Hi everyone, Ai File I'm encountering a recurring error in Adobe Illustrator (latest version available as of today) when working with text boxes. Step-by-step behavior: (You can also check this short 1 min video: error video )I create or select a text box with long content.I resize the box smaller using the Free Transform / Bounding Box tool, which correctly triggers the small red plus sign in the bottom-right corner indicating text overflow.When I try to resize the box back to make the hidden text visible again, Illustrator throws the following error:"Bounding Box / Free Transform tool encountered an unknown error. Error: PARM"Additional details:The error only occurs when there's text and I attempt to expand the box back.The file becomes partially unresponsive and I usually have to restart Illustrator.This happens on multiple machines, not just mine.System specs (main workstation):Windows 11 (fully updated)Adobe Illustrator (latest version from Creative Cloud)AMD Ryzen 9 (latest gen)64 GB RAMNVIDIA RTX 4080 TiAffected files:This has happened across several files. I'm attaching an example for reference.Has anyone experienced this error or knows what the PARM code refers to?Could this be linked to text reflow or area type rendering?Thanks in advance for your support!

Jesus31942877wi9l

Participant

Question

"PARM" error when resizing text boxes with Free Transform/Bounding Box tool in Illustrator

Forum|Forum|8 months ago
July 31, 2025
7 replies
1127 views

Hi everyone,

I'm encountering a recurring error in Adobe Illustrator (latest version available as of today) when working with text boxes.

Step-by-step behavior: (You can also check this short 1 min video: error video )

I create or select a text box with long content.
I resize the box smaller using the Free Transform / Bounding Box tool, which correctly triggers the small red plus sign in the bottom-right corner indicating text overflow.
When I try to resize the box back to make the hidden text visible again, Illustrator throws the following error:

"Bounding Box / Free Transform tool encountered an unknown error. Error: PARM"

Additional details:

The error only occurs when there's text and I attempt to expand the box back.
The file becomes partially unresponsive and I usually have to restart Illustrator.
This happens on multiple machines, not just mine.

System specs (main workstation):

Windows 11 (fully updated)
Adobe Illustrator (latest version from Creative Cloud)
AMD Ryzen 9 (latest gen)
64 GB RAM
NVIDIA RTX 4080 Ti

Affected files:
This has happened across several files. I'm attaching an example for reference.

Has anyone experienced this error or knows what the PARM code refers to?
Could this be linked to text reflow or area type rendering?

Thanks in advance for your support!

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi everyone,

Thanks a lot for all the detailed updates here. Since this seems to be affecting multiple people across different setups, it would really help to narrow things down a bit. Could you please check if the text box you are trying to resize might be locked by any chance? Also, let me know if this behavior happens with specific files only. If yes, try moving the contents one by one into a fresh Illustrator file and see if a particular object is triggering the issue.

If possible, please share one affected sample file with us for testing and investigation. Even a simplified version of the file that still reproduces the error would be very helpful. That way we can dig deeper and figure out what's going wrong.

Looking forward to your updates.

Abhishek

J

Julia2648899753w8

Participant

Having the same issue here but, not on text. Any graphic as some point.

Illustrator seems to suddenly crash and when i try to resize any graphic I get the error:PARM message.

I have to save, close and re-open the app, until it crashes again.

H

HGStudios7

Participant

Having the same exact problem. 100% agree something is really messed up. Running M4 mac silcon if it matters?
It lets me try to click on the handles for the text box once, and then goes into some odd state where the handles are gone and the error keep popping up. Tried on multiple machines, and all have the problem.
Im my case, this issue then causes illustrator to be stuck in some kind of weird state where save, etc. no longer works.
I have also noticed a number of other odd crashes, etc in premiere and dont know if this is all related to some recent updates?

R

Rayan_Babiker98

Participant

Hey @Anubhav M ,

I’m experiencing the same problem. My Illustrator just updated to 29.7.1. I’ve tried restarting both Illustrator and my computer, but it still happens, even with a new file!

you can check my screen record here:

P

Petra384049454w05

Participant

I'm experiencing the exact same issue. I also asked a colleague to replicate my steps and he gets the same issue on a different device. I am currently completely blocked with a task I'm supposed to hand in today.

Anubhav M

Community Manager

Hello @Petra384049454w05,

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. Could you check if this happens with specific files? If yes, kindly share a link to a sample file after uploading it to a file-sharing service so we can check it on our end.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

P

Petra384049454w05

Participant

Hi, I tested this within existing files as well as brand new files. Additionally, I asked a colleague to test the same workflow and got the same results (we're on different OS devices; Win11 vs macOS). I ended up downgrading Illustator to version 29.5.1 which is currently keeping Illustrator stable on my end. Unfortunately, I can't share the specific sample file in this case because the designs are not public-facing at my company, and the issue itself is currently dormant potentially due to the mentioned downgrading to an older version.

A

artem_2225

Participant

I had never seen this error before, but now it occurs all the time after the update.

J

Jaclyn352899159rju

Participant

Hello, I am having the exact same issue, my Illustrator just updated today to 29.7.1 I tried restarting Illustrator and my computer. This happens even in a new file when I create a new textbox with Lorum ipsum, immediately I can not resize the text box. Did you find a resolution?

Anubhav M

Community Manager

Hello @Jaclyn352899159rju,

I'm sorry to hear you're having similar difficulties with Illustrator. Could you share a link to a sample file and a small screen recording of your exact workflow and the problem, so I can try to replicate this on my end?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

Anubhav M

Community Manager

Hello @Jesus31942877wi9l,

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. I tried replicating this behavior on my end, but could not. Could you check if Illustrator behaves this way with new files as well? If not, kindly try copying the layers/objects from this file to a new document to see if it helps.

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Anubhav

H

HGStudios7

Participant

Having the same exact issue. Illustrator then beocmes unresposive.
Recently upgraded to M4 mac silcon. Basically cannot edit a page without being able to resize a text box so application becomes completely useless. Has adobe fiugred out what is cuasing his yet and have any solution planned?

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