What does outlining fonts mean?
Outlining a font converts each letter into a vector shape, so the text prints exactly as designed without the printer needing the font installed.
What it means for your file
The alternative is embedding fonts in the PDF. Outlined text can’t be edited, so keep an un-outlined copy.
An example
In Illustrator, select all and choose Type → Create Outlines (Shift+Cmd+O on a Mac, Shift+Ctrl+O on Windows). From InDesign, fonts are usually embedded in the exported PDF instead. To check a PDF, open File → Properties → Fonts in Acrobat: fully outlined artwork lists no fonts, and embedded ones show as “Embedded” or “Embedded Subset”.
A common mistake
Outlining the only copy of the file. Outlined text can’t be edited or spell-checked, so a typo found at the proof stage means retyping it from scratch. Save a copy with live text first, and outline only the copy that goes to print.
How to fix it
If your printer sent the file back saying “Fonts aren’t embedded, please outline them,” the fix page has the step-by-step way to do it yourself, and a fixed price if you’d rather have it done.
Where else it comes up
Related terms
All print terms in the glossary, or run your file through the free print-ready checker.
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