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Microsoft Publisher - Public Sans Font rendering issue when printing to PDF (too thin) no distinction between regular vs bold

Anonymous
2025-06-19T13:54:30+00:00

Using the latest version of MS Publisher on Windows 11 Pro. I also use Adobe Acrobat Pro, but due to constant post script errors when trying to print with non-system fonts, I rely on Microsoft PDF (printer). I'm using the family font from google called Public Sans (light, regular, medium, bold, extra bold and black). When I'm editing in Publisher, I can see an obvious distinction between regular vs. bold fonts.

However, when I go to Print to PDF (Microsoft PDF), the fonts become very very thin and there's no distinction between regular vs. bold. To overcompensate, I went back and changed the bold headers to "Public Sans Black", but when it renders a PDF, it reverts back to no distinction between the two.

See the screenshot below as a quick example (MS Publisher file vs. PDF output). Disregard the font size (height) as I was trying to overlay a PDF file on the screen next to MS Publisher.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Publisher | For business

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-06-19T14:31:49+00:00

    Hello Dominic, 

    I appreciate you contacting Microsoft Community. 

    Thank you for providing detailed information. I have reviewed your issue and here are some troubleshooting steps that you can try to fix it: 

    1. Check Trust Center Settings 

    • Open Publisher → File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings.
    • Look for a section like Font Blocking and Enabling (note: this may not appear in all versions).
    • If available, ensure Public Sans is not listed as blocked.

    2. Test in a New Publisher File 

    • Create a new blank Publisher document.
    • Insert a text box and apply Public Sans.
    • If it works here, the issue may be with the original file or template.

    3. Try an Alternative Font 

    • If the issue persists, consider using a similar font like Open Sans or Segoe UI, which are known to work reliably in Publisher

    4. Use “Save As” PDF Instead of Print to PDF 

    • In Publisher, go to File > Save As.
    • Choose PDF as the file type.
    • This method often handles font embedding better than the Print to PDF driver.

    5. Convert Text to Images (Workaround) 

    • If the above doesn’t work, convert the text-heavy pages to images (e.g., PNG) and insert them into a new Publisher file before exporting to PDF. This preserves visual fidelity but loses text editability.

    Hope for your understanding and kindness during this process. Please let me know if I can do anything more for you. 

    Best Regards,

    Alina-Le - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-06-23T16:12:16+00:00

    Hello Dominic, 

    I hope you're doing well!

    It's been a while, and I'm writing to see how this topic continues. If you've already fixed the problem, would you mind sharing the steps you've taken? - Your post could be very helpful to others in the community who may face a similar issue in the future. 

    If you think my answer is helpful to you, it would mean a lot to you if you could mark it as an answer and vote for it. This will highlight the answer and help others with similar queries find the correct channel and useful information more quickly.

    We look forward to hearing from you soon!

    Kind regards,
    Alina-Le MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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