Invalid font error

A PDF attached document may sometimes show an error titled invalidfont when you attempt to print it with Adobe PDF viewer or any other software. This is due to the fact that the file format is invalid. Generally, it occurs when the files are incorrectly configured and when the PDF viewer is outdated.

Printing from Google Docs and PDFs results in Invalid Font Errors

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This problem occurs when attempting to print a PDF attachment with Adobe PDF Viewer, or when using an outdated PDF Viewer output, because the font is in the wrong format.

Xshow

The command is xshow; the error is invalidfont.

A corrupted font dictionary or an incorrect font name can also cause this problem. If you are also experiencing this issue, here are some fixes for the issue.

What causes an Invalidfont printer error?

There are a number of reasons why invalid font errors occur, but of course, they are always related to fonts. For example, an invalid font name or an incorrect font dictionary can cause these errors. When newer fonts (like OpenType fonts) are sent to a slower RIP, they may also result in incorrect fonts in the output.

I am using BIRT 2.2 and the provided servlets to print a report directly on the server. The report in question has a barcode implemented as a font. I’ve managed to get the viewing servlet to output the PDF with the barcode showing up fine. However, the postscript generated by BIRT won’t print on any postscript printer I’ve tried (Xerox Workcentre 5050, HP 9000). The Xerox prints out a Postscript error message (invalidfont), the HP dies completely, displaying a “Service Error” on the LCD. I can see the commands in the generated Postscript to embed the font and use it, but I don’t know enough Postscript to say whether it is valid or not. I can view the file properly using Ghostscript/Ghostview on Windows. I also tried the BIRT 2.3 report designer and chose Preview as Postscript and printed that, same results, though the PS file does look different.

Invalidfont, on the other hand, is a PostScript error that occurs frequently with Level 3 PostScript when sent to printers that are only capable of handling Level 2 PostScript.

Depending on the cause of the printer error, you may be able to correct the problem using some of these methods.

There are many reasons why an error could occur with an incorrect font in Windows printers, so we have compiled a comprehensive list of fixes to help resolve this issue.

After upgrading from Catalina to Big Sur, I’m experiencing printing issues. The error shows “:invalidfont. Offending command:show”. My printer has a PS card. Reinstalling the driver didn’t solve the problem. The issue was not occurring before I updated to Big Sur. In addition, I’m curious why it’s still the same version 1.3 after updating the new driver (version 1.8). How can I update a Mac OS driver properly?

From 5 users I have identified as being affected by this issue, the only common denominator seems to be Big Sur. I have been experiencing the same issue too. I have seen it most often when printing from Google PDF or Gdoc, but I have seen it also happen when printing from Adobe and the system print menu. I have not tried the update 11.2.3 yet. Perhaps that contains the fix?

Having the same problem with an invalid font on my MacBook Pro M1 when printing to my Fuji Xerox printer.

To fix the Invalidfont printer error, follow these steps

Check for updates

1. View PDF documents with Adobe Acrobat Reader DC or any other program that displays PDF files.
2. The Check for Updates option can be found under Help in the toolbar.
3. A pending update is checked by Adobe Acrobat Reader.
4. Download and install any updates that were found by clicking Install updates if they were found.
5. Make sure Adobe PDF Viewer is closed, restarted, then reopened.
6. Otherwise, an error message will appear.

The error can be fixed by updating Adobe PDF Viewer.

Resetting Adobe Acrobat settings

1. The following location can be found by opening File Explorer:
2. File path: C:Users[username]AppDataRoamingAdobeAcrobat.
3. The folders JSCache and Security need to be renamed in Windows 10.
4. File Explorer will show all the files in the settings folder if the “View” tab is opened.
5. Acrobat Reader should be restarted after the settings folder has been moved.
6. By doing this, Adobe Acrobat Reader’s settings should be reset.
7. The necessary folders will be recreated after Adobe restarts.
8. See if anything improves when you print the PDF document.

Disable return to system fonts only

1. The Adobe PDF Reader should now be launched.
2. Ctrl + P will print the document once it is opened.
3. Click Properties on the printer once you have selected it in the print window.
4. Adobe PDF settings can be found by opening the program.
5. Do not use document fonts; only use system fonts.
6. Your changes will be saved when you click OK.
7. Check if the problem has been resolved by restarting Adobe PDF Reader.

