How to Embed a Font in Adobe InDesign

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Embedded fonts help maintain the appearance of your documents in other applications.
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You can use the Advanced category of InDesign's Adobe PDF options to adjust the threshold for embedding complete fonts in exported PDF files. By decreasing this threshold to 0%, InDesign embeds all document fonts into the exported file. You can also embed fonts by exporting your document to an EPS file -- known as an Encapsulated PostScript file -- which can then be imported into other applications. Some OpenType fonts contain a "No Embedding" permission which restricts InDesign from embedding these fonts in electronic documents.

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Exporting to PDF with Embedded Fonts

Step 1

Open the InDesign document containing the fonts you wish to embed in the file. Alternatively, create a new document and then add text formatted with the font you wish to embed.

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Step 2

Click the "File" menu, mouse-over "Adobe PDF Presets" and then select one of the Adobe PDF Presets from the menu. For example, select "[High Quality Print]…" for high quality and large file size, or "[Smallest File Size]…" for a lower quality with the smallest file size possible.

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Step 3

Locate the folder where you wish to export your PDF file and then click "Save" to open the Export Adobe PDF window.

Step 4

Click "Advanced" from the left sidebar. Enter "0%" into the field next to "Subset Fonts When Percent of Characters Used is Less Than" under the Fonts group.

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Step 5

Click the "Export" button. Depending on the quality and file size of your document, InDesign may take a few minutes to finish exporting to a PDF file.

Exporting to EPS with Embedded Fonts

Step 1

Create a new InDesign document, or open an existing one, with the fonts you wish to embed.

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Step 2

Click "File" and then "Export…" Click the "Save as Type" drop-down, select "EPS" and then "Save." The Export EPS dialog appears.

Step 3

Click the "Embed Fonts" drop-down and select "Complete." If you leave this option as "Subset," then only the characters used in the document will be embedded rather than the entire font.

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Step 4

Click the "Export" button. The Exporting EPS window appears, indicating the progress. Depending on the size and quality of your document, the EPS file may take a few minutes to finish exporting.

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