How to Convert Preeti to Unicode Directly for MS Word
The Problem with Legacy Fonts in MS Word
Many government offices and schools in Nepal still use the Preeti font to draft official documents in Microsoft Word. However, when you send a Preeti-formatted .docx file to someone who doesn't have the font installed, the text appears as complete gibberish (e.g., cfkm\g} instead of आफ्नै). This happens because Preeti is a legacy ASCII font that overrides English characters, rather than using proper Devanagari encoding.
The Solution: Converting to Unicode
To permanently fix your documents so they can be read on any computer, mobile phone, or web browser without installing custom fonts, you must convert the text to Nepali Unicode.
Step-by-Step Conversion
- Open your Microsoft Word document and select all the unreadable Preeti text (
Ctrl + A). - Copy the text (
Ctrl + C). - Open our Preeti to Unicode Converter.
- Paste your text into the top box. The tool will instantly translate the legacy keystrokes into standard Devanagari.
- Copy the converted Unicode text from the bottom box.
- Go back to your MS Word document and paste the new text. You can safely change the font to standard options like Mangal, Kalimati, or Kokila!
Warning about Macros: Some older tutorials suggest installing VBA macros directly into Microsoft Word to convert text. We strongly advise against this, as macros can pose significant security risks and often break in newer versions of Office 365. Using a secure online converter is the safest and fastest method.
Written by Rajesh Tarar
Rajesh Tarar is a software localization engineer specializing in Devanagari Unicode standards. He leads the editorial team at NepaliLanguageTools.com. Learn more on our About Us page.