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Illustrator

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  1. Illustrator User Guide
  2. Get to know Illustrator
    1. Introduction to Illustrator
      1. What's new in Illustrator
      2. Common questions
      3. Illustrator system requirements
      4. Illustrator for Apple silicon
      5. GPU performance
    2. Workspace
      1. Workspace basics
      2. Create documents
      3. Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
      4. Accelerate workflows using the Contextual Task Bar
      5. Toolbar
      6. Default keyboard shortcuts
      7. Customize keyboard shortcuts
      8. Introduction to artboards
      9. Manage artboards
      10. Customize the workspace
      11. Properties panel
      12. Set preferences
      13. Touch Workspace
      14. Microsoft Surface Dial support in Illustrator
      15. Undo edits and manage design history
      16. Rotate view
      17. Rulers, grids, and guides
      18. Accessibility in Illustrator
      19. View artwork
      20. Use the Touch Bar with Illustrator
      21. Files and templates
    3. Tools in Illustrator
      1. Tools at a glance
      2. Select tools
        1. Selection
        2. Direct Selection
        3. Group Selection
        4. Magic Wand
        5. Lasso
        6. Artboard
      3. Navigate tools
        1. Hand
        2. Rotate View
        3. Zoom
      4. Paint tools
        1. Gradient
        2. Mesh
        3. Shape Builder
      5. Text tools
        1. Type
        2. Type on a Path
        3. Vertical Type
      6. Draw tools
        1. Pen
        2. Add Anchor Point
        3. Delete Anchor Point
        4. Anchor Point
        5. Curvature
        6. Line Segment
        7. Rectangle
        8. Rounded Rectangle
        9. Ellipse
        10. Polygon
        11. Star
        12. Paintbrush
        13. Blob Brush
        14. Pencil
        15. Shaper
        16. Slice
      7. Modify tools
        1. Rotate
        2. Reflect
        3. Scale
        4. Shear
        5. Width
        6. Free Transform
        7. Eyedropper
        8. Blend
        9. Eraser
        10. Scissors
        11. Dimension
    4. Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
      1. Generate scenes, subjects, and icons using text prompts
      2. Generate vector patterns using text prompts
      3. Generate vector shape fills using text prompts
      4. Recolor your artwork using text prompts
    5. Quick actions
      1. Retro text
      2. Neon glow text
      3. Old school text
      4. Recolor
      5. Convert sketch to vector
  3. Illustrator on the web (beta)
    1. Illustrator on the web (beta) overview
    2. Illustrator on the web (beta) FAQ
    3. Troubleshooting issues FAQ
    4. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the web (beta)
    5. Create and combine shapes on the web
    6. Add and edit text on the web
    7. Apply colors and gradients on the web
    8. Draw and edit paths on the web
    9. Work with cloud documents on the web
    10. Invite collaborators to edit on the web
  4. Illustrator on the iPad
    1. Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
      1. Illustrator on the iPad overview
      2. Illustrator on the iPad FAQs
      3. System requirements | Illustrator on the iPad
      4. What you can or cannot do on Illustrator on the iPad
    2. Workspace
      1. Illustrator on the iPad workspace
      2. Touch shortcuts and gestures
      3. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the iPad
      4. Manage your app settings
    3. Documents
      1. Work with documents in Illustrator on the iPad
      2. Import Photoshop and Fresco documents
    4. Select and arrange objects
      1. Create repeat objects
      2. Blend objects
    5. Drawing
      1. Draw and edit paths
      2. Draw and edit shapes
    6. Type
      1. Work with type and fonts
      2. Create text designs along a path
      3. Add your own fonts
    7. Work with images
      1. Vectorize raster images
    8. Color
      1. Apply colors and gradients
  5. Cloud documents
    1. Basics
      1. Work with Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Share and collaborate on Illustrator cloud documents
      3. Share documents for review
      4. Upgrade cloud storage for Adobe Illustrator
      5. Illustrator cloud documents | Common questions
    2. Troubleshooting
      1. Troubleshoot create or save issues for Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Troubleshoot Illustrator cloud documents issues
  6. Add and edit content
    1. Drawing
      1. Drawing basics
      2. Edit paths
      3. Draw pixel-perfect art
      4. Draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool
      5. Draw simple lines and shapes
      6. Draw rectangular and polar grids
      7. Draw and edit flares
      8. Trace images
      9. Simplify a path
      10. Symbolism tools and symbol sets
      11. Adjust path segments
      12. Design a flower in 5 easy steps
      13. Create and edit a perspective grid
      14. Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
