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How do I create a PDF from Word (for Mac) that keeps my fonts and internal links?

Explorer ,
Nov 10, 2016 Nov 10, 2016

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I'm using the latest version of Word for Mac (Version 15.27 Office 365) and I need to create PDF versions of some large documents for distribution.  The documents contain internal hyperlinks (from the Table of Contents and Table of Figures to headings and captions), and they use the Futura (TrueType) typeface for headings, since that's the typeface of our corporate logo.

If I use File > Print (from Word for Mac) to produce the PDF, the PDF file keeps the original typefaces, but loses the hyperlinks.

If I use File > Save As ...PDF, I lose either the hyperlinks or the typefaces depending on which option I chose.  (The "Best for Printing" option loses the hyperlinks.  The "Best for electronic distribution..." uses a Microsoft service that converts Futura to Helvetica.  It doesn't use my installed fonts.)

So now I'm using a trial version of Acrobat Pro DC (2015.020.20042).  But it looks like Acrobat can't do what we want either.  When I use Create PDF from File (in Acrobat Pro) to produce the PDF, the PDF keeps the hyperlinks, but converts Futura to Arial! 

Futura is in my Font Book on the Mac.  It's not a relic from an earlier version of the Word file.  I read through all the documentation I could find, and it indicates I should be able to prevent font substitution by embedding the Futura typeface, but I can't find how to do that.  I also don't understand why any font conversion is taking place at all, since Acrobat is supposed to be able to use TrueType fonts.

This is important functionality, so we won't purchase Acrobat Pro if it can't do this. 

I've just started using the Mac, so maybe I'm missing something obvious.  I appreciate any help the community can give me.

Thanks,

Gabrielle

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Explorer ,
Nov 13, 2016 Nov 13, 2016

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I've read some questions here on the forum, and one pointed to page about embedded licenses--it looks like permission to view and print a font doesn't necessarily mean license to embed that font in a PDF. 

So I tried editing some of the Arial headings and changing them to Futura, and I was able to do it -- Futura appeared in the Acrobat font menu and I had no problem replacing the font and saving the file.  So there doesn't appear to be any reason why Acrobat is converting Futura to Arial when it converts my Word document. 

Maybe my question should really be how do I stop Acrobat from converting Futura to Arial?  I obviously need to use Create PDF from File to retain hyperlinks, and it's not practical for me to manually change the fonts in large documents.

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Engaged ,
Nov 13, 2016 Nov 13, 2016

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Gabrielle,

I'm not a bit Mac person - primarily because I have more familiarity with Windoz machines .

Keep in mind that File | SaveAs in a Mac uses the internal Quartz PDF creation engine.  A lot of Mac folks think these PDFs are the best thing since double espresso.  Unfortunately the PDF created by Quartz is about as good as 3-day old over-boiled black coffee.  You know the kind.. it pours like Guinness and tastes like road tar.  Great for etching glass, stripping paint, and cleaning battery terminals .

I doing some digging into this... unfortunately it appears that there are some lingering issues between the recent 64-bit Mac Office 365 and Acrobat DC.  Microsoft upgraded Office to 64-bit - only - on the Mac.  My only suggestion is to make sure that you are on absolutely the most recent version of Office 365 and Acrobat DC.

If it's still not properly working file bug reports with both Adobe and Microsoft.

Sorry, wish I had better news.

Doug

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Explorer ,
Nov 13, 2016 Nov 13, 2016

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Thanks so much for responding.

I tried the Word for Mac "Save As” but that gave me only two options:  “Best for electronic distribution...” or “Best for printing”. 

"Best for printing" ended up being the same as File > Print.  It output the fonts just fine, but stripped out all my internal hyperlinks.  

"Best for electronic distribution” made me sign up for a Microsoft service that did the same thing Acrobat did—it kept the internal links, but substituted fonts — only it swapped Helvetica for Futura instead of Arial.  (When I checked on the Microsoft forum, I was basically told I didn’t have any other options.) 

