Save figure as pdf without changing fontname

Hello everyone, if I try to save a plot figure as pdf, where the font name of the axes and legend is changed to LM Roman, the text in the saved pdf hasn't LM Roman as font name. How can I fix this bug?
A short example:
plot(rand(10,1)); set(gca, 'FontName','LM Roman 10');
Thank you for your help.

4 Comments

Check the below FAQ link,
https://in.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/311820-save-a-figure-as-pdf
How are you saving the figure? I don't have any problem with print nor export_fig.
Johannes
Johannes on 23 Aug 2018
Edited: Johannes on 23 Aug 2018
Hello Jonas, if I use the "save as" button, or if I use the print function, it always changes the font to the standard Font.
The first image shows, the figure before exporting with LM Roman
The second picture shows the pdf-result after exporting the file.
Have you tried with a different font, say Times new roman?

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Answers (5)

Thank you for your answer. But the problem isn't how to export a figure to pdf.
The problem is, that the Font Name is changed during exporting the figure to pdf.
I have exactly the same issue. Please let me know if you solved it.
Best

2 Comments

I have exactly the same issue as well. And export_fig does has not helped me with it.

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I'm no expert on matlab, or any of these kinds of things, but after finding no resolution from this answer or anywhere else, I think I may have found a solution. I printed my figure using Microsoft XPS Document Writer, saving as an .oxps file. Then I searched online to find how to convert from .oxps to .eps, which is what I wanted. I found this site, which did the trick: https://convertio.co/oxps-eps/
Ankit Labh
Ankit Labh on 21 May 2026
Edited: Ankit Labh on 21 May 2026
Hi there,
One potential way (which I use) is the following:
(1) saveas the figure in svg to keep the fonts as it is.
(2) Use online tool "tools.pdf24.org" for converting it into pdf.
(3) Use online pdf cropper such as "www.ilovepdf.com" for cutting it into (manually) tighter margin.
This works perfectly.
I hope you will get this done.
To Matlab engineers: You must come up with a method which exports figure (as it is, including fonts) in pdf in vector format, transparent background and with tight margins (Padding) for normal offline users. If you don't do that. you would loose a big value. Thanks.

1 Comment

I have found another way: (1) Export as pdf, (2) import in Inkspace where the original matlab fonts come back.

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