Warning message appears when system does not contain a particular font

TechNote 120

Applicability

The information on this page applies to:
  • MathType for Windows
  • MathType for Mac

Issue

When users open a MathType equation that was received from someone else, they receive a MathType warning message, stating a particular font is not available and that it will be substituted with an available font. Many times users think that this warning message is caused by MathType for not having the proper fonts installed, not realizing that the document author used a different font to create the MathType equations.

Reason

The original MathType equation was created using a font that is not available on the receiving computer, resulting in the receiving computer attempting to substitute the font for one that is available, and displaying the warning message.

Solution

If using the same font is not critical, simply click OK to accept the font substitution and proceed as normal. However, if you're required to use the same font, you'll need to install it on your computer.

Windows

  1. Have the third party send the particular font, or search for it on the web.
  2. Go to the Control Panel | Fonts folder.
  3. From the File menu of the Fonts folder, choose "Install new font".
  4. Navigate to where the font is located.
  5. Click once to select it and click OK.

The once-missing font should be installed into your Fonts folder and you should no longer receive an error message when launching the MathType equation created by the author.

Macintosh

  1. Have the third party send the particular font.
  2. Open the Font Book application. This is part of macOS and will be located in the Applications folder.
  3. Click the + symbol on the Font Book toolbar:
    installing a font with Font Book
  4. Navigate to where the font is located. Click once to select it.
  5. Click OK to install the font.

The once-missing font should be installed into your Fonts folder and you should no longer receive an error message when launching the MathType equation created by the third party.


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We hope this has been helpful. As always, please let us know if you have questions about this, or if you have additional techniques that work. We'd love to hear from you.