Embedding fonts on a PDF HELP!

[L011ip0p]

Hi,

I have a PDF file for a book manuscript, but when uploading to the printers, I have an error of one font not being embedded in the file.

I cannot for the life of me fix it... I have Acrobat (I'm on an iMac) but all my googleing tells me to use the 'print to PDF' option which isn't there?! Do I have to pay to be able to use that?

If so, is there any other way??

Thanks

[Tariq Ahmad]

Hi @L011ip0p,

I understand how frustrating this can be, especially when everything looks perfect until the printer flags a missing font. Let’s clarify what’s happening and how you can fix it.

The message you’re seeing means one or more fonts used in your file weren’t embedded into the PDF when it was originally created. This can happen depending on how the file was exported or which app created it.

If you’re using Acrobat on macOS, the “Print to PDF” option you might see in Windows isn’t the same on a Mac — it doesn’t re-embed fonts, and macOS limits that workflow for security reasons. But you can fix the issue with one of these options:

1. Check the font embedding status:

• Open the PDF in Acrobat.

• Go to File > Properties > Fonts tab.

• Any font that says “Embedded” or “Embedded Subset” is fine; the missing one will show as embedded.

2. To fix it:

• If you have access to the source file (for example, in Word, InDesign, or Illustrator), re-export it as a PDF using the “High Quality Print” or “Press Quality” preset — these ensure all fonts are embedded.

• • Go to Tools → Print Production → Preflight

  • Search for “Embed missing fonts”

  • Run that fixup profile and save the new file.

    If you only have the PDF, you can use Acrobat Pro’s Preflight tool:

3. No need to pay extra for “Print to PDF.”

What you actually need is Acrobat Pro’s Preflight feature (included with your Acrobat Pro subscription). That’s the proper and printer-safe way to embed missing fonts.

If the font isn’t installed on your system at all, you’ll need to install it first; Acrobat can’t embed what it can’t access.

Here’s Adobe’s guide for reference: 🔗 Embed fonts in PDFs using Acrobat

Best regards,
Tariq | Adobe Community Team