PowerPoint PC embedding bug

Using Fonts
1

Hello folks,
it seems since the last update of PowerPoint, the Windows version have issue with embedding fonts that previously worked. Do you have similar feedback and some information of what’s going on / how to fix it?

2

Which version of PowerPoint is this and in which version can you confirm it worked last?

3

I have issue on PPT Windows Version 2410 (Build 18129.20116).
Any previous version was working AFAIK.

4

What exactly isn’t working? Can you outline:

  • what isn’t working
  • what should happen (expected behaviour)
  • steps to reproduce
5 
  • what isn’t working:

— Fonts embedded are replaced by fallback fonts when the document is re-opened.

  • what should happen (expected behaviour):

— Seeing the picked fonts when fonts are not locally installed.

  • steps to reproduce:

— On Windows 11, with the last version of PPT installed.
— Create a new PPT document, set a text using a non system font on a slide, save with font embedding on. (Even better: modify a master slide and set the headline or text style using a non-system font.)
— Close PPT.
— Remove the fonts from the system;
— Reopen the file.

I want to stress the fonts were working a few weeks ago, and embedding permissions are set.

1 Like
6

Perfect, thanks a lot, that’s very thorough! There’s a repository that Georg created a few weeks ago with known issues in programmes like PowerPoint, Photoshop etc., I’ll add your report there.

7

Thanks! Would be useful if as community we can help each others! I’ll post update here if possible.

8

I’ve added your report in FontTechKnowledge/Office at main · schriftgestalt/FontTechKnowledge · GitHub. You’ll see it there once @GeorgSeifert approves the pull request.

9

What kind of fonts are affected? OTF, TTF, variable?

10

Only tested on static TTFs for now.

11

Another question: Is it happening with all the fonts embedded? As I know Regular/Bold/Italic/Bold Italic fonts always have some issues embedding (and any workaround could have been reset with the update).

12

I can confirm that also affects OTF.

There’s already an update for PPT, 2411, but it doesn’t fix this bug.

13

Thanks for having tested it! Confirming issue on OTF here too.

14

Yes, so far all styles are concerned. Looks like a loading issue, Frode Helland mentionned on Mastodon than opening first a file without embedded fonts allows the file with embedded fonts to work properly.
(Do you mind pointing me a page with a list of usual workarounds? our glyphset, embedding permissions, vmetrics and postscript names are already optimised for Office, don’t know if there is more to be done).

15

Your list is all-encompassing! Only extra thing I sometimes do (as for some clients I sometimes also build their Powerpoints) is customising the font names without the Microsoft-standardised names to prevent embedding bugs (as Powerpoint doesn’t always see a “regular” as a true weight for instance).

16

Would you mind noting your findings on the repository mentioned above? All this knowledge is very important and is often asked about on the forum here (and elsewhere). Noting it on the document I linked above would be a great help!