Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Unable to Edit Document with Embedded Fonts.

Unable to Edit Document with Embedded Fonts

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 19, 2020)

Joann tried sharing a document that contained embedded fonts with a co-worker, and the co-worker was unable to edit the document. Joann wonders if this a common occurrence.

In short, it can be a common occurrence. Fonts that can be embedded in a Word document can have different attributes associated with them by the font designer. Those attributes can have an affect upon what can be done with the fonts. This is discussed in detail in this WordTip:

http://word.tips.net/Pages/T000072_ReadOnly_Embedded_Fonts.html

Thus, to make sure that someone else can edit your document, you may want to skip using embedded fonts and make sure that the other person actually has the font installed on their system. If you are unsure as to what the font's creator has specified can be done with the font, you can use this free utility:

http://www.microsoft.com/typography/TrueTypeProperty21.mspx

If you find that there are no restrictions on the font, or the other person has the exact same font installed on their system, then there could be some other problem causing the issue. The two most likely causes you'll want to check are whether the document has some sort of protection on it and whether there is some macro required to be automatically run when the document opens. (The document would be on your system, but not necessarily on the other person's. If the macro isn't there, then the document may not "function" properly.)

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (6790) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Unable to Edit Document with Embedded Fonts.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Underlining Section References Automatically

If you have a document that has some sort of keyword within it (such as "Section") you may want to automatically format ...

Discover More

Changing the Outline Color of the Selected Cell

It can be a bit difficult, at times, to locate the selected cell on the screen. If you have difficulties in this area, ...

Discover More

Printing Documents in a Folder

If you want to print a group of documents at the same time, there are a couple of ways you can accomplish the task. Here ...

Discover More

Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!

More WordTips (menu)

Using Document Properties to Ensure Consistent References

If you need to refer to the same information over and over in a document, you may be interested in using custom document ...

Discover More

Using Optional Hyphens

Adding hyphens to your document can affect the way in which Word wraps text from one line to the next. Optional hyphens, ...

Discover More

Noting Changes at the Left of the Text

The Track Changes feature allows you to easily see where changes have been made in a document. Resolve those changes, and ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 7 - 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.