In a significant shift within the tech landscape, Microsoft has announced the discontinuation of Adobe PostScript Type 1 fonts from its Windows operating system. This decision aligns with Adobe’s own move to cease support for this font series, which took effect in January 2023. As a result, developers are encouraged to transition away from Type 1 fonts in their applications, opting instead for more modern and supported font types.
What is Microsoft removing from Windows this time?
According to information shared on the Microsoft Learn website, the deprecation of Type 1 fonts is part of a broader strategy where Microsoft periodically phases out features deemed obsolete or underutilized. This follows recent announcements regarding the deprecation of other functionalities such as VBScript and Windows Mixed Reality. Users can easily check their installed fonts by navigating to Settings > Personalization > Fonts on their Windows devices.
How will this move impact users?
The implications of this change are particularly relevant for users of Adobe products, as Type 1 fonts will no longer be available as content authoring options. Additionally, most mobile operating systems and web browsers have already moved away from supporting these fonts. While Windows PCs will eventually follow suit, Microsoft has yet to provide a specific timeline for this transition.
For users who have PDFs with embedded Type 1 fonts, these documents will still display correctly in Adobe Acrobat Reader. However, if the font is not embedded, it will be substituted with a different font based on Adobe’s font substitution table and the fonts available on the user’s system. This substitution process will also apply when editing such PDF files. Adobe has cautioned that unexpected behavior may arise when opening PDFs in browsers or PDF viewers other than Acrobat, underscoring the importance of being aware of these changes.