Embedding fonts in PDF from InDesign

[jay fresno]

I would like to know BEFORE creating a PDF from InDesign whether I have used a font that can not be embedded.

Is there a way to check before creating a PDF if a font is not embeddable? 

Is there a way to know before purchasing a font if it can be embedded?

[Randy Hagan]

It won't be universal, but you can get a significant amount of insight about font usage (and links/graphics too — though that's not relevant in this case) by "Packaging" your InDesign document before creating your PDF.

Just use the File>Package... menu command to have InDesign take inventory of your document file and give you the lowdown on the elements within it. You don't havce to actually package the document file; you can always hit the Cancel button when you get the information you're looking for. And I find this often gives me insight into elements you can't get from InDesign Live Preflight because it's targeted at finding problems instead of just differences.

Hope this helps,

Randy

[John Mensinger]

"Is there a way to know before purchasing . . . ?"

Check the EULA.

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com · Accepted solution]

Following up on Randy's suggestion, when you run the Package utility, look for "No" in the protected column. Protected fonts can't be embedded, so "No" = yes, you can embed them.

The report from InDesign's Package utility.

Yes, you can learn this info about a font before purchasing (or activating in Adobe Fonts/TypeKit) by checking the end-user license agreement (EULA) and other information on the font foundry's website.

You can check your existing fonts by either viewing them in a font management program (shown in Linotype's Font Explorer in the screen capture below), or by clicking on the font file's "Information" wherever your fonts are stored on your computer (Mac or Windows). There's no one phrase that's used industry-wide, so look for words like embeddable, editable embeddable, and such.

"Info" about the font file. This is Linotype's Font Explorer program.

Note: there is a movement in the font industry to charge you extra for embedding fonts into PDFs, EPUBs, and other file formats based on expected number of views the document will receive. (This is different from web-fonts.) At this time, Adobe's fonts are still embeddable without the extra fees.

So buyer beware: check with the manufacturer about embedabble rights.

[jay fresno]

Can anyone tell me how to mark an answer as "Correct". I was able to do that before Adobe recently scrambled up the forums.

[jay fresno]

Someone marked an answer as correct, but it wasn't me. I still haven't been able to figure out how to mark an answer as correct. It was very easy before Adobe redesigned the forum. Now there is "Like" but no "Correct".

[Randy Hagan]

Don't take it badly. We're all getting up to speed on these new forums. Likely one of the moderators here marked your question as answered. If that wasn't the answer you liked, it's OK. The whole thread will be archived and help other users with similar problems. So all is good. Glad things have worked out well for you, Randy