      15. Use objects as symbols for repeat use
      16. Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
    2. Measurement
      1. Measure and plot dimensions
    3. 3D objects and materials
      1. About 3D effects in Illustrator
      2. Create 3D graphics
      3. Map artwork over 3D objects
      4. Create 3D Text
      5. Create 3D objects
    4. Color
      1. About color
      2. Select colors
      3. Use and create swatches
      4. Adjust colors
      5. Use the Adobe Color Themes panel
      6. Color groups (harmonies)
      7. Color Themes panel
      8. Recolor your artwork
    5. Painting
      1. About painting
      2. Paint with fills and strokes
      3. Live Paint groups
      4. Gradients
      5. Brushes
      6. Transparency and blending modes
      7. Apply stroke on an object
      8. Create and edit patterns
      9. Meshes
      10. Patterns
    6. Select and arrange objects
      1. Select objects
      2. Layers
      3. Expand, group, and ungroup objects
      4. Move, align, and distribute objects
      5. Align, arrange, and move objects on a path
      6. Snap objects to glyph
      7. Snap objects to Japanese glyph
      8. Stack objects    
      9. Lock, hide, and delete objects
      10. Copy and duplicate objects
      11. Rotate and reflect objects
      12. Intertwine objects
      13. Create realistic art mockups
    7. Reshape objects
      1. Crop images
      2. Transform objects
      3. Combine objects
      4. Cut, divide, and trim objects
      5. Puppet Warp
      6. Scale, shear, and distort objects
      7. Blend objects
      8. Reshape using envelopes
      9. Reshape objects with effects
      10. Build new shapes with Shaper and Shape Builder tools
      11. Work with Live Corners
      12. Enhanced reshape workflows with touch support
      13. Edit clipping masks
      14. Live shapes
      15. Create shapes using the Shape Builder tool
      16. Global editing
    8. Type
      1. Add text and work with type objects
      2. Reflow Viewer
      3. Create bulleted and numbered lists
      4. Manage text area
      5. Fonts and typography
      6. Convert text within images into editable text
      7. Add basic formatting to text
      8. Add advanced formatting to text
      9. Import and export text
      10. Format paragraphs
      11. Special characters
      12. Create type on a path
      13. Character and paragraph styles
      14. Tabs
      15. Find missing fonts (Typekit workflow)
      16. Arabic and Hebrew type
      17. Fonts | FAQ and troubleshooting tips
      18. Creative typography designs
      19. Scale and rotate type
      20. Line and character spacing
      21. Hyphenation and line breaks
      22. Spelling and language dictionaries
      23. Format Asian characters
      24. Composers for Asian scripts
      25. Create text designs with blend objects
      26. Create a text poster using Image Trace
    9. Create special effects
      1. Work with effects
      2. Graphic styles
      3. Appearance attributes
      4. Create sketches and mosaics
      5. Drop shadows, glows, and feathering
      6. Summary of effects
    10. Web graphics
      1. Best practices for creating web graphics
      2. Graphs
      3. SVG
      4. Slices and image maps
  7. Import, export, and save
    1. Import
      1. Place multiple files
      2. Manage linked and embedded files
      3. Links information
      4. Unembed images
      5. Import artwork from Photoshop
      6. Import bitmap images
      7. Import Adobe PDF files
      8. Import EPS, DCS, and AutoCAD files
    2. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator 
      1. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
    3. Save and export
      1. Save artwork
      2. Export artwork
      3. Create Adobe PDF files
      4. Adobe PDF options
      5. Use Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
      6. Collect assets and export in batches
      7. Package files
      8. Extract CSS | Illustrator CC
      9. Document info panel
  8. Printing
    1. Prepare for printing
      1. Set up documents for printing
      2. Change the page size and orientation
      3. Specify crop marks for trimming or aligning
      4. Get started with large canvas
    2. Printing
      1. Overprint
      2. Print with color management
      3. PostScript printing
      4. Print presets
      5. Printer's marks and bleeds
      6. Print and save transparent artwork
      7. Trapping
      8. Print color separations
      9. Print gradients, meshes, and color blends
      10. White Overprint
  9. Automate tasks
    1. Data merge using the Variables panel
    2. Automation with scripts
    3. Automation with actions
  10. Troubleshooting 
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash issues
    4. Recover files after crash
    5. Safe mode
    6. File issues
    7. Supported file formats
    8. GPU device driver issues
    9. Wacom device issues
    10. DLL file issues
    11. Memory issues
    12. Preferences file issues
    13. Font issues
    14. Printer issues
    15. Share crash report with Adobe
    16. Improve Illustrator performance

