You open the PDF and the fonts have gone weird. Spacing between paragraphs is off. Tables have shifted. Something happened between export and viewing.
Formatting issues in PDFs usually come from missing fonts or differences between the creating and viewing software. Most are fixable.
Identify the issue type
Missing font: text shows in a substitute font (often Times). Broken layout: paragraphs wrap weirdly. Wrong spacing: gaps between lines or paragraphs are off. Image positioning: images shifted from where they should be.
Different issues, different fixes.
Embed fonts in the source
Missing font is the most common cause. The fix is in the source: when exporting from Word, Pages, or your design tool, enable "embed fonts".
Embedded fonts travel with the PDF. The viewer doesn't need them installed. Larger file, no font substitution.
Fix layout in the editor
For broken layout in an existing PDF, open in Flint's editor. Adjust text boxes, reposition images, fix paragraph spacing.
If the layout is too broken to fix in the editor, re-export from the source with the right settings. Going back is sometimes faster than fixing forward.
Re-export with the right settings
If the original is available, re-export with: embed all fonts, preserve image positioning, use PDF/A or PDF 1.7 standard.
The export options vary by tool. In Word: Save As PDF → Options → Embed fonts. In Pages: Export → PDF → Best quality.
FAQ
Why do my fonts change between machines?
Because the recipient's machine doesn't have your fonts installed. Embed fonts in the PDF to fix this permanently.
How do I know if fonts are embedded?
Open the PDF properties pane and check the Fonts tab. "Embedded" or "Embedded Subset" means yes. Other states mean the font isn't fully included.
Can I add fonts to an existing PDF?
Indirectly — re-export the source with the font embedded. Adding fonts to an existing PDF requires specialised tools.
Will formatting fixes survive editing?
Yes, once you fix and save. The fixed version is independent of the source.
Most formatting issues come from one of three causes — and all of them are fixable. Open the file in Flint's editor and tune the layout back to right.