Print as an image

1. Acrobat Reader should be opened to view the PDF document.
2. Print can be selected by clicking File.
3. By clicking Advanced, you can view more options.
4. If you want to print an image, select the check box.
5. Your changes will be saved when you click OK.
6. If you have any success printing the document, please let us know.

Saving as a PDF using MS Word

1. Microsoft Word should be open when you open the PDF document.
2. On the top of the page, ensure that editing is enabled by clicking Enable Editing.
3. Select Save As from File, then click Save.
4. Decide which folder you want to use.
5. When saving the file, be sure to save it as a PDF.
6. Using your PDF-Reader, open and print the PDF file.

Sometimes you may encounter Error invalidfont when you try to print an attached PDF document using Adobe PDF viewer or any other tools. This problem is related to the invalid format. It generally occurs due to the incorrect configuration of the files and running on the outdated edition of the PDF viewer.

The problem can also occur if a file contains an invalid font name or a corrupted, improperly formed font dictionary. If you are also grappling with this problem right now, here are a couple of things you may try to fix this printer error invalidfont.

Fix: Printer not working after Latest Windows 10 update

To fix Error invalidfont in Printer when printing, use the methods –

1] Check for the Latest Updates

Using an outdated edition of the Adobe PDF viewer can possibly cause Error invalidfont while printing any PDF document. So, first of all, check for the latest updates of the PDF viewer and see if it works.

• Click on the Start button and type Adobe. Then select Acrobat Reader DC from the result list. 
• Go to the top pane of the window, click the Help menu, and select Check for Updates option.

• This will start initializing for an existing operation to complete.
• If it finds any update, click on the Install button to download and install it.
• Once it updated successfully, close the Adobe Updater window and try to print a PDF.
• If you don’t find any error message, it means updating the Adobe PDF viewer has fixed the issue. 

If the error invalidfont is still continuing, try our next working solution.

2] Turn Off Rely on system font only

This method requires you to disable the “Rely on system font only; do not use document fonts” option and check for further improvements.

• Right-click on the PDF document you want to print and open it with Adobe PDF Reader.
• Click on the File menu and select Print.
• On the Print page, select the Printer and then click the Properties button.
• Now open the Adobe PDF settings.
• Uncheck the “Rely on system font only; do not use document fonts” option.
• Click OK to save the changes.
• Close the Acrobat Reader DC window and then start it again.
• Try to print your PDF document and see the improvements.

3] Reset Acrobat Preferences settings to default

Reset the Acrobat preferences restore application settings to its default and check if it helps you to solve this issue. The procedure to reset Acrobat Preferences settings is as follows –

• Go to the Taskbar and click on the File Explorer icon to open it. As another option, you can also use the Windows+E shortcut key to open your File Explorer directly.
• In the File Explorer window, move to the location mentioned below:

C:Users[username]AppDataRoamingAdobeAcrobat[version]

Note: If you don’t see AppData and other related folders on the given location, then go to the View tab and mark the Hidden Items checkbox. It will display all the hidden files in the folder.

• Here you will see two folders named JSCache and Security. Rename both folders.
• Once you rename the folders, close the window and restart Adobe Acrobat Reader. This will reset the Adobe Acrobat Reader preferences and will recreate the essential folders. 
• Now try to print a PDF document and check if the problem is solved now.

4] Print PDF as an image

This method makes your PDF document compatible with devices like a mobile phone. As a solution, try to print your document as an image file using the below steps –

1. First of all, open your PDF document in Adobe PDF viewer. 
2. Press Ctrl+P and on the next page select the Advanced option. 
3. In the Advanced Print Setup dialog box, mark the Print As Image checkbox and hit OK to save the changes.

1. Now try to print your PDF document and check if the problem is fixed now.

5] Save as PDF in Microsoft Word

In case error invalidfont is still prompting, save the PDF in Microsoft word and check for the improvements. The procedure to save PDF in MS word, follow the below steps –

• Right-click on the PDF document you want to print and then open it with Microsoft Word.
• To view or edit this document, click the Enable editing button available at the top yellow bar of the screen.
• Now click on the File menu and select the “Save as” option.
• Next, select the location and then save the file with the PDF (.pdf) extension.
• Open the PDF file in your Adobe PDF viewer and check if you’re now able to print it.

