Missing Fonts While Placing Text in Adobe InDesign: Resolve the Issue by Changing the Default Font

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The missing fonts issue in InDesign, which I originally encountered while placing text from an external document file, is a well known problem, or possibly it works as designed, although poorly if you ask me. Regardless, and as annoying as it is, there is a quick fix. I mainly use a Window's machine, so the instructions below are for that operating system.

The Problem of Missing Fonts in InDesign

Per my opening complaint, does the Missing Fonts dialog box below look familiar? Has It happened to you after an attempt to place an external document file into InDesign? Well, when it happened to me, I spent way too much time trying to figure out why the manuscript file (.RTF or .DOCX) was somehow missing a font (Adobe Caslon) I knew existed, was installed, and had been used previously without issue in MS Word and InDesign.

Notice how the message says that the font used in the .RTF file “are currently unavailable on your computer.” Well, my first impulse was to question my better judgement and double check that Adobe Caslon was indeed installed on my Windows machine. And of course it was. I also double checked to make sure the font was still installed and available on InDesign and all my other Adobe apps. Again, of course it was.

So, I assumed that choosing the “Replace Fonts…” button was the next step to fixing this issue. Below is the next dialog to open, and it appears to be set up to find and replace fonts, right? But the window is really confusing considering it says, “4 Fonts in Document” seem to be the issue, and the document I was importing only had one font, Adobe Caslon. My Spidey Sense said try the “Replace With” section. Change it to Adobe Caslon. That should work. Well...Nope. It only seemed to make things worse.

I won’t go through the plethora of issues I encountered while thinking the Find/Replace Font dialog box is meant to map and assign the right font from the import file into the desired font in InDesign. If you’ve encountered the same issue, you already share my pain. I will say that the main issue is that you will spend way too much time trying to make sure all the font families and font styles are correct after the import in InDesign…a step you shouldn’t have to do. Let’s just move on to how to fix this issue and import an external file with the correct font to begin with. 

How to Change the Default Font in InDesign

Turns out there’s one simple thing you can do to make sure external files import and "place" with the desired font. Change the default font for the Basic Paragraph style. This must be done prior to creating an InDesign document. Note that any new default font will apply to new documents created after making this change, not to previously created InDesign files. 

Follow these steps to change the default font in InDesign. 

1. Open InDesign or close all open documents. This will bring you back to the Home page, where recent documents are listed with options to open or create a new file.

2. Go to the top menu bar and choose TYPE > PARAGRAPH to open the workspace without any open documents. You’ll see  the toolbars and panels, and the Paragraph Styles panel will also open.

NOTE: With no documents open, any changes made to InDesign settings apply to all future documents. You are basically changing the default settings, whereas changes made in a document only apply to that document.

3. Activate the Type Tool in the Toolbar.

4. Go to the Paragraph Styles panel and double-click on the [Basic Paragraph] paragraph style. This opens the Paragraph Style Options.

5. Click on Basic Character Formats and change the Font Family field to the same family in the import file. 

6. Click OK.

7. Go to the top-left and make sure the font listed in the Controls Panel reads the same as the font changed in the Paragraph Styles Option. If not, change it to match.

8. Go to the top-left of the Menu Bar and click on the Home icon to return to the Welcome page with the list of recent files.

9. Use the New File button to create a new document. 

10. Once the new document is open in the workspace, open the Paragraph Styles panel and open the [Basic Paragraph] style. Go to the Basic Character Formats and you’ll see that the default font is what you changed it to. 

11. Use File > Place to import your .RTF or .DOCX file with the desired font, and you won’t have missing font issues.

This will save you quite a bit of time in your book formatting ventures. Then again, you will still need to set up a character style for the italics, which you may already know how to do in a way that only takes a minute or less. If you don’t know how to do this, come on back. It’s a checklist for another day.

Got EPUB and Paper Book Formatting Questions? ArmLin House Can Help

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From the very beginning of self-publishing, formatting books has been one of my favorite things to do...like a hobby. I first learned the eBook process by writing the HTML and XML that encompass a book you can read on an eReader. After working in tech jobs for the early part of my career, it was a given that I'd delve deep into the guts of an eBook before learning any other method or tool to build a book. I had also published various types of manuals in the Air Force and a corporate environment, so paper books were a cinch to jump back into.

Some may tell you it's easy to use a word processor or other tools to format books, but it's not. I run into formatting issue after formatting issue in self-published books. I'm not quite sure how do-it-yourself authors don't see the extra spaces, strange characters, giant white spaces, inconsistencies, and more when they quality check their book before publishing. Or maybe they're not bothering to quality check their product. You can bet your reader notices, and a poorly formatted book is more than enough for someone to throw your book aside and reach for one of a million other books out there.

I still run into crazy strange things that happen while formatting books. I keep it all documented, every last freaky thing I run into. For example, I once found an issue where MS Word had put invisible ASCII characters into the manuscript that you could see in the eBook but not in Word. Until I opened the manuscript in a coding app like Notepad++ or Komodo Edit, I could not see or find the characters.

