# Variable Font Custom Instance Doesn't Load in Adobe Illustrator

**URL:** <https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/variable-font-custom-instance-doesnt-load-in-adobe-illustrator/37275>\
**Category:** Glyphs\
**Created:** [September 14, 2026, 1:01am UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/variable-font-custom-instance-doesnt-load-in-adobe-illustrator/37275 "2026-09-14T01:01:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![oneweioranother](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/user_avatar/forum.glyphsapp.com/oneweioranother/32/273_2.png) [@oneweioranother](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/oneweioranother)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 1:01am UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/variable-font-custom-instance-doesnt-load-in-adobe-illustrator/37275/1 "2026-09-14T01:01:48Z")

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I wonder if anyone has encountered this issue in Adobe Illustrator 2026, I would ask on the Adobe Forums but I’ve seen the issue raised with no answer so I wonder if anyone has an idea here:

A client has created a document in CC 2025 with a variable font but when it’s opened in 2026 the font can no longer be found.

[This is the same issue I believe](https://community.adobe.com/questions-652/issue-with-fraunces-variable-font-in-illustrator-variable-font-settings-lost-when-reopening-file-816643) ([again here](https://community.adobe.com/questions-671/issue-with-fraunces-variable-font-in-indesign-896700)). I’ve tested it with Fraunces and I get the same problem: you can select a name instance and save the document, then reopen it and the font loads correctly, however if you save a custom instance it can’t find the font?

 ![Screenshot 2026-09-14 at 11.00.54 am](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/uploads/default/original/3X/8/4/84fab48254bef15e9cd1cff56834912e46b31c73.jpeg)

I’ve tried the suggestion of turning off missing glyph protection too.

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**Author:** ![qassimhaider](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/user_avatar/forum.glyphsapp.com/qassimhaider/32/34595_2.png) [@qassimhaider](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/qassimhaider)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 7:29am UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/variable-font-custom-instance-doesnt-load-in-adobe-illustrator/37275/2 "2026-09-17T07:29:33Z")

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And what about [FontGoggle](https://github.com/justvanrossum/fontgoggles/releases/tag/v1.9.4)? Works on it or not.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![oneweioranother](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/user_avatar/forum.glyphsapp.com/oneweioranother/32/273_2.png) [@oneweioranother](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/oneweioranother)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 8:38am UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/variable-font-custom-instance-doesnt-load-in-adobe-illustrator/37275/3 "2026-09-17T08:38:25Z")

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Yes it works in FontGoggles. The font works fine in Adobe Illustrator 2025 but not 2026.

The relevant errors I can see from fontspector are:

 ![Screenshot 2026-09-17 at 6.36.25 pm](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/uploads/default/original/3X/d/f/df7b2047b2d16e606eddad2d4e13c8431a65723e.png)

 ![Screenshot 2026-09-17 at 6.36.17 pm](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/uploads/default/original/3X/a/d/adffe57c815ea26b2e9dfdaf3079c63293e4ec61.png)

A different font with the same issue has the following errors, I can’t reproduce it on my version of Illustrator, so I’ll try fixing these and get the client to test it:

 ![Screenshot 2026-09-17 at 6.37.33 pm](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/uploads/default/original/3X/2/2/221b000b3241b3f71f56729de54203ad4b1dea00.png)

 ![Screenshot 2026-09-17 at 6.37.19 pm](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/uploads/default/original/3X/f/7/f7a1ccef77f7476d32c0563df6634238be80d183.png)