Hello everyone,
I hope you're doing well.
As a student, I often have to prepare assignments, presentations, research papers, and sometimes CVs that include both English and Urdu text.
One issue I keep facing is that Urdu text doesn't always display correctly after copying it between Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or PDF files. Sometimes the font changes, the formatting breaks, or certain characters don't appear properly.
I'd really appreciate your advice on a few questions:
- Which Unicode Urdu font do you usually use for academic work?
- Do you prefer an online Urdu typing tool or a keyboard layout?
- How do you make sure Urdu text remains correctly formatted when converting documents to PDF?
- Are there any tips or best practices for students who regularly work with both English and Urdu?
I'd love to hear what has worked for you.
Thanks in advance!
1. The Best Unicode Urdu Fonts
Your font choice depends heavily on where you are typing:
-
Microsoft Word (Offline): Jameel Noori Nastaleeq is the undisputed standard for academic and professional work. It is highly legible and correctly renders complex ligatures. Mehr Nastaleeq is a great, slightly lighter alternative.
-
Google Docs (Online): Because you cannot easily upload custom desktop fonts to Google Docs, use Noto Nastaliq Urdu or Gulzar. Both are available in the Google Fonts library and are specifically optimized for web-based word processors.
2. Keyboard Layout vs. Online Tools
Always use an installed keyboard layout over online typing tools.
Typing in a web tool and copy-pasting is the primary reason formatting breaks — you accidentally carry over hidden HTML styling from the website. Installing an Urdu Phonetic Keyboard (like the Pak Urdu Installer for Windows) maps Urdu letters to their English phonetic equivalents (e.g., 'A' = Alif, 'P' = Pay), making typing incredibly fast. Once installed, you can toggle between English and Urdu instantly using Windows Key + Space or Alt + Shift.
3. Flawless PDF Conversion
When Urdu text changes into boxes, overlaps, or defaults to a basic font in a PDF, it is almost always because the Nastaleeq font was not embedded.
To fix this in Microsoft Word:
-
Go to File > Options > Save.
-
Scroll down to the "Preserve fidelity when sharing this document" section.
-
Check the box for Embed fonts in the file.
-
Check Do not embed common system fonts to keep the file size down.
Alternative method: Instead of clicking "Save as PDF," press Ctrl + P to open the print menu and select Microsoft Print to PDF. This essentially "flattens" the document and usually forces the RTL text to behave perfectly.
4. Best Practices for Bilingual Documents
-
RTL Direction vs. Right Alignment: This is the most common mistake. Don't just click the "Align Right" button on the toolbar. You must click the Right-to-Left Text Direction button. This tells Word the actual logical structure of the sentence, which stops punctuation from ending up on the wrong side and prevents mixed English/Urdu sentences from scrambling.
-
Adjust Line Spacing: Urdu Nastaleeq fonts hang much lower below the baseline than English fonts. Always set your paragraph line spacing to at least 1.15 or 1.5. If you leave it at 1.0, the bottom dots of your Urdu letters will likely get cropped.
-
Use Invisible Tables for Translations: If you need to present English and Urdu side-by-side, do not use columns or the
Tabkey. Insert a two-column table, put English on one side and Urdu on the other, and then set the table borders to "No Border." This keeps the text perfectly aligned and stops the layout from breaking across pages. -
Create Separate Styles: In Word, create a dedicated "Heading 1 - Urdu" style and a "Heading 1 - English" style. This prevents your English font settings (like Arial or Times New Roman) from constantly overriding your Nastaleeq formatting when you start a new line.