If you tell me which software you’re seeing F1/F2/F3/F4 in (Acrobat, Ghostscript, printer, etc.), I can give a tailored fix.
When you encounter a PDF that shows garbled text due to bad CID labels, use Ghostscript to rewrite the font structure:
: Software often assigns these names (F1, F2, etc.) when it cannot decode or find the original font name during export. cid font f1 f2 f3 f4 better
: Frequently used for the Regular weight of the main font (e.g., Arial Regular).
Instead of relying on automatic /F1 assignments, explicitly name your CID fonts. For example: If you tell me which software you’re seeing
To achieve "better" results in document rendering and searchability, the goal is to resolve these generic identifiers back into their original, high-quality font states.
In a standard document workflow, "better" is not about a specific version (F1 vs. F2), but rather about . F1 (Regular) F3 (Italic) F4 (Bold Italic) Best For Body text and long-form reading. Headers and emphasis. Quotes and specific terms. High-emphasis headers. Readability Highest; designed for clarity at small sizes. High; best for quick scanning. Moderate; decorative use. Varies by design. Common Mapping Times New Roman or Arial Regular. Times New Roman or Arial Bold. Variations of the base family. Combined bold/italic style. Common Issues and Solutions Which font type? - Adobe Community Instead of relying on automatic /F1 assignments, explicitly
In some instances, these identifiers correspond to different weights of the same font (e.g., for Regular). Embedding Failures:
Unlike standard fonts, CID fonts are designed to handle non-left-to-right text flow, including vertical writing modes. For publications that require complex typography—such as traditional vertical Japanese text—CID fonts are fundamentally better at maintaining design integrity. 4. Efficient PDF Generation and Embedding
Users typing "cid font f1 f2 f3 f4 better" into search engines are not looking for a theoretical explanation. They are facing a concrete problem: They want to know how to improve the situation.