You open a drawing and discover that the text is missing, replaced by empty boxes, showing question marks (???), displaying the wrong font, or appearing in Model Space but not in Layout.

In most cases, the cause is one of the following:

• Missing SHX or TTF fonts
• Layer visibility issues
• Annotation scale conflicts
• Viewport settings
• Graphics display problems
• Draw order conflicts
• Proxy objects from Civil 3D or Architecture
• Drawing corruption

Use the checklist below first. It resolves a large percentage of text display issues in AutoCAD.

Quick Fix Checklist

Run these commands before diving into advanced troubleshooting:

REGENALL

ANNOALLVISIBLE ➜ 1

QTEXT ➜ OFF

AUDIT ➜ Y

Then verify:

• The text layer is ON
• The text layer is THAWED
• The text layer is UNLOCKED
• The text color is not identical to the background
• The text is not hidden behind a wipeout
• The layer is not VP Frozen
• The drawing is not using missing fonts

1. Missing or Corrupted Font Files (SHX and TTF)

This is the most common cause of missing or incorrectly displayed text.

AutoCAD supports two font types:

• SHX fonts (AutoCAD shape fonts)
• TTF fonts (TrueType fonts installed in the operating system)

Examples include:

• romans.shx
• simplex.shx
• txt.shx
• Arial.ttf
• Calibri.ttf

If AutoCAD cannot locate the required font, it substitutes another font or displays unreadable text.

How to Identify Missing Fonts

When opening a drawing, look for messages such as:

Missing SHX Files

or

Substituting Font

Check the command line for additional details.

Fix 1: Request an ETRANSMIT Package

If the drawing came from a consultant, client, or coworker, ask for an ETRANSMIT package.

Steps

Step 1

Ask the sender to run:

ETRANSMIT

Step 2

Create a ZIP package containing all dependencies.

Step 3

Open the transmitted version of the drawing.

This package typically includes:

• Fonts
• Xrefs
• Plot styles
• Images
• Data references

Fix 2: Install Missing SHX Fonts

Windows

Copy the SHX files to:

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 20XX\Fonts

macOS (AutoCAD 2024 and Later)

Place SHX files in:

~/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/AutoCAD 20XX/RXX.X/roaming/Support

To access the hidden Library folder:

Step 1

Open Finder.

Step 2

Click Go on the menu bar.

Step 3

Hold the Option (Alt) key.

Step 4

Select Library.

Restart AutoCAD after installing the fonts.

Fix 3: Install Missing TTF Fonts

TTF fonts must be installed in the operating system.

Windows

Step 1

Right-click the font file.

Step 2

Choose:

Install

or

Install for all users

macOS

Step 1

Open:

Font Book

Step 2

Install the font.

Step 3

Restart AutoCAD.

Fix 4: Configure FONTALT

FONTALT defines the substitute font AutoCAD uses when the original font is unavailable.

Steps

Step 1

Type:

FONTALT

Step 2

If the value is:

.

change it to:

simplex.shx

or

Arial.ttf

Step 3

Run:

REGENALL

Note: FONTALT only substitutes the missing font temporarily. It does not restore the original font.

Missing Fonts Inside Xrefs

Sometimes the missing text is located inside an attached XREF.

In these situations, AutoCAD may not clearly report the missing font.

Steps

Step 1

Open the XREF source drawing directly.

Step 2

Allow AutoCAD to load the file independently.

Step 3

Watch for missing font warnings.

Step 4

Install the required SHX or TTF fonts.

2. Text Displays as Question Marks (???)

Question marks indicate that the font exists but cannot display the required characters.

This often affects:

• Unicode text
• International characters
• Accented letters
• Imported drawings

Fix the Text Style

Steps

Step 1

Type:

STYLE

Step 2

Select the affected text style.

Step 3

Review the assigned font.

Step 4

If an SHX font is being used, enable Use Big Font when appropriate and assign a compatible Big Font.

Step 5

Test a modern TrueType font such as:

• Arial
• Segoe UI
• Calibri

If the text immediately appears, the original font lacks character support.

3. Text Layer Is Off, Frozen, or Locked

A hidden layer can make perfectly valid text appear missing.

Verify Layer Status

Steps

Step 1

Type:

LAYER

Step 2

Locate the text layer.

Step 3

Verify that the layer is:

• ON
• THAWED
• UNLOCKED

If the text returns, the issue was layer visibility.

4. Text Visible in Model Space but Missing in Layout

This is usually caused by viewport-specific layer settings.

Check VP Freeze

Steps

Step 1

Switch to the affected Layout.

Step 2

Activate the viewport.

Step 3

Open Layer Properties.

LAYER

Step 4

Check the VP Freeze column.

Step 5

Unfreeze the text layer if necessary.

Step 6

Run:

REGENALL

5. Annotation Scale Problems

Annotative text only appears at assigned scales.

If scales do not match, text may disappear completely.

Fix 1: Show All Annotative Objects

Steps

Step 1

Type:

ANNOALLVISIBLE

Step 2

Enter:

1

Fix 2: Verify the Current Annotation Scale

Steps

Step 1

Locate the annotation scale control on the Status Bar.

