Issue with font variables in InDesign

[Daphne5C68]

Hello!

I am using the Google font Karla in my indd document, however all of the font variables are converting to Italic for some reason. For example, I am trying to use Karla Light for my body text, but indd is converting it to Karla Italic. I have tried creating a Paragraph Style with Karla Light, making sure Character Style is on "None", removed and reinstalled the font from my desktop, removed and reinstalled the font from the Document Fonts folder, etc. I do not have this issue with the font on Illustrator or Photoshop, so I believe it might be an InDesign issue.

Here is what I see on my screen:

The font variables are showing up in the Character panel but are converted to Italic in the Type tab. This issue is unique to the current document I am working on right now. I tested this font on another document and all the font variables are displaying correctly.

I appreciate any ideas on what could be causing this!!

[Daphne5C68 · Accepted solution]

Figured it out! Had to delete the entire Document Fonts folder from the package and it fixed itself 🙂

[Sarah28173018lpz1]

Thanks so much for posting this solution! My company's brand font is Karla and this was driving me nuts. Deleting the  entire Document Fonts folder from the package worked like a charm!

[laura@orano]

i have issues with the google font Big Shoulders Display, which is now part of my company's branding--and it shows up as thin in InDesign even when other widths are used (or sometimes a random letter in the middle of a word will show the right width, usually a letter with no curves). When PDF'd it looks correct, but it's hard to design around it when you can't see what it looks like. 

do you have to package the file so you can then delete the document fonts folder, or is there another way to shortcut the packaging part?

[leo.r]

laura@orano : if you're using InDesign 2024 then it's a known bug reported by several users. as far as I understand, the only solution is to revert to InDesign 2023 (you can re-install it from the Creative Cloud app, if needed).

[Laubender]

Hi Daphne,

well, you solved your issue with the Karla font on your machine.

I wonder how you installed the font after you trashed the Document fonts folder?

And what did that Document fonts folder contain? How many styles of that Karla font?

Maybe some styles in that Document fonts folder blocked other styles that were installed in a different way?

Thanks,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Abi.holcombe]

Just had exactly the same issue. Was using variable weight of Karla in both regular and italic within the document and it kept trying to change everything to italic after packaging the file! Deleting the package of fonts fixed the issue. Weird glitch.

[scottc21012333]

How/where do we delete the font package? Thanks.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

How/where do we delete the font package? Thanks.

By scottc21012333

Fonts could be in:

1) Document fonts folder - next to the INDD file,

2) Adobe Fonts folder,

3) system Fonts folder.

Also, font management apps can control where those fonts are located and when / how will be installed / activated.

[Laubender]

Hi @scottc21012333 ,

I'm not sure what happened, but as far as I can imagine the InDesign document was packaged ( File > Package) that created a Document fonts folder that holds all used font files that Adobe allows to copy.

See: https://www.adobe.com/de/learn/indesign/web/save-share-projects?locale=de&learnIn=1

Assumptions:

Then all installed Karla styles were removed from the system and instead the Karla font family was activated from the Adobe Fonts service.

Abi.holcombe then, so I also assume, decided to delete the Karla font files from the Document fonts folder of the packaged InDesign document.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[Melissa28342575hwnn]

OMG, this has plagued me for a year now, as Karla is the brand font for one of my clients. I can't believe I just found your post. It worked like a charm. Thank you!