The PDF was created without embedding the necessary font subsets, forcing the viewer to look for a font that doesn't exist on the user's computer.
The software used to create the PDF (e.g., a web-based dashboard or printer driver) failed to correctly map the character set to a standard system font.
| Property | Value / Meaning | |----------|----------------| | /DW (default width) | Same for all glyphs (e.g., 600 for 10‑point fixed at 600 units/em) | | /W array | Often absent or redundant for pure fixed‑pitch | | /WMode | 0 (horizontal) | | /CIDToGIDMap | May be Identity for direct mapping | cidfont f1 normal fixed
When you see a error, it usually means a required font wasn't embedded in the PDF, and your system doesn't have a substitute. Here are several ways to fix it.
To resolve the error, it helps to break down what the string tells your PDF reader: The PDF was created without embedding the necessary
A common misconception is believing CIDFont+F1 (or variations like CIDFont+F1 , CIDFont+F2 ) is a particular typeface, like Arial or Times New Roman. It is, in fact, a generic placeholder. The letter 'F' indicates a 'Font' resource, and the number simply identifies it as the first font referenced in that PDF's font dictionary.
In practice, /F1 is often an alias for:
Depending on whether you are the recipient of the broken PDF or the person creating it, use these step-by-step methods to resolve the error. If You Received the PDF (Quick Fixes)