Learn about known issues and limitations in the latest release of Illustrator.

Performance issues 

Issue: Illustrator may experience lag when panning, zooming, or moving objects on macOS 14 (Sonoma) while using window manager apps like Magnet.

Workaround: We are aware of this issue and are actively working on resolving it. Meanwhile, if the issue persists, turn off any window manager apps while using Illustrator.

Crash issues

Is Illustrator crashing on macOS 14 Beta (Sonoma)?

We've logged a bug with Apple to fix this issue and to ensure a smoother Illustrator experience for you with future Beta releases of macOS 14. Ensure you update your macOS whenever a new macOS 14 Beta release is available.

Is Illustrator crashing on macOS Ventura (13.0, 13.1, 13.2)?

Illustrator could crash due to a faulty dyld module in macOS 13.0, 13.1, and 13.2. Upgrade to macOS Ventura 13.3 to fix the crash.

Is Illustrator crashing on Windows?

If you're using Trend Micro antivirus software, update it to version 17.0 or later. If the issue persists, add Illustrator to the Exception Lists in the Trend Micro settings. 

For more details about common Illustrator crash issues and their possible resolutions, see Fix Illustrator crash issues.

Issues with Retype

[Windows] If you are unable to use Retype in non-English locales, you need to install English OCR on your device:

  1. On Windows, select Start and go to Settings.

  2. Select Time & Language, and then select Language & region.

  3. In the Preferred languages section, select Add a language.

  4. Select English (United States) and then select Next.

  5. Select all the checkboxes except Set as my Windows display language, and then select Install.

Illustrator 28.1 (December release)

Issue: When you open Illustrator 28.1 for the first time and select the Dimension   tool in the toolbar, the third-party plugin icons appear blank throughout that session.

Workaround:

  1. Select Illustrator > Quit Illustrator (macOS) or File > Exit (Windows).

  2. Reopen Illustrator.

Illustrator 27.3 (February 2023 release)

Issue: If you use Zhuyin as the onscreen keyboard input method for your Chinese Traditional text on macOS, you may face issues such as duplicate or illegible characters.

Workaround:

  1. Select Apple menu  > System Preferences > Keyboard.

  2. Select the Input Sources tab.

  3. Select + to open the language list.

  4. Select Chinese, Traditional, and add any of the input methods other than Zhuyin.

    Select an input method other than Zhuyin

Illustrator 26.0 (October 2021 release)

Issue: Unable to launch Adobe Illustrator 26.0.

Workaround: If you are using Trend Micro Antivirus software, update it to version 17.0 or above. If the issue persists, add Illustrator to the exception list in application settings. 

Some of the limitations while working with 3D effects:

  • Real-time preview needs GPU

The default renderer, also known as real-time preview, requires a GPU to work in real-time. 

  • Stacking 3D effects 

Stacking multiple 3D effect instances on an object is not supported. If you attempt to add a 3D effect to an object which already has a 3D effect applied, you will get an error message.

  • Export as OBJ

You can export the 3D effect as a 3D model in OBJ file format. OBJ file doesn’t include materials and only includes the shape of the object.

  • Real-time drawing

Enable Real-time drawing preference to work optimally with 3D effects.

[Windows only] Illustrator 25.2 (Feb 2021 release)

Try these workarounds if Illustrator version 25.2 is crashing:

Issues

Possible solutions

If you have Kaspersky antivirus installed on your computer
  • Open Settings > Kaspersky Internet Security and choose Additional > Threats and Exclusions. 
  • Select Manage exclusions or specify trusted applications. 
  • Exclude Illustrator.exe (Illustrator Installation path > Support Files >  Contents > Windows > Illustrator.exe)
    from the scan scope in Kaspersky Internet Security.
  • If the above resolution does not work, try disabling the antivirus and then relaunch Illustrator.

 

If your computer is connected to the Internet
  •  Try disabling the Internet connection and then relaunch Illustrator.
  • Reconnect to the Internet after Illustrator is successfully launched.

If the issue persists

 For more details about common Illustrator crash issues and their possible resolutions, see Fix Illustrator crash issues.

Create or save errors in Illustrator cloud documents

You may face the following issues or errors when creating or saving your Illustrator cloud documents:

Issues

Possible solutions

 

  • Unable to create or save a cloud document.
  • The Home screen shows an empty list of recent documents or a 'Something went wrong' message appears.
  • A dialog with 'Cloud document is not available' or a dialog that says 'Your version of CoreSync is incompatible with this version of Illustrator' appears.
  • Illustrator desktop Creative Cloud sync requires an update or is not running correctly.

 

 

 

Other errors in Illustrator cloud documents

Related topics

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