Consider that the average time frame for an author to write their first book is 10 years. MS Word alone does the weirdest things to your manuscript over that length of time. Sure, you could strip your manuscript down to a text file, but guess how long it will take you to build it back with all the formatting. Do you really want to re-highlight and re-italicize all the needed text again. Oh, and stripping the manuscript won't get rid of the ASCII character issue I had found.

Yes...there are ways around the mess, and I've made it my mission to figure out how to clean it up the most efficiently.That's why I'm open to helping you with any book formatting issues you encounter, no matter the method you choose. I've created a form for your questions under the Services menu. Just click on Book Formatting Questions, and I'll do my best to answer or provide instructions on how to fix your problem. I'm even looking forward to you challenging me with new issues.

Not everyone can afford to pay someone to format their book, which is why the process should be fun, not frustrating. But like a puzzle, all it takes is one piece missing to send you on a frantic and time consuming search for the piece. And each missing piece is a flaw in your book you can't afford readers to see.

An Interview with Dr. Martha Lucas, Author of the Catholic Daughters of Catholic Mothers Memoir

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Dr. Martha Lucas holds a Ph.D. in Research Psychology as well as a degree in Chinese Medicine. She has more than 20 years of teaching and speaking experience. While Lucas loves practicing Chinese medicine and writing, her absolute favorite role in life is that of grandmother.

In Catholic Daughters of Catholic Mothers, Dr. Lucas candidly recounts memories of her Catholic daughter's childhood. The book beginning with her parents choosing which saint to name her after and continuing through her Catholic grade school education, taught by nuns, the founders of America’s parochial schools. This memoir portrays strict discipline and rules of a system where independent thinking was discouraged. Everything was forbidden, everyone was a sinner, and every bad action could result in “going to Hell.”

Dr. Martha Lucas holding Catholic Daughters of Catholic Mothers

How would you describe yourself and your life in seven words?

I love my family and my work.

Besides being a writer, what other types of jobs and careers have you held?

My careers have included Practitioner of Chinese medicine, Research Psychologist, Professor, Administrative Assistant, and even a waitress at Krispy Kreme.

I'm particularly proud of my Pulse Diagnosis Biofeedback and Balancing course that I teach worldwide. And my course that focuses on treating fertility challenges in men and women, which was born while treating one of my daughters who has an autoimmune condition.

How did you juggle life, learning, and career with motherhood while your children were growing up?

Probably not very well when my children were young, and I was a single mother working part-time and pursuing my Ph.D. I am blessed that all of my children are fine and they have good lives, but they do remember (and like to remind me) about living what they called “the ghetto life” of being home alone while I worked or was at school.

Maybe this is why I am so committed to being available to my grandchildren. While I love practicing Chinese medicine and writing, my absolute favorite role in life is that of grandmother. I adores my grandchildren and spends as much time as I can with them.

How did the idea for your book come to you?

Over the years, just thinking about being a Catholic daughter has shaped my life. In my adulthood, I started to question church authority while grappling with my own identity. I found myself becoming what I call an “ambiguous” Catholic. It influenced me to help other women move through the emotional issues that religious influences during childhood can create.

What was your favorite scene or section to write?

I really enjoyed writing the chapter on Confession, mainly because it seems so ludicrous--almost funny if it wasn’t so wrong and sad--to have 7-year-olds feeling like they have to make up sins in order to please the priest in their confessions. What 7-year-old has sin?

Catholic Daughters of Catholic Mothers A memoir and Guided Journal paperback book with books2read.com/catholicdaughtersjournal link to buy.

This book also has a guided journal, the questions based on my experiences and desires to help others discover their truth. It allows readers to explore their Catholic mother-daughter ties and reflect on important life lessons. And the questions will help anyone, even if they aren’t a Catholic daughter of a Catholic mother.

What other projects are you working on that you would like to tell us about?

I’m writing an anti-aging guide book about how to age as well as possible. I'm also writing a book about feeling the unconditional love of a grandchild and the sadness that happens when they grow up and that unconditional love seems to go away.

I teach Chinese Medicine courses worldwide including a Mei Zen Cosmetic Acupuncture System for face and neck, which is one of the best ways to keep our skin looking younger. In order to enhance the aging process even further, I have created My Zen Skin Care, a natural skin care line that uses Chinese herbs and essential oils with active cosmeceuticals to benefit your skin.

Thanks to Dr. Lucas for taking the time to tell us about herself. Use the links below to learn more about her life and career.

CONNECT WITH DR. LUCAS

books2read.com/catholicdaughtersjournal (Where to Purchase Book)
acupuncturewoman.com | myzenskincare.com | lucasteachings.com
YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest |LinkedIn

We’re a New Publisher and Production Company

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Welcome to ArmLin House. We are a new publisher and production company. Our mission is to help you create your media or manage its production for you. What does this mean? You can hire us to help you bring your media to market such as editing and formatting a self-published books. Or submit your book to us for publishing the traditional way.

Books are not all we produce. We can also assist you with YouTube channels, training videos, websites, social media images, and more... We can produce whatever you need to promote your story, your product, or your service. Whatever you need to get noticed.

We specialize in nonfiction book publishing and are looking for instructional, self-improvement, and memoirs in particular. We also produce media for children.

Come back soon and frequently as we improve our website for more news and instructions on how to submit your requests to work with us. We can't wait to read your pitch.