Is Your PDF Font Size Changing When Converting? 5 Common Issues and How to Fix Them

Are you having trouble with font sizes in your PDF? It’s a common issue that can be frustrating, especially when the rest of your document looks good.

From strange formatting after conversion to fonts appearing slightly differently on other devices, small hiccups can make a big impact on how your PDF is viewed or printed.

In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most common font size issues in PDFs and show you how to fix them. We’ll also explain how to change font sizes in editable PDFs with an easy-to-use online tool.

5 Common PDF Font Size Issues and Fixes

Here are a few common PDF font size issues, along with some fixes to try that may help:

1. Font Size Changes When Converting to PDF

When you convert a document, like Microsoft Word or Excel, to a PDF, the font size might appear different or distorted. This can happen due to different default settings or mismatched fonts between the original and PDF viewers.

Ensure you embed the fonts into your document before saving. This option is available in most PDF conversion tools. If you’re using a word processor, double-check that the fonts are supported in PDF format and embed them during conversion to maintain the intended size.

2. Font Size Appears Smaller After Saving or Printing

After saving or printing a PDF, the font size may appear smaller than the original document. This could be caused by scaling settings in the PDF viewer or your printer.

You can fix this by adjusting the scaling settings in your PDF viewer, such as “Fit to Page” or “Actual Size”, to ensure that the document is displayed or printed at the correct size. Make sure to check your print settings to confirm the correct page scaling.

3. Fonts Don’t Scale Proportionally

Some PDFs display text with inconsistent font sizes, especially in multi-page documents or forms, where some pages may have larger or smaller fonts than others.

To get around this, check if the PDF was created with inconsistent page settings. Use PDF editing software like Smallpdf’s PDF Editor to adjust the font size on affected pages, or recheck the settings in the software used to create the PDF, ensuring uniform font settings across pages.

4. Font Size Changes When Viewing on Different Devices

A PDF might display different font sizes depending on the device or PDF reader you’re using due to differences in screen resolution or reader settings.

To fix this, use a PDF viewer that supports fixed-layout documents or ensure the document is optimized for viewing across different devices. Embedding fonts when creating the PDF can also maintain consistency across devices.

5. Text Overlaps or Spills Outside Margins

When editing or adding text to a PDF, the font size might appear larger than expected, causing the text to overlap or spill out of page margins.

One way to fix this is to adjust the font size using our PDF Editor tool. If the issue arises after converting from another file format, check the document’s layout settings, such as its page margins, and adjust the font size or spacing accordingly.

How to Change Font Size in Editable PDF

You can use a quick and convenient tool like PDF Editor to change your font sizes in an editable PDF. Here are the steps you can take to do this:

-Step 1: Navigate to the PDF Editor in your browser. Click the “Choose Files” button to select the file from your device. You can also drag and drop your file onto the screen.

• Step 2: Editable PDFs usually have form fields that you can click into directly. Once you click on a text field, you’ll see a blinking cursor, allowing you to change or add text.

• Step 3: Click “Edit Text”, and above the document, a formatting toolbar will appear. Locate the font size option. Use the up and down arrows to increase or decrease the size of your text instantly.

• Step 4: If you want to do more than change the size of your font, you can also switch fonts, align text differently, or make it bold, all within the same toolbar.

• Step 5: Once your font size looks perfect, click “Download” at the top of the screen to save the updated PDF. Alternatively, choose “Finish” to access sharing options or convert your file to another format.

Perfect Your PDF in Minutes

Using PDF Editor, you can resize text, adjust formatting, and edit directly in your browser. There are no downloads or fuss—just fast, clean results!