Questions

Hi Everybody, I’ve got an Illustrator file with a placed image in it. The image is very large but it’s not part of the actual artwork. It’s just a guide I’m drawing over the top of. When you save the file it takes ages. I guess because of the size of the placed image and that’s a bit annoying.Is there a way to place an image that you have in the same folder without the Illustrator file actually saving all the data contained in the image file? Another way of achieving the same thing is just removing the placed image when I save the file and then bringing it back in again when I next want to draw over it but I just wondered if that was necessary?Thanks for your help,Gareth

When placing an image at 100% the Links Info panel is reporting that the link is at 24% scale when it should be showing as 100%. Its not effecting the physical scale of the link but it is showing the incorrect values. How to fix? Seems to be a problem since 2025 update.

Hey guys.I got strange problem with Illustrator 29.7.1. Shortcut CTRL + WIN is duplicating Ctrl + [ shortcut sending selection backward. Is it normal behaviour? Can somone help me to stop Illustrator using CTRL + WIN shortcut.Thank you.

Two key lessons—hidden in one of the most iconic logos—can help illustrators understand why.1. Consistent contrastLook closely at the relationship between thick and thin strokes.The contrast isn’t random—it’s controlled and repeated everywhere.Main strokes, swashes, even the smallest cuts follow the same rule.Those tiny details? They match the width of the thinnest strokes.That’s what creates visual harmony.2. Consistent modulationNow follow the curves.Each stroke flows from thin → thick → thin in a smooth, predictable rhythm.And this happens across the entire word—lowercase and uppercase.Why?Because script lettering comes from handwriting.To feel believable, it needs to look like it was drawn with the same tool, by the same hand.✏️ Illustration takeaway:If your lettering feels off, check your contrast and modulation.Consistency—not perfection—is what makes it feel natural. 

Dear allI will have numerous graphical illustrations (around 500 diagrams/illustrations) printed on uncoated paper using the Indigo printing process. Since the entire print job is very expensive and complex, I would like to ask you for urgently needed advice on how to correctly set my color settings. I am working in CMYK and will print the illustrations in Switzerland / Europe. Is there a good tutorial / article that differences in the various color settings like “Adobe Illustrator 6.0 Emulate” / “CMYK Coated FOGRA 39 / Europe General Purpose 3 / etc.?  What happens if I change this color settings in a while? Do my colors get distorted by changing the color settings or how does it affect my illustrations? I am planning to work with Adobe Illustrator 6.0 Emulate. Can you recommend this setting? Can you please explain what this profile does compared to the other color profiles? Why is it that important to choose the right settings right from the start? Which CMYK color values should be u

when ever i made some shape and fill color in it and try to move it show me the error The operation cannot be complete beacuse of an unknown error. [STEX] It happens every time from when i installed latest version of illustrator (v 23.0.1)   <Title renamed by moderator>

Since this morning I am unable to use the Freeform Gradient Tool. When I try to edit or add points onto the object I repeatedly get the message "The operation cannot complete because of an unknown error. [STEX]" What I could I try to fix this? I am using Illustrator 27.9 on Mac OS 11.17.10I also have Astute Graphics plugins installed.  Thank you for any suggestions. 

Recently, when I go to save a new file and write the file name the entire text will disappear after I enter a space into the file name. For example: if I want to write “3.27.2026_file name here” everything will disappear once I hit space after “file”. I can get around this by not entering any spaces, but it’s not an ideal workaround and more importantly just doesn’t seem to make any sense as to why it started happening. Can confirm that it happens on multiple Adobe programs; both Illustrator and Indesign have this issue when I go to save a new file. It seems to have started after a recent Mac update, but I only experience this issue when saving in Adobe programs.

I am using Illustrator 30.2.1 on a Mac M1 Ultra. I have 2 gradients in my file and am trying to copy the value of a slider from one gradient and paste it into a slider in the other gradient. I am able to successfully copy the text to my clipboard, as I am able to paste it anywhere on my artboard as a textbox. However, when attempting to paste the value into the color value box on the gradient menu, nothing happens. I am unable to delete, edit, or paste anything into the text box.  Is there a known fix so this issue does not repeat or am I forced to use a workaround so I can copy/paste hex values? I assume this is an unintended bug but could be wrong.   Paste + Cut option greyed out on gradient slider color menu 

Como colocar o aspecto de cor da pantone no Illustrator 2026? Não consigo.

I've encountered a problem with a gaussian blur that I've never seen before in the new update of Illustrator. When I put a blur on an object there's a border that cuts off the effect. You can see in my screenshot here.

I followed the other instructions, I worked with Disk Utility to “fix” my external HD but the erros keeps coming back. I didn’t have that a year ago, with the same equipment. It’s so frustrating not being able to save my file in the same disk where they are stored. Any suggestions? 

