Photoshop 2026: Illustrator (.ai) placed as Smart Object renders blurry/low‑resolution at 100% zoom

Question

Smart Object from Illustrator appears low resolution at 100% (regression)📝 DescriptionPlacing an Illustrator (.ai) file into Photoshop as a Smart Object results in a rasterized, low-resolution appearance, even when viewed at 100% zoom.This behavior is new and did not occur in previous versions. It is impacting production workflow for print design, where accurate, high-resolution vector rendering is required.🪜 Steps to ReproduceOpen Photoshop	Create a new document (300 ppi)	Go to File → Place Embedded	Select an Adobe Illustrator (.ai) file with vector artwork (fonts outlined)	Place the file and confirm placement	View the Smart Object at 100% zoomAlso, tried just opening Illustrator vector art and linked graphics which I have done previously over many years without issue and now everything is blurry and low resolution - even vector art. Never had to  import or place files before. ❌ Expected ResultVector artwork placed as a Smart Object should appear sharp and resolution-independent at 100% zoom.❗ Actual ResultThe placed Smart Object appears blurry/pixelated immediately upon placement and remains blurry at 100% zoom.Issue occurs even with:	High-resolution (300 ppi) Photoshop documents		Illustrator files with outlined fonts		No raster images in the file		Placing the file larger and scaling down does not resolve the issue	Exporting from Illustrator as PNG results in correct sharpness	Suggests a rasterization or import issue with .ai files🖥 System InfoPhotoshop version: 2026	Illustrator version: 2026

jane-e · Answer

​@cindyc690103I usually copy from Illustrator and paste into Photoshop, where I get five options for pasting.One thing I’ve noticed is that when the image is resized in PS, it becomes pixelated, so here’s what I do:Copy from Illustrator > paste to PhotoshopCmd+T for free transformScale to the size I want and note the size in pixelsCancel the transform and undo the pasteReturn to Illustrator and scale to the same size I saw in free transformCopy from Illustrator > paste to PhotoshopWhen the Photoshop document is in 72 ppi, I use percent instead of pixels. Illustrator is vector and does not have ppi, except for raster effects such as drop shadow and Gaussian blur. I do those in Photoshop anyway.The important thing is to get the size right (in pixels) in Illustrator before you bring it into Photoshop.Jane

📝 Description

🪜 Steps to Reproduce

❌ Expected Result

❗ Actual Result

🖥 System Info

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