Step 2

Try different scales such as:

• 1:50
• 1:100
• 1:200

Step 3

Check whether the text reappears.

Fix 3: Remove Annotative Behavior

Steps

Step 1

Select the text.

Step 2

Open Properties.

CTRL+1

Step 3

Set:

Annotative = No

6. Text Color Matches the Background

The text may exist but be impossible to see.

This often happens when drawings move between dark and light backgrounds.

Verify Text Color

Steps

Step 1

Select the text.

Step 2

Open Properties.

CTRL+1

Step 3

Review:

• Color
• True Color
• Transparency

White text on a white background and black text on a black background will appear invisible.

7. QTEXT Is Replacing Text with Boxes

QTEXT is a legacy performance feature that displays placeholder boxes instead of actual text.

Disable QTEXT

Steps

Step 1

Type:

QTEXT

Step 2

Set it to:

OFF

Step 3

Run:

REGENALL

8. Text Hidden Behind a WIPEOUT or Hatch

The text may be present but covered by another object.

Bring the Text to the Front

Steps

Step 1

Select the text.

Step 2

Type:

DRAWORDER

Step 3

Choose:

Bring To Front

Display WIPEOUT Boundaries

Steps

Step 1

Type:

WIPEOUTFRAME

Step 2

Enter:

1

Step 3

Look for wipeouts covering the text.

9. Graphics Card and Display Rendering Problems

Graphics driver issues can cause text to appear:

• Blurry
• Distorted
• Incomplete
• Invisible

Review Graphics Configuration

Steps

Step 1

Type:

GRAPHICSCONFIG

Step 2

Disable:

Accelerated Font Display

Step 3

Test the drawing.

Step 4

If necessary, disable:

Hardware Acceleration

If the text returns, update the graphics driver.

Check Display Performance Settings

Steps

Step 1

Type:

OPTIONS

Step 2

Open the Display tab.

Step 3

Verify that:

Show text boundary frame only

is unchecked.

Step 4

Click OK.

Step 5

Run:

REGENALL

10. Proxy Objects from Civil 3D, Architecture, MEP, or Plant 3D

Some text-like objects are actually custom objects created by Autodesk vertical products.

Standard AutoCAD may not display them correctly.

Check Proxy Settings

Steps

Step 1

Type:

PROXYSHOW

Step 2

Set it to:

1

Step 3

Type:

PROXYNOTICE

Step 4

Set it to:

1

Step 5

Reopen the drawing and review any proxy warnings.

11. TEXTFILL Is Disabled

TEXTFILL controls whether TrueType text is displayed and plotted as filled characters.

Fix TEXTFILL

Steps

Step 1

Type:

TEXTFILL

Step 2

Enter:

1

Step 3

Run:

REGENALL

Important

If the text looks correct on screen but appears hollow in a PDF or printed output, TEXTFILL = 0 is one of the first settings to check.

12. Z-Elevation and Thickness Problems

Text objects may be located above or below the expected drawing plane.

This frequently occurs after copy-paste operations between drawings.

Reset Z Values

Steps

Step 1

Select the text.

Step 2

Open Properties.

CTRL+1

Step 3

Locate:

• Position Z
• Thickness

Step 4

Set both values to:

0

13. Incorrect Drawing Units

Unit mismatches can make text appear microscopic or extremely large.

Verify INSUNITS

Steps

Step 1

Type:

INSUNITS

Step 2

Verify the drawing units.

Step 3

Check any inserted files or Xrefs.

Common mismatches include:

• Millimeters vs meters
• Inches vs millimeters
• Feet vs meters

14. Improve TrueType Font Display Quality

Low TrueType display quality can make text appear rough or difficult to read.

Check TEXTQLTY

Steps

Step 1

Type:

TEXTQLTY

Step 2

Enter a value between:

0 and 100

Step 3

For most systems, use:

100

to maximize display quality.

15. Repair Drawing Corruption

Corrupted DWG files can affect text display and font behavior.

Run AUDIT

Steps

Step 1

Type:

AUDIT

Step 2

Enter:

Y

Step 3

Allow AutoCAD to repair detected errors.

Purge Unused Data

Steps

Step 1

Type:

PURGE

Step 2

Purge unused objects.

Step 3

Save the drawing.

Step 4

Close and reopen the file.

Summary Table

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my AutoCAD text not showing?

The most common causes are hidden layers, missing fonts, annotation scale mismatches, viewport settings, QTEXT mode, or graphics rendering problems.

Why does AutoCAD show question marks instead of text?

The assigned font cannot display the required characters. Use a compatible font or assign an appropriate Big Font.

Why is text visible in Model Space but not in Layout?

The layer may be VP Frozen, or the annotation scale assigned to the text does not match the viewport scale.

How do I install SHX fonts in AutoCAD?

Copy the SHX files into AutoCAD’s support/font location and restart the application.

What does FONTALT do?

FONTALT specifies the substitute font AutoCAD uses when the original font is unavailable. It does not permanently restore missing fonts.

Why does text appear hollow in my PDF?

Check the value of TEXTFILL. When it is set to 0, TrueType text may plot as hollow outlines instead of filled characters.