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kurtwg99
Participant
October 28, 2010
Answered

How to change default fonts in Indesign

  • October 28, 2010
  • 5 replies
  • 35665 views

I've tried the usual recommended steps - open InDesign, select a font, then close the program, etc. -- but nothing seems to work. Every style reverts to MetaPlus. Help!

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Peter Spier

    @Bob: Yep. That still doesn't answer how one could change the default font used by "No Paragraph Style"

    @Peter: Semantics aside, any other suggestions for changing the default font used by "No Paragraph Style"


    The font USED will be the one you set. The "default" is what ID has set is not accessible to you through the interface. You could ask in Scripting.

    5 replies

    M
    micklangelo
    Participant
    September 29, 2011

    I just edit the Basic Paragraph Style and then REstarted InDesign. My new font (Helvetica 55Roman) is now my default for all new docs.

      E
      Community Expert
      Eugene TysonCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      November 10, 2010

      In my opinion you should open indesign with no documents open. Create a new paragraph style - and name it something unique.

      Then make sure it's highlighted. That will be default paragraph style for new documents.

      J
      Jason_Mohr
      Participant
      November 10, 2010

      as far as I can tell this doesn't entirely solve the default font issue in InDesign. The changes outlined here will be the default if you draw a text box, but if you create a new Paragraph style based on "No Paragraph Style" your old default font will crop up again (it's style the default for "No Paragraphy Style")

      It seems the problem lies in available fonts when InDesign installs or creates a new preference file. I was able to change it to a system font (Geneva) which is always available on my system by disabling all non-system fonts, and then rebuilding the InDesign preference file (launch InDesign while holding Cmd+Opt+Ctrl+Shift).

      I'm guessing InDesign looks for an available font from a predetermined list which usually includes Helvetica, Times, or in my case, Geneva (since I don't have either Helvetica or Times in my system fonts).

      Peter Spier
      Community Expert
      Peter SpierCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      November 10, 2010

      The default font for styles based on No Paragraph Style should be the font currently set in the Character panel.

      J
      Jason_Mohr
      Participant
      November 10, 2010

      Respectfully, I've tried this, and I'm not looking for suggested working solutions as I have a pretty clear understanding of how to set defaults and how to utilize paragraph styles.  I'm simply pointing out that contrary to what you're saying, setting the font in the character palette does NOT change the true default font in my experience (CS4, OS10.4.11). I do understand that the default is set with no documents open by then selecting the font in the character palette.

      I'm attaching 2 screen shots to show you that I'm not making this up.  In the first you can hopefully see I've clearly set the "default" to Arial now.

      In the second I've created a new document and a new paragraph style. You can see it already considers "Arial" as deviating from the base "No Paragraph Style" and if you click on "Reset to Base" you will see that sure enough, the true default font is still Geneva (Geneva in my case as outlined in my previous post).

      Generally, this isn't much of a problem. As you've all pointed out we can accept that these additions are the new default for a new paragraph style, but it really isn't changing the true default font. Depending on your working environment and the experience of the designers this may be good enough. For my environment I'm looking for the ability to change the true default font and the only solution I've come across is the one from my previous post (deleting preferences).

      Peter Spier
      Community Expert
      Peter SpierCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      October 28, 2010

      It sounds like you are hoping to change the default in exisiting docs. That has to be done on a document by document basis, or if the styles in all the files have the same names, you can add them to a book and sychronize the styles to one file that is correct.

      M
      Michael_Gianino
      Inspiring
      October 28, 2010

      Are you trying with or without a document open? Doing it with a document open will change the default in that doc. Doing it without a doc open will change it in new documents. Documents that have been previously created will retain their defaults until you change them in each document.

      K
      kurtwg99Author
      Participant
      October 29, 2010

      I tried both. Neither changed the default in the document.

      Peter Spier
      Community Expert
      Peter SpierCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      October 29, 2010

      There are actually two places to look. The [Basic Paragraph] style. and the font specs defined in the Character panel or Control panel. Setting the [Basic Paragraph] style will setup a default paragraph style, but changing the actual character specifications will override the style definition. If you want to use an unadulterated style as the default, select thet ext tool, make sure you jave nothing selected, and select your paragraph style. If the selection appears with a Plus sign, there is a local override being applied and you need to remove that.

      It's also possible that you have applied a character style to everything by default. Character styles should only be used to change specific text to something differnet from the underlying paragraph style, and the default character style should be set to [None].

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