That’s why I downloaded the trial version of Acrobat Pro DC. I assumed it would use my local fonts.  I also thought it would be configurable--at least the last version of Acrobat I used on the PC was (Acrobat 8).  (I’m also not familiar with the Mac.  I’m a tech writing contractor who's mostly used PCs.  But this job, which I started a month ago, is a Mac shop.  They got me a new MacBook Air, and we're on the Cloud with automatic updates, so I’m assuming I have the latest version of everything.

It sounds like you’re saying Acrobat shouldn’t be substituting fonts and this is a bug.  That's encouraging, sort of.  At least the functionality is supposed to be there.  If it is a bug, it's just in the module that does the conversion, because Acrobat itself recognises Futura.  As I mentioned, if I try to edit the PDF, Futura shows up on the Acrobat Font menu, and I can replace Arial headings with Futura. 

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Explorer ,
Apr 27, 2017 Apr 27, 2017

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I've spent some time talking to Adobe Support and I have answers, if not resolutions, to both problems.

I found out that the "Best for electronic distribution" option has a bug in it -- it should embed Futura, but doesn't.  (A very helpful support person, @Ankur Sharma, did some testing, reproduced the problem, and lodged it as bug #ADC-4212190 (in case anyone else has a similar problem).

The "Best for printing" option--or its equivalent, which uses Distiller, would have worked with the Rich Content .joboption settings, if I had a PC instead of a Mac, because the PC version has settings that keep hyperlinks and bookmarks.  Unfortunately, the Mac version doesn't have these settings, so Ankur kindly lodged a feature request to add this functionality to the Mac (ADC-4210906). 

If any Mac users see this message, please let Adobe know, you want this feature, because nothing will happen unless enough people express an interest.

Gabrielle

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New Here ,
Jun 06, 2018 Jun 06, 2018

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Hi,

Having the exact same issue over one year later so they clearly haven't fixed this. How can I vote for a fix or can anyone from Adobe update on this issue? It is very frustrating.

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Explorer ,
Aug 20, 2018 Aug 20, 2018

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Just had an issue with a printer that didn't like Mac's PDF encoding. (Saving PDF for print from Word)

So I figured out (with help of the guy above), that I need to use the Print menu to save: Print/PDF/Save As Adobe PDF.

The key is to save as the "Adobe" PDF version, as it encodes it differently. I hope this helps others!

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New Here ,
Jul 08, 2020 Jul 08, 2020

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Over 3 years later and I still cant find a solution for this! printing to pdf drops all hyperlinks/flattens the doc, saving for electronic distribution continues to drop our corporate font and saving 'best for printing' drops all hyperlinks/flattens the doc. seems to only be the incorporation with MS online. Adobe- any luck resolving?

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Explorer ,
Aug 20, 2018 Aug 20, 2018

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Just had an issue with a printer that didn't like Mac's PDF encoding. So I figured out (with help of the guy above), that I need to use the Print menu to save: Print/PDF/Save As Adobe PDF.

The key is to save as the "Adobe" PDF version, as it encodes it differently. I hope this helps others!

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New Here ,
Sep 08, 2020 Sep 08, 2020

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Hi, I'm still having the above issue, but with Libre Franklin being converted to Calibri. Any solutions for this yet?

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New Here ,
Sep 22, 2020 Sep 22, 2020

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Hello All. It's Sept 2020 and I AM HAVIING THIS ISSUE....i spent many hours trying to resolve. i called adobe, mac, and microsoft - each numerous times. I hired graphic designers. No one cares and everyone points the finger at the other software provider but no one has a solution. 

 

I think it is a specialized font problem. My special font does not embed when Save as PDF for electronic viewing. My font is not found in the Adobe Fonts. Please send HELP if you can.....

 

Again: 

Print as PDF - loses MS WORD TOC reference hyperlinks, but maintaints the font .

Save as PDF for Print - - loses MS WORD TOC reference hyperlinks, but maintaints the font .

Save as PDF for electronic viewing - saves MS WORD TOC reference hyperlinks, but loses the font .

