PowerPoint can embed fonts! On the surface this sounds like an amazing idea, especially when it comes to sharing presentations among multiple people. However, there are plenty of downsides that make this feature something that the TLC Creative team avoids.  But if you’re looking to embed fonts into a PowerPoint file, here’s how:

  • First, if the fonts used are Microsoft fonts, these do not need to be embedded as they will automatically download and dynamically install when the presentation is opened.
  • Open the presentation in PowerPoint
  • Navigate to File > Options > Save
  • Near the bottom, is EMBED FONTS IN THE FILE checkbox. After checking, there are two options for embedding the fonts.

  1. Embedding only the characters used in the presentation – best for reducing file size (there is not a lot of file size in fonts, so this is not our recommendation).
  2. Embed all characters – best for editing by other people (this is the better – and obvious – choice).

Select an embed option, save the presentation, and the fonts would be baked into the file itself.

SOUNDS GREAT – BUT…

Before deciding to embed a custom font, it’s best to check its licensing restrictions as some fonts won’t allow embedding.

  • To verify, go to your system fonts folder (often C:\WINDOWS\FONTS)
  • Right-click the font, select Properties, then Details
  • Look for the embeddability value:
    • Installable or Editable: Embedding allowed
    • Preview/Print or Restricted: Embedding not allowed

There’s also other downsides of Embedded Fonts:

  • They can bloat file size
  • May cause editing issues
  • Have limited cross-platform support
  • Risk potential corruption

Best Practices:

  • Use System or Microsoft Standard/Cloud fonts for maximum compatibility
  • If necessary, share custom fonts with viewers (check license allowances)
  • Google Fonts are all embeddable (see “How to Use Google Fonts in PowerPoint” post)