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Font subsetting – how it works and when to use

In order to reduce the file size PDF producers use a technique called font subsetting. What does exactly happen with the fonts and what are the consequences?

In order to reduce the file size PDF producers use a technique called font subsetting. What does exactly happen with the fonts and what are the consequences?

If a PDF creator software adds text to a page description then it refers to a font. The font contains a collection of characters with a description of their graphic appearance called glyphs, metrics and other relevant information to render the text. There exist various types of font formats which can be used in a PDF document such as Type 1, TrueType, CFF and OpenType fonts.

Read more about font subsetting in our Expert blog.


Pdftools counts more than 5,000 companies and organizations in 70 countries among its customers, making it one of the world’s leading producers of software solutions and developer components for PDF and PDF/A products. The product range support the entire document flow, from raw materials to scanning processes through to signing…

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