Packages that need no action in Scissor LaTeX

Packages that only matter to a TeX engine, such as inputenc, fontenc, lmodern, fix-cm, bookmark, epstopdf, flafter or showframe, are accepted without a message and need nothing here, because Scissor LaTeX always reads UTF-8, uses OpenType fonts and writes the PDF itself. microtype and font packages such as times are accepted too, but their effect is not applied.

Why some packages do nothing here

Scissor LaTeX does not run package code. It reads your document with its own engine, which already does several jobs that pdfLaTeX needs packages for: it reads the source as UTF-8, uses OpenType fonts with every accented letter built in, scales fonts to any size, finds images by name and writes the PDF itself. Packages that only do these jobs have nothing left to do, so their \usepackage line is accepted silently. Keep the lines: a TeX installation still needs them.

Encoding and font set-up

Package	Why nothing is needed
`inputenc` (`\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}`)	The source is always read as UTF-8, so typed accents, Greek, Cyrillic and CJK work anyway.
`fontenc` (`\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}`)	The fonts are OpenType fonts with accented letters built in, which is what T1 gives pdfLaTeX.
`lmodern`, `cm-super`, `ae`, `aecompl`	The text is already set in Latin Modern, as OpenType.
`fix-cm`, `type1cm`, `anyfontsize`	They allow any font size in pdfLaTeX. OpenType fonts scale freely.
`textcomp`	Its symbols are built in; see textcomp, gensymb for which ones work.
`ucs`, `luatex85`, `luaotfload`	Engine support that the typesetter does not need.

PDF, images and engine helpers

Package	Why nothing is needed
`bookmark`, `hypcap`	They refine PDF bookmarks and link targets for hyperref. The links in the PDF work without them; see hyperref.
`epstopdf`, `grffile`	They convert EPS images and read unusual image file names in pdfLaTeX. Images are found by their name in the project; see graphicx.
`iftex`, `ifpdf`, `ifxetex`, `ifluatex`, `etex`, `fixltx2e`, `shellesc`	They test for or fix a particular TeX engine.
`etoolbox`, `xparse`, `calc`, `keyval`, `xkeyval`, `kvoptions`, `letltxmacro`, `xpatch`, `expl3`, `environ`	Tools for package writers. Loading them is harmless, but the commands they define, such as `\NewDocumentCommand`, `\newtoggle` or `\ifthenelse`, are not run: define your own commands with `\newcommand`, see Your own commands with \newcommand.

Floats and draft aids

Package	Why nothing is needed
`flafter`, `placeins`, `dblfloatfix`, `stfloats`	They keep floats from moving too far. In ordinary documents, figures and tables already stay where they are written; see placeins.
`showframe`, `showkeys`, `showlabels`, `refcheck`	They print frames or label names on the pages while you check a draft. Here they are not shown, and the final PDF does not need them.

Accepted, but their effect is missing

These packages are accepted without a message too, but in a TeX installation they do change the look, and here they do not:

Package	What is different here
`microtype`	Protrusion and font expansion are not applied, so lines can break a little differently. `\microtypesetup` is ignored in the preamble.
`times`, `mathptmx`, `newtxtext`, `newtxmath`, `palatino`, `mathpazo`, `libertine`, `charter`, `fourier` and other font packages	The text stays in Latin Modern. See fontenc, inputenc, fontspec, and Sans-serif fonts for the switch that works.
`setspace`, `parskip`, `indentfirst`, `ragged2e`	Line spacing, paragraph spacing and indentation keep the class defaults. See setspace.
`geometry`, `fancyhdr`, `titlesec`	See geometry and Packages that do not work.

Example

A preamble full of these packages typesets without a single note in the Problems tab:

A preamble with packages that need no action

LaTeXOpen in editor

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{lmodern,textcomp,fix-cm,anyfontsize}
\usepackage{microtype}
\usepackage{etoolbox,calc,iftex}
\usepackage{bookmark,epstopdf,grffile}
\usepackage{flafter,placeins}
\microtypesetup{protrusion=true,expansion=true}
\begin{document}
\section{Introduction}\label{sec:intro}
Erika Mustermann bestellt Crème brûlée für 44 Gäste, and
\ref{sec:intro} is the section you are reading.
\end{document}

Rendered by Scissor LaTeX: A preamble with packages that need no action

Compatibility

From a TeX installation to here: the document opens and typesets without changes. The packages in the last table are the only ones whose absence you can see.
From here to a TeX installation: keep the lines. pdfLaTeX needs inputenc (before 2018) and fontenc for accented text, and the other packages do their work there as usual.

For packages that are not known at all, or that are known but not implemented, see Packages that do not work. Package manuals are on CTAN.

Questions and answers

Should I remove \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc} from my document?

No. It does nothing here and does no harm, and an older TeX installation still needs it.

Why is there no note for microtype if it has no effect?

microtype is a standard package that only fine-tunes spacing, and the document reads the same without it. A note would only suggest removing a line that a TeX installation uses.

Every example on this page is typeset by Scissor LaTeX when the site is built. Last updated 2026-11-07.

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