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Community Expert ,
Sep 22, 2020 Sep 22, 2020

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It's an Apple problem. Not Adobe or Microsoft's.

 

Don't wait for Apple to get around to fixing its Quartz PDF-making module; they have absolutely no incentive to work on this. As someone said, it's 2020, 3 years later on this thread alone (about 20 years total in the PDF-on-Mac world).

 

Why would you expect this to change?

And why would you expect Adobe to be able to fix the problem?

 

In spite of Apple being one of the richest entitites on the entire planet, please have a heart for its directors and stockholders because it's tough for them to find the money to fix this. <you know I'm kidding, right?>

 

Best solution:

Get a cheap Windows machine, outfit it with Word 365 and Acrobat, and export your PDFs seamlessly from there. When you install Acrobat for Windows, it adds the PDF Maker plug-in to all of the Windows MS Office applications. Use that to export your PDFs from Word, PowerPoint, etc.

 

You don't need an expensive Windows computer to do this; pick up a used one at a yard sale. Just make sure it has 8 GB of RAM and Windows 10, and that's about all you need. Or you can run a dual-boot system on your Mac, and export the PDF from a Windows version of Word 365 with Acrobat.

 

Seriously. There probably won't be a solution to this Apple problem during our lifetimes.

 

|    Bevi Chagnon   |  Designer & Technologist for Accessible Documents
|    Classes & Books for Accessible InDesign, PDFs & MS Office |

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Community Beginner ,
May 25, 2021 May 25, 2021

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I have a PC and my co-worker uses a MAC. Since the MAC wont save PDFs right. I use my PC, but  When I open her files it changes the font (even though I have the font installed) and wont export to PDF correctly.  This font crap is so frustrating.

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New Here ,
Nov 16, 2020 Nov 16, 2020

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Hi All,

Now it is already November 2020, 4 years after posting the first message and I am still having the same issue.

When can we expect any action from Adobe / Microsoft?

Thanks,

Frank

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New Here ,
Jun 30, 2021 Jun 30, 2021

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Same here. June 2021, still having this problem. Print - save as adobe pdf creates even more problems.

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Community Beginner ,
Sep 13, 2021 Sep 13, 2021

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Sept 2021 still having the same issues on Mac!!! 

ADOBE PLEASE FIX THIS!!

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Community Beginner ,
Sep 30, 2021 Sep 30, 2021

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Might have solved! 

 

For 365/OneDrive users, export the .docx to OneDrive as a PDF. Then log into your drive and download the PDF. Fonts AND hyperlinks/bookmarks were all preserved. I'm running the latest Creative Cloud, Office, and MacOS (Oct 2021). Good luck!!!

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New Here ,
Feb 07, 2022 Feb 07, 2022

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As of early February 2022, the above did not work for me but what did was abandoning the idea that I could save the fonts AND the links. I knew the fonts were more important so I did the print, the Save As..." as an Adobe Acrobat PDF (important to have it installed from your Creative Cloud app). Since I only had three hyperlinks in my Word Doc, I decided to manually re-insert each weblink which was annoying and a bit time consuming but ultimately worth it. 

However, with a document with many links, this task would be really time consuming and I wish there were a better solution.

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Community Expert ,
Oct 01, 2021 Oct 01, 2021

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This is not possible to keep fonts and internal links from Word to PDF with a Mac, you must use the online converter:

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/acrobat/word-to-pdf/

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New Here ,
Jun 04, 2022 Jun 04, 2022

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This web does not keep the fonts

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New Here ,
Jul 07, 2022 Jul 07, 2022

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Yes, I'm having the same issue as well.

 

Adobe, please resolve this and let Mac users save a pdf that retains the font (Avenir in my case) and retains the hyperlinks. 

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Community Expert ,
Jul 08, 2022 Jul 08, 2022

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LATEST

It was Apple that banned virtual printers other than its own, which relies on MacOS PDF Services.
Adobe is not responsible: it works fine on Windows.

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