I have a drawing that’s at 1:200 scale. I can use the Dimension tool to measure a distance on my drawing and it will correctly say that a 50 metre line is 50 metres long. Super.But if I use the Measure tool, the Distance ignores the Scale setting (I set it to 1:200 in the Dimension tool - surely this should now be a global setting for my whole document). So a line that is 50 metres long, is now 0.25 metres long according to the Measure tool. In the Measure tool’s options, I can set the Scale for the Area, but not the linear measurements, which is just silly. And that brings me to this bug report: The measure tool is useless when it comes to distances - it completely ignores any Scale settings. It is also completely wrong when it comes to Areas - to get it to give a - hopefully - accurate reading, I have to multiply the scale by itself - in my case, the drawing is at 1:200, so I have to set the Area Scale in the Measurement Tool’s options to 1:40,000 (200 x 200), which is just ridiculou

I'm familiar with adding slugs in Indesign but I'd like to be able to add them in Illustrator files as well.If it's possible, how do I accomplish it?

I've been building .ait templates for decades and have ALWAYS been able to open the original template file to make improvements and adjustments to the .ait source.  I love that once an .ait file has been created, it's easy to just click on to create a new Untitled document. However, with v29.2.1 on Mac OS 14.7.2, there seems to be no way to open the original template file (as a template file) to make modifictions to the template source. It just ALWAYS opens as a new Untitled, standard .ai file. What happened? This has never been an issue until now, and yes, I'm opening from within the Illustrator app itself and there's no option to edit the original source. 

New to using ai's 3D inflate tool and unsure how to remedy an issue. I've made a couple 3D projects so far and haven't run into this yet. I keep getting very jagged edges and crinkles. Text is outlined and I've tried adding a bunch of space between the letters and curving each corner, but the jagged edges remain. Also tried these things with Ray Tracing on (and off) and the jagged edges remain. Tried messing with some other 3D settings too but nothing helps. It seems like something obvious but not sure what...thought maybe my hardware isn't up to snuff but seems to meet the minimum requirements unless I'm missing something. Attached images with and without ray tracing, as well as my settings. The deets:Illustrator 27.3.12019 iMac Ventura 13.0Processor: 3.1 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i5Graphics: Radeon Pro 575X 4GBMemory: 16 GB 2667 MHz DDR4)

Me pasa el siguiente error:genero varias mesas de trabajo pero la numeración se salta o se duplica y al momento de exportar no me aparecen algunas páginas debido a este error.¿Cómo lo puedo solucionar? Utilizo archivos a veces de mas de 50 páginas.

Hi, I have a problem opening an .ai file I have in the cloud. Whenever I try to open it, the progress bar fills up but the file never opens, and I have to force quit Illustrator.I tried syncing it to the cloud, signing out and signing back in, getting it from the web, deleting and recovering it, duplicating it, and sending the link to a friend. Nothing worked for me. Please help fix this issue :(

Hello,The last 3 days most of the files I save and export keep saving a 0 kb. Both on my pc and laptop, the only connecting factors are my hard drive which i don't think the problem lies in (have tried multiple things and everything says it is working fine) and adobe illustrator.I have pretty much given up on trying to rescue the files (still if you maybe have something I can use to try and fix please share), but i don't know how this keeps happening and how I can prevent this from happening again.Thanks in advance 

Hi all,I’m having ongoing issues with Illustrator’s Share for Review links and I’m wondering if anyone else is seeing the same behaviour.What happens: I create a new file, then go to Share for Review and generate a link. Illustrator keeps pulling through filenames from previous jobs, even when I’m in a brand new file. To fix it, I end up removing the review link, creating a new one, or sometimes starting a completely new file from scratch. I send the review link to the client, but when they open it, it sometimes shows a completely different review link, like it has connected to another project. Comments then do not always appear properly inside Illustrator, so I have to review feedback in the web browser instead. The weird part:It feels like Illustrator is caching old Share for Review data and mixing it across multiple projects. It even pulls through project names from 3 or 4 jobs ago.What I’ve tried: Closing and reopening Illustrator Resetting and restarting Running update

Selecting all layer object in layer panel (clickin at the right most part of the layer).It selects locked object too if there is only one object locked. And I am able to move this locked object with all the other selected stuff. What does the meaning of the lock here? What is this feature good for?

I need some help :) I have a map that contains multiple paths, and I want to divide the entire area into separate sections based on those paths. Basically, I want each region (like each city) to become its own individual shape or area. Right now, everything is part of one larger shape, but I would like to split it so that each city is a separate path. This way, I can select, color, and edit each city individually. How can I divide a shape using existing paths so that each enclosed area becomes its own separate object?

Here’s the situation: We renamed hundreds of files when the brand we work with did a big naming update. Thus across my team we have hundreds of broken links to dozens of documents.  I am trying to find a way to avoid manually relinking hundreds of files in Illustrator documents. I tried running a .jsx script in Illustrator that was similar to one I used in Indesign that was able to do this. In InDesign I was able to search by the first 12 characters of the name since that part of the file remained the same (only the middle part of the file changed). It worked beautifully and I was hoping I could get Illustrator to do the same thing. Within a few minutes, it was able to perfectly relink hundreds of files.However, with Illustrator, after much trial and error I came up against (what CoPilot told me was) the hard limitation of Illustrator’s API. It does not store broken-link filenames as plain filenames so it can’t perform a direct filename matching.  I tried to go about this in several wa

Hi.. I’ve saved a bunch of AI docs in my Online files… however, I seem to be competely overlooking the ability to search files by name… where do I locate such a search capability?

my latest version of Illustrator (version 29.6 - updated on June 18/25) wants to save files as .pdf by default, instead of .ai - is anyone else experiencing this?