Why Word’s Font Preview Skips Custom Display Names for OTF Files

You installed a custom OpenType Font file with a specific display name embedded in the font metadata. But when you open the font list in Word, the font preview shows the internal PostScript name or the filename instead of the custom display name you created. This happens because Word reads font names from a specific field in the OTF metadata table, and custom display names stored in other fields are ignored. This article explains why Word skips custom display names for OTF files and how to adjust your font metadata so the correct name appears in Word’s font preview.

How Word Reads Font Names From OTF Metadata

OpenType fonts store multiple name strings in the name table, each identified by a numeric Name ID. The specification defines over 20 Name IDs, but Word only reads a few of them when building the font preview list. The key Name IDs are:

• Name ID 0 — Copyright notice. Ignored for display.
• Name ID 1 — Font Family name. Used as the primary display name in many applications.
• Name ID 2 — Font Subfamily name (e.g., Regular, Bold).
• Name ID 4 — Preferred Family. Word uses this as the display name if present. If missing, Word falls back to Name ID 1.
• Name ID 6 — PostScript name. Used internally but not shown in the font list.
• Name ID 16 — Typographic Family. This is where many font designers place a custom display name, but Word does not read it for the font preview.
• Name ID 17 — Typographic Subfamily. Also not read by Word for preview purposes.

The root cause is that Word prioritizes Name ID 4 over Name ID 1, and it completely ignores Name ID 16 and 17 for the font dropdown. If you created a custom display name only in Name ID 16, Word will never show it. Instead, Word displays whatever is in Name ID 4, or if that is missing, Name ID 1, or if that is also missing, the filename of the OTF file.

Why Designers Use Name ID 16 for Custom Names

The OpenType specification introduced Name ID 16 and 17 to allow typographic families that differ from the basic font family. For example, a font family named “MyFont” might have a typographic family name “MyFont Pro” for advanced OpenType features. Applications like Adobe InDesign and Affinity Publisher read Name ID 16 for the font menu. Word does not. This inconsistency causes the custom display name to appear in other software but not in Word.

How to Make Word Show Your Custom Font Display Name

To force Word to display your custom font name, you must edit the OTF file’s name table. You need a font editing tool. The steps below use FontForge, a free open-source font editor, but the same Name IDs apply in any editor.

1. Open the OTF file in FontForge
   Launch FontForge and open your OTF file. Go to Element > Font Info. This opens the Font Information dialog.
2. Navigate to the Name table
   In the Font Information dialog, click the TTF Names tab. This shows all current name entries. Each row shows a Language, Name ID, and String.
3. Locate Name ID 4 (Preferred Family)
   Look for a row where the Name ID column shows 4. If it exists, note the current string. If it does not exist, you need to add a new entry. Click the Add button.
4. Set the custom display name in Name ID 4
   In the new row or existing row, set Language to English (United States) and Name ID to 4. In the String field, type your custom display name exactly as you want it to appear in Word.
5. Update Name ID 1 to match
   Find the row with Name ID 1 (Font Family). Change its String to the same custom display name you used in Name ID 4. This ensures Word has a fallback if Name ID 4 is not read.
6. Remove or rename Name ID 16 if present
   If you have a row with Name ID 16, either delete it or change its String to match Name ID 4. Keeping a different string in Name ID 16 can cause confusion in other applications, but it does not affect Word.
7. Save the font file
   Click OK to close the Font Information dialog. Then go to File > Generate Fonts. Choose the OTF format and save the file with a new name to avoid overwriting the original. Install the new font file on your system.
8. Restart Word and check the font list
   Close and reopen Word. Open the font dropdown in the Home tab. Your custom display name should now appear in the font preview list.

What to Do If Word Still Shows the Wrong Name

Word Shows the Filename Instead of Any Name ID

This happens when both Name ID 4 and Name ID 1 are missing or empty. Open the font in FontForge and verify that at least Name ID 1 has a non-empty string. Also check that the font file is not corrupted. Reinstall the font after saving.

Word Shows the Old Name Even After Editing

Windows caches font names. After installing the edited font, restart your computer to clear the font cache. Alternatively, run the command net stop FontCache and then net start FontCache in an elevated Command Prompt to reset the cache without rebooting.

Other Applications Show the Wrong Name After Editing

Editing Name ID 4 and Name ID 1 affects how all applications display the font. If you need the custom display name only in Word and a different name in Adobe software, you cannot satisfy both with a single font file. You must maintain two separate font files or use a font management tool that overrides names per application.

Word Font Name Sources: Name ID 4 vs Name ID 1 vs Filename

Item	Name ID 4 (Preferred Family)	Name ID 1 (Font Family)	Filename
What Word displays	Uses this first	Fallback if ID 4 missing	Fallback if both IDs missing
Where to edit	TTF Names tab in FontForge	TTF Names tab in FontForge	Rename the .otf file in File Explorer
Effect on other apps	May change display in all apps	May change display in all apps	Only changes name in apps that fall back to filename
Ease of change	Requires font editor	Requires font editor	Simple rename

You can now edit an OTF font file to place your custom display name in Name ID 4, which Word uses for the font preview. If you design fonts, always set Name ID 4 to the name you want in Word. For fonts you only use, check the name table with FontForge before installing. As a final tip, keep a backup of the original font file before editing because changing Name ID 4 and Name ID 1 affects how the font appears in all Windows applications.