In this post, we’ll see what to do if you come across the PDF Printer error invalidfont while printing PDF documents. Adobe PDF Reader is the go-to option to view and print PDF files. It comes with tons of exciting features to enhance the user’s productivity. But while using the application on Windows PC, users have reported coming across invalidfont errror. The problem occurs while printing the PDF files. So, if you are also struggling with the same problem, consider trying the solutions below.

Here are all the effective solutions you can try to fix PDF Printer Error invalidfont error when printing documents.

1. Restart Adobe PDF Reader
2. Update the application
3. Use the Repair Installation feature
4. Reset Adobe PDF Reader Preferences
5. Disable Rely on system font only
6. Print as Image

Now, let’s check out all the solutions in detail.

1] Restart Adobe PDF Reader

The first solution is pretty simple – Restart. The problem can occur due to a temporary glitch in the application. And if this is the case, restarting the app is the best thing you can try.

So, restart the application and try to print the document. Check if it fixes the issue. If yes, you are good to go. But in case the problem continues, try the next solution on the list.

2] Update the application

Like any other application, Adobe Reader roles out updates at regular interval. Each update comes with performance improvement and minor/ major bug fixes. And from what it looks like, the problem in the question can result from temporary bug in the application. If this is the case, updating the application is the best bet for you. Below are the steps you need to follow to download the latest Adobe PDF Reader update.

1. Open Adobe PDF Reader on your Windows PC.
2. Click on Help present at the top of the window.
3. From the context menu, choose Check for Updates.

Adobe PDF Reader will check for any pending updates and start downloading if available. If there isn’t any pending update, you will see No updates available message.

After updating the application, relaunch it and check if the problem is fixed. If not, continue with the troubleshooting guide.

See: How to use Stamps and Custom Stamps in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC

3] Use the Repair Installation feature

Adobe PDF Reader comes with a repair installation feature. You can use it to eliminate any minor bug or glitch associated with the application. You can use the Adobe PDF Reader repair installation feature by following the below steps.

1. Launch Adobe PDF Reader on your Windows PC.
2. Click on the Help option present in the toolbar.
3. Choose Repair Installation from the context menu.
4. Click Yes to the prompt that pops up.

Wait until the repair process is complete. Once done, relaunch the application and check for the issue. If it continues, try the next solution on the list.

See: Adobe Acrobat Reader DC not showing bookmarks in Windows PC

4] Reset Adobe PDF Reader Preferences

The next thing you can try is to reset Adobe PDF Reader preferences. This solution has helped many fix the issue; hopefully, it will be helpful for you well. You can reset Adobe PDF Reader preferences by following the below steps.

1. Open the File Explorer by pressing the Windows + E shortcut key.
2. Head towards the following location.

   C:UsersusernameAppDataRoamingAdobeAcrobatDC

3. In the resulted window, rename the following folders.

   JSCache
   Security

4. Once done, close the window, and lauch Adobe PDF Reader.

Check if the problem is fixed or not. If the problem persists, try the next solution on the list.

5] Disable Rely on system font only

You can disable rely on the system font only option to fix the issue. Here are the steps you need to follow to get the work done.

1. To begin with, go to the place where you have saved the PDF document.
2. Right-click on the PDF file and choose the open with Adobe PDF Reader option.
3. In the following window, select File > Print.
4. Choose the Printer and tap on the Properties option.
5. Open the Adobe PDF settings.
6. Uncheck the option that says, Rely on system font only; do not use document fonts.
7. Choose OK to save the changes.

That’s it. Try to print the document again and check if you’re still facing the problem.

Read: Fix Adobe Reader error 109 when opening, reading or saving PDF

6] Print as Image

This is not an official solution, but you can use this method as a workaround to the problem. Here’s what you need to do.

1. Open the document you want to print in the Adobe PDF Reader.
2. Choose File from the Toolbar and select Print from the context menu.
3. Choose the Advanced option.
4. Checkmark the Print As Image option, and click on OK.

Check if the problem is fixed.

How do I fix a PDF printer error?

Most PDF Printer errors can be fixed by updating the application. You can update Adobe PDF Reader by following the below steps.

1. Open the PDF reader.
2. Click on Help > Check for updates.

The application will check for any pending update and install it automatically if available.

Why won’t my printer let me print a PDF?

If the printer is not allowing you to print the PDF file, the possibility is high that the file is not completely downloaded on your system. Check if the file is downloaded properly or not. Additionally, you can download the latest printer driver update to fix the issue.

Read Next: Adobe Reader not working in Windows 11/10.