This has been happening over this year. Intermittently. I have no idea what is happening. I just downloaded the new FBase version because I got the “Couldn’t update” message and found I had to install new, so I did. I thought this bug might be gone, but it happened again.
So I work on a file, I add the text, add the font. All good. I close the file, come back to it later and I find the text with the exclamation mark (no font active). This happens on Photoshop or Illustrator, independently. I have no idea what the conflict is with Adobe. And no way the font shows as active until it just suddenly shows. It is erratic and weird. I might close and reopen Font Base (via Task Manager) and still the fonts won’t show. I had to install some of the fonts (as available) from Adobe Fonts, but I uninstall them afterwards, to avoid conflicts with FontB. so I have no idea what is going on, to make it worse as I mentioned, the behaviour is totally erratic. Can’t fully predict.
For example, the sequence today: I’m working on Photoshop, on 2 different artworks, and everything is fine. Then I opened a new file (to duplicate one art) and there was the ! .. so I went to FontB., checked if the font was active or not, yes it was…
I found about the update, I close photoshop. I download and update, install (hopes high), I reopen photoshop and my files → still the ! (see screenshot) and font is active (screenshot).
This is really frustrating! and even more being a paying subscriber!
Your operating system - WIN 11
FontBase version - Latest, just installed
What actions caused the issue - opening the file on PS or AI, fonts were there as always, and when opening the file to continue working, fonts / text show with !
Hello Van, thank you for your post
First of all, really sorry for the inconvenience this is causing
Are you using the auto-activation/auto-deactivation features, or activating/deactivating fonts manually in FontBase?
Another thing, although this is probably not the root cause of what’s happening - does this still happen if FontBase is opened/closed using its own options (desktop icon, tray icon, close button inside the app) as opposed to being closed via a Task Manager app? Closing via a Task Manager can disrupt the app’s workflow, preventing proper data storage inside the app, including activation/deactivation.
Hi, FontBase is open as soon as I turn on the computer. Runs in the background. Updates are automatic. I was just checking and I had the font both active in FB and via Adobe Fonts. I had to add it because it was not being recognized even if activated on FB. SO.. I removed it from Adobe Fonts and kept the FB as active (didn’t touch it).. Then opened Photoshop again, and the freaking font shows again (and from Creative Cloud! how if I removed it?) So I went to Creative Cloud, added it again. So it seems there is some conflict? I noticed also other fonts on CC are not being refreshed. I honestly prefer to have them on FB . I seem to have more control of what fonts are active or not, but it looks like both CC and FB are not working coordinated. As far as I understood, if the font is in CC shouldn’t be activated on FB? I’m thoroughly confused at how this whole thing works. With other font managers before I never had these problems.
So yes I had FB opened and closed (but working in the background) - I’ve not closed it via Task Manager yet.
As for the auto features, I have auto on.. not deactivating, I deactivate manually if I grow tired of a font.
edit: again had the problem just now.. I opened FB and the font magically appeared, but it was not updating on PS. had to select and deselect several times until finally updated the text. I just wanted to change from 2 lines to 1 line.. this is so frustrating!!! (and the font is not the one I was mentioning that is also on CC, this one is only on FB on my computer!)
Hello Van, thank you for the quick and detailed reply
Indeed, using several font activation applications at once could cause conflicts, unfortunately
Regarding the need to refresh PS text for FontBase-activated fonts - if this never happened before, could it be associated with PS updates, if there were any throughout this year? Once a font is activated in FontBase, the ball is in PS’s court so to speak, so the behaviour you’re describing sounds like it has something to do with font caching or state updating within PS itself. Just an presumption, of course, it’s a matter of how PS is coded by the devs and its internal workings after all.
Hi progboxstudio
I tested autoactivation and encountered a problem with installing the plugin. When manually install it (“change folder” in Fontbase) to the “Plug-ins” folder(!), e.g. programmes\adobe\adobe photoshop 2025\plug-ins (or same in InDesign or Illustrator) it worked with Photoshop and InDesign but not in Illustrator 2025(? in 2024 it works). In looks like Illustrator 2025 does the fonts handle in other way (exact preview even if the font in not activated (like Photophop does without plug-in)
Could be Adobe problem but maybe to resolve by Fontbase plug-in?
Activation of fonts via Fontbase works on the fly (apps opened) with all Adobe apps like most other “professional” apps.
As far as I used Adobe and some Adobe fonts, I didn’t activate Adobe fonts directly from Adobe (are installed hided in the Adobe programme folder structure) but also from my fonts folders.
ough what a turn around! well will give it a try if gives error again. For now I deactivated the fonts in Adobe Fonts/CC it didn’t load automatically though, I had to close PS and launch it again. I’ll test the moving the folders but not in the immediate future, going on holidays! I’ll keep an eye on the issue anyway. Thanks to you both for having a look into this!
