The practical answer
Keep an editable master, establish the font licence and receiving environment, and compare glyphs, line width and complete text at the same dimensions. The current SVG-to-PNG tool decodes the SVG and draws a canvas; it does not embed fonts or convert text to paths. Preserve source text separately when delivering approved outlines or a raster image.
A family name requests a font; it does not attach one
The SVG font-family definition describes a prioritized list of named or generic families. A name in the source states a request, rather than proving the exporter has that font.
The CSS font-selection documentation also describes fallback per character. Supporting Latin letters does not establish support for every currency symbol, mathematical sign or character in another writing system. A whole line changing shape and a few missing glyphs therefore need separate checks.
If text stays correct but a photograph disappears, use the external-image dependency comparison. This exercise varies font selection without repeating that missing-resource case.
Change only the family list in three small specimens
The original teaching pack contains no client marks or external font files. Each SVG is 480×120 with the same MWMW 2026 text, size 48, position (20,82), dark text and white background. KitNelo NeverInstalled 73591 is an intentionally invented unavailable name, not a font product to install.
The complete missing-mono.svg appears below. For mono.svg, change only font-family to monospace. For missing-serif.svg, keep the invented first name and change the final fallback to serif. Changing size, spacing or export dimensions at the same time would make the comparison inconclusive.
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="480" height="120" viewBox="0 0 480 120"><rect width="480" height="120" fill="white"/><text x="20" y="82" font-size="48" fill="#101010" font-family="'KitNelo NeverInstalled 73591', monospace">MWMW 2026</text></svg>| File | Family list | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| missing-mono.svg | 'KitNelo NeverInstalled 73591', monospace | Check the monospace fallback after an unavailable family |
| mono.svg | monospace | Compare decoded pixels with the first input |
| missing-serif.svg | 'KitNelo NeverInstalled 73591', serif | Check glyph changes when the fallback changes |
Inspect actual PNGs before interpreting a device difference
The current implementation decodes SVG as an image and draws a PNG canvas. MDN’s SVG image-context restrictions distinguish this context from an independently viewed document. A web editor loading a remote font does not establish that the image converter can use the same resource.
- Open SVG to PNG, paste each source and choose Start conversion. Associate every download with its source name so repeated converted.png downloads cannot obscure the comparison.
- Choose Download result and reopen each PNG. Check actual 480×120 dimensions, complete MWMW 2026 text, baseline and right margin. A page thumbnail’s displayed width is not a file-dimension check.
- Compare missing-mono with mono in the same exporter, then compare missing-serif. Equality in the first pair and a difference in the third is consistent with fallback selection; it does not prove an original design font was embedded.
On November 3, 2026, the controlled Windows Edge check read the native downloads: all three were 480×120, missing-mono and mono had identical decoded pixels, and missing-serif differed. This result covers these inputs and environment only. It is not cross-device font equivalence or an external font-service test.
Choose editable content or a fixed approved appearance
The Inkscape text guide documents text converted to paths. That supports an alternative workflow; this article does not report running Inkscape. Confirm the font’s use and delivery permission before making a path copy.
Outlines or PNGs can reduce font dependencies at the recipient, while sacrificing text editing, searching or accessible reading. Provide accessible text separately when the publication requires it; a picture should not carry all the information.
Keep the files needed by the recipient
Continue editing
Retain the text-based master with its font name, permission and layout reference. The recipient needs a licensed font environment and another check of wrapping and special characters.
Fix vector appearance
Prepare a text-to-path copy in a suitable editor and compare it with the approved reference. This converter has no text-to-path control. Outlines no longer provide the same editable text, so keep the master and text separately.
Deliver fixed pixels
Supply an inspected PNG with dimensions and purpose. It retains this raster result, cannot recover vector detail when enlarged and does not offer ordinary text editing.
Return to the master according to the visible symptom
For canvas geometry, continue with the SVG pixel and viewBox check. More output pixels cannot turn a missing font into the original font, and format changes cannot correct a source spelling error. Retain the master, approved reference, export environment and final file; check again when the receiving environment changes.
| Symptom | First check | Recovery |
|---|---|---|
| Whole line changes shape or width | Available font and fallback order | Use an approved font environment or approve an outline/raster copy |
| Individual characters are missing | Glyph coverage and original text encoding | Check the source and use a supporting font; do not delete the character |
| Rightmost text is clipped | New text width versus canvas and viewBox | Correct composition bounds and inspect the complete text again |
Common questions
Is embedding always better than outlining?
There is no universal choice. Embedding depends on the font licence, target format and resource-loading environment. Keep an editable master for further changes, then weigh outlines or a raster copy when fixed appearance is the goal.
Further reading & sources
Put the guide into practice
Open the relevant tool, preview the result and check your exported file.
