Word update changes boldface text

[AMKassirMD]

On January 18, 2018, I updated Microsoft Word 2016 from version 15.41 to 16.9, as recommended by Microsoft. After applying the update, I noticed that my documents look different. To be specific, I am using Lucida Grande in many of my medical records documents. The boldface version of that font looks much darker, more saturated, and less sharp than before. If I downgrade and replace the updated version of Word with the former version, my fonts look normal again.

In addition, I have a letterhead that contains text in Adobe Garamond. Again, the boldface version of that font looks darker and more saturated than before, and now the letterhead is unattractive with normal and boldface versions of text dramatically different from each other.

I have uploaded screenshots of part of a medical record document that shows the difference. The first screenshot is the original appearance. The second is the appearance after the update.

I'm not sure why this is happening. I've looked for font settings or other reasons that this might be happening, but I haven't found any setting I can change that would fix this.

Any thoughts or assistance is most welcome!

Thanks.

 

[BrianBaughn]

I don't know exactly how Word works with fonts but it uses its own set of fonts that are in the application package. Additionally, Word updates may contain and in the past some definitely have contained updated font files so MS may have messed this up for you in an update. Alternately, some other code in the Word app may be handling fonts differently since the update.

Microsoft screws up a lot of stuff with their updates…and with absolutely no warning. I can't say that using a different app would be any better.

 

[AMKassirMD]

Brian, thanks for the reply. I found a folder of fonts in the resources folder, within the Word application package, but Lucida Grande and Adobe Garamond are not there. So maybe it's some other code.

I'd love to hear if anyone else is using Word 2016 and (a) has noticed similar boldface font appears changes, and (b) has any ideas how to fix this.

Thanks.