Word 2010 Font Problem: different fonts showing up on screen

Anonymous
2010-06-09T21:52:26+00:00

I upgraded from Office 2007 to 2010 two weeks ago. Whenever I open up documents in Print Layout View that were created under earlier versions of Word (2000, 2003, 2007), Word replaces several of the fonts with something that looks like Arial bold.Sometimes it changes just the title fonts, sometime the entire body font--it's not always the same phenomenon in each document. 

The Font window on the Home tab still shows the name of the original font being used in the document, but the screen does not show that font--it just shows whatever it replaces the font with. Repeat: even though the screen in showing a different font, the Font window on the Tab Screen shows the name of the font the document should be showing.

When I change to Draft View, the fonts all display properly, but I need the correct fonts in the Print Layout to show because the bogus font that Word substitutes throws off the accuracy of what I'm looking at.

Is anyone else having this problem?

Jeff

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2010-06-24T19:57:39+00:00

I solved this problem by saving the troublesome file in what 2010 calls "compatability mode>"

Was this answer helpful?

30+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2010-06-28T15:17:36+00:00

Eutactic, I finally tried this solution. I really was not comfortable deleting everything under \Office, but after backing up the registry, I gave it a try. So far it seems to have worked. I will be finishing an important project during the week, so I will have daily opportunities to see how this holds up.

Thanks for the recommendation.

Jeff

Was this answer helpful?

10 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2010-06-16T09:05:01+00:00

I believe I have solved this problem by simply backing up and deleting all the registry values in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office. Obviously this is an extreme approach that wiped my preferences, but it appears to have done the trick.

Was this answer helpful?

0 comments

161 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2010-08-06T17:03:12+00:00

    Can those of you that are experiencing the problem of PS Outline fonts being displayed onscreen in Arial please try the following:

    1. Next time you're in the situation where you're looking at Arial display
    2. Save the file (as .docx)
    3. Close all files open in Word (but don't close Word)
    4. open the newly-saved file
    5. [Report if you still have the problem shown]
    6. Exit Word (without re-saving the file)
    7. Launch Word
    8. Open the newly-saved file.
    9. [Report if it is displayed properly]
    10. Work in the file for a time, try to see if you can get it to foul up.  During this time do not open any other Word files, etc.
    11. [Report if you were able to make it foul up]

    I'd appreciate it if you'd identify (1) the length of the document in question, (2) the number of fonts in the document, (3) which fonts, and (4) using the Windows Font Previewer, the full text on the third line from the top (e.g., Adobe Garamond Pro Regular has "OpenType Layout, Digitally Signed, PostScript Outlines"; Tahoma has "OpenType Layout, Digitally Signed, TrueType Outlines").

    My theory (not MSFT's) is that Word's font handling, for PS Outline fonts, somehow isn't cleaning up its internal data structures properly when a file is closed/saved that uses those fonts.  But launching Word from scratch (before any file has been saved) starts with Word in a not-messed-up state, and it doesn't get into the messed-up-stateuntil a file is saved.

    The behavior of my system seems to support my theory.  I'd be very interested to learn if others have a similar experience.

    NOTE:  Please, if you aren't having the problem only in Word 2010, andonly with fonts that have PostScript Outlines, you probably aren't experiencing the same problem.

    Hi Adam.  I believe you and I are dealing with the same problem.  I've numbered your steps above.  Here are my test results:

    Step 5: Yes, the problem persists.  A majority of the document is rendered with what appears to be a poorly-kerned Arial (or Arial with the spacing of Minion, the font I am using).

    Step 9: No, the problem is not initially present.  The document is rendered initially after a restart using Minion.

    Step 11: Yes, very soon after making changes (specifically after saving the document again in my case), the rendering glitch re-appears.

    Your additional questions:

    1. The document in question is two pages in length.

    2/3. The document uses two fonts, both Postscript: Minion and Imago Book.

    1. The font previewer in WS2008R2 is not giving me the details you're seeking.  All I have available is "Type 1 Font file (.PFM)"

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2010-08-06T18:47:04+00:00

    I think you have cracked it. I get no problems if I stick to OpenType fonts with TrueType outlines. The second I add an OpenType font that has a Postscript Outline (in my case MinionPro) I get the Arial problem. If I open the newly saved file without closing Word the display still shows the Arial problem. If I close Word, restart it and open the file I get no problems initially but after working on the document for a while the problem recurrs, even if I do not resave the file.

    Two things to add to your notes;

    (a) If I go into Draft view rather than Print Layout view after getting the Arial problem, everything displays ok and all the formatting works fine.

    (b) I did not ahve the problem with the beta version of Office 2010 when I was using MinionPro all the time.

    Some change made to Print Layout view between the Beta and the RTM would seem to be thae cause of the internal data structure not being cleaned up.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments