Pencil not showing guide line in Illustrator

Forum|Forum|11 months ago
April 3, 2025
4 replies
1564 views

I reset my Illustrator preferences recently and now I cannot see the guide line that appears when using the pencil tool to show what shape you are drawing. Is there an option I missed that can turn this on?

How to

khuyenn32935066

Participant

Could you try not checking the Live preview.

M

MNonyaBusiness

Participant

lauracollab,

I had the same thing happen to me recently. Deselect the check box for the new "Live preview" feature that Adobe just added. That should do the trick. See the link below for this new feature (that I don't need). (I've been using Illustrator for 28 years!)
https://www.lauracoylecreative.com/illustrator-tips/draw-smarter-pencil-tool-illustrator

Monika Gause

Community Expert

You mean the dotted preview line?

Which version of Illustrator is it?

lauracollabAuthor

Participant

Yeah, I think so. At the moment when I use the pencil tool there is nothing to show me what shape I have drawn. I'm using the latest 2025 version

Monika Gause

Community Expert

You are not using the beta?

In the beta you have a live preview and if there is a white stroke applied, then you won't see it.

kglad

Community Expert

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post (like this one has already been moved) if it helps you get responses.

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