks!

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Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @Vicky33, thanks for reaching out, and I’m sorry you’re running into this with your EPUB workflow.

Could you please confirm the exact InDesign version, operating system/version, and whether you’re exporting a Fixed Layout or Reflowable EPUB?

As an initial test, please bypass the packaged font files and use a fresh copy of one of the affected Google Fonts. Install the font normally, create a simple one-page InDesign document using it, and export directly via File > Export > EPUB, with Include Embeddable Fonts enabled where applicable. You can refer to Adobe’s documentation here: EPUB export options in InDesign.

Please test the resulting EPUB in Kindle Previewer/your Kindle and, if possible, another EPUB reader. If the fresh font works but the copy collected through File > Package does not, that comparison will help us narrow down where the issue is occurring.

If possible, please also share a small sample INDD, the original font file, the packaged copy of the same font, and the resulting EPUB for us to investigate. You can upload them to any public cloud-sharing service and share a downloadable link here or send it to me via DM if the files are confidential.

Thanks,
Abhishek

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Vicky33Author

Participant

Thank you for your response. I've been testing it further and I see that it happens with some fonts, not all. I had previously tested that as long as I can download the original fonts from, for example, Google Fonts and replace them, they then display correctly on Kindle. The same is true if they are obfuscated. But when a client sends me a packaged font and I have to work with it without replacing or encrypting it, it doesn't display correctly on Kindle. Another person on my team is experiencing the same issue. We are exporting fixed epubs from Adobe InDesign 21.5.1 x64 on PC. I should clarify that in other applications like Thorium or Google Play Books, all the fonts in the same epub display correctly. The problem is only on Kindle. I've attached a link to a sample I put together where some fonts display correctly and others don't, leaving the page or a blank space on the Kindle e-reader (photos attached). I would appreciate it if you could take a look and provide feedback afterward. Regards.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KoQpywMFocsuAh20zriMFuFpM-PqAAck/view?usp=sharing

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