How to Embed Fonts in a PDF in Word 2016

When you need to share a file with someone and you aren’t sure what programs they have on their computer, then sending Microsoft Office files, such as Word documents, can be a little risky.

While Word is a very common application, it is possible that someone might not have it and might not be able to open your file. In cases where it’s an important document, that can be a big problem.

One way around this is saving your Word documents as PDFs. There are a lot of programs that can open PDF files, so it’s far more likely that your recipient will be able to open it.

But if your file contains some unusual fonts, it’s important to embed those fonts into the PDF so that the document looks the same way on their computer as it does on yours. Our tutorial below will show you how to embed fonts in a PDF in Word 2016.

If your document needs some script or handwriting text in it, then our cursive fonts in Word guide can show you a handful of good options.

How to Embed Your Font Files in Word 2016

The steps in this article were performed in Microsoft Word 2016. The end result of completing this guide will be a PDF file with your fonts embedded in the file. You can then share that file with others and be confident that the file will appear the same way on their computer as it does on yours.

Step 1: Open your file in Word 2016.

Step 2: Click the File tab at the top-left of the window.

click the file tab

Step 3: Click Options at the bottom of the left column.

open the word options window

Step 4: Click the Save tab at the left side of the Word Options window.

click the save tab in word options

Step 5: Scroll to the bottom and check the box to the left of Embed fonts in the file, then click the OK button.

how to embed fonts in pdfs in word 2016

Step 6: Click the File tab again, then click the Save As option.

click the save as button

Step 7: Select a location for the saved document, then click the Save as type dropdown menu and choose the PDF option.

choose the pdf option

Step 8: Click the Options button.

open pdf options in word 2016

Step 9: Check the PDF/A compliant option, click the OK button, then click the Save button on the other open window.

pdf/a compliant pdf in word 2016

Now that you know how to embed fonts in a PDF in Word 2016, you can make it a little easier to share files with other people and ensure that they are viewing those files they way that you intended.

Are you trying to do something in Word 2016 that requires the Developer tab, but you can’t find it? Learn how to get the Developer tab in Word 2016 and gain access to some additional tools in the application.

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