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KcC
KcC
Participant
June 18, 2025
Question

Radial Gradient Distortion When Rotating or Scaling in Illustrator 29.6

  • June 18, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 3321 views

I don't know what the enhancements are in 29.6, but there is a bug with rotating and scaling illustrations that have gradients. Radial gradients suddenly scale drastically in a non uniform fashion when moving in rotation or scaling in constrained x or y axis.  

 

 

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    4 replies

    B
    BIOS381482165x0v
    Participant
    July 30, 2025

    Before the latest update, my illustrator radial gradient will follow my ellipse shape. But now it just wont.
    I try reset the preference but after a few day it become the same again and won't follow the shape.

    Anyone can help me on this?

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Monika GauseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 30, 2025

    The latest update - could you please give us the number? THere has been an update very recently, but it just might not have reached everyone.

     

    That said: I have 29.7 and I cannot reproduce that issue with gradients.

    limit_3187
    limit_3187
    Participating Frequently
    July 10, 2025

    Issue Summary:
    In the latest version of Adobe Illustrator, when I rotate an object manually by dragging from a corner (free transform), the gradient fill remains static and does not rotate with the object.

    However, if I rotate the same object using the Object > Transform > Rotate… command, the gradient rotates as expected.

    This inconsistency between two rotation methods is extremely dangerous because it’s not visually apparent until it's too late — especially in print workflows.

    Due to this issue, a professional print job was sent to production and resulted in a loss of 88,000 TRY (approximately $2,700 USD), including paper, printing, die-cutting, and finishing costs.

    Steps to Reproduce:

    1. Create a shape with a gradient fill.

    2. Rotate it manually using the corner handle.

    3. Notice the gradient stays fixed and does not rotate.

    4. Now rotate it using Object > Transform > Rotate… — this time the gradient rotates properly.

    Expected Behavior:
    Rotation behavior should be consistent regardless of the method used (manual or via panel).
    Alternatively, Illustrator should provide a visible toggle or global preference setting to ensure gradients always follow object transformations.

    System Info:

    • Adobe Illustrator version: [your version here]

    • Operating System: [your OS here, e.g. macOS Ventura 14.4.1]

    I’ve been using Illustrator professionally for over 15 years and this was never an issue in previous versions.
    This regression has caused substantial financial damage and undermines trust in the reliability of Illustrator for production workflows.

    Please prioritize this issue and provide an update or workaround.

    Thank you.

    limit_3187
    limit_3187
    Participating Frequently
    July 10, 2025

    This kind of inconsistency between manual and panel-based transformations shouldn't exist in professional software. It causes real-world damage, especially in prepress and print environments.
    A toggle for "Transform Gradient with Object" that works across all transformation types is urgently needed.
    Adobe, please take this seriously — this is not just a UI annoyance, it cost real money.

    C
    creative_project5FD9
    Participant
    July 10, 2025

    This is honestly unacceptable for professional software that costs hundreds of dollars annually.

    The fact that a user lost 88,000 TRY (~$2,700 USD) due to an invisible inconsistency between two built-in transformation methods is more than just a "minor issue."

    Adobe needs to take responsibility here — either by compensating affected users or ensuring this is patched immediately.

    At the very least, this should be clearly documented, and a permanent fix introduced in the next update.
    These kinds of workflow-breaking bugs damage trust in Illustrator as a production-grade tool.

    Anubhav M
    Community Manager
    Anubhav MCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    June 26, 2025

    Hello @KcC,

     

    Thanks for your patience. Our product was able to replicate this issue and is currently investigating it. I will update this thread as I have more info.

    Feel free to reach out if you have more questions or need assistance. We'd be happy to help.

    Anubhav

    limit_3187
    limit_3187
    Participating Frequently
    July 14, 2025

    Dear Anubhav,

    I hope this message finds you well.

    We’re writing again on behalf of Limit Printing System regarding the Illustrator gradient transformation issue that was acknowledged and replicated by your team.

    While we appreciate the initial confirmation and investigation, we haven't received any updates or timelines since your last response. This silence is increasingly concerning, especially for a professional software suite used in time-critical production environments.

    As previously mentioned, this bug caused a significant production loss on our side — amounting to approximately 88,000 TRY (~$2,700 USD) — due to an inconsistency in how Illustrator handles gradient rotation across transformation methods.

    We believe Adobe, as an industry leader, should show greater urgency and transparency in dealing with such workflow-breaking issues. At the very least, users deserve:

    A documented explanation of the issue,

    A timeline for a fix or workaround,

    Clearer communication and follow-up from the product team.

    We are still hoping for a resolution, but our confidence in Illustrator as a reliable professional tool has been shaken. We kindly request that this matter be escalated or given the attention it deserves.

    Looking forward to your reply.

    Best regards,
    Limit Printing System

     
    Anubhav M
    Community Manager
    Anubhav MCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    July 14, 2025

    Hello @limit_3187,

    The product team has identified the issue and a fix for this should be available in the next release, which should be available soon. I sincerely apologize for the delay and have also asked the team to prioritize this fix.

    I will update this thread as I have more info. Please feel free to reach out if you have more questions or need assistance.

    Anubhav

    Abhishek Rao
    Community Manager
    Abhishek RaoCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    June 19, 2025

    Hi @KcC,

     

    Thanks for flagging this. That definitely sounds unexpected, especially if radial gradients are distorting when rotating or scaling along a single axis. 

    Could you please confirm your operating system version and let me know if this is happening with all gradient-filled objects or just specific ones? If possible, a short screen recording showing the behavior would be super helpful for us to understand exactly what's going on.

     

    Looking forward to your update.

    Abhishek 

    KcC
    KcCAuthor
    Participant
    June 23, 2025

    As far as we can tell, all objects with gradients, even when contained within a group. It treats the gradient as if they are masked shapes and distorts it along one axis as if the other axis was locked. 
    Macbook Pro 16in 48gb ram Running on OS 15.5, same problem on coworkers computer that is on a previous OS. The problem is repeatable and does not happen when using AI < 29.6

    Kurt Gold
    Community Expert
    Kurt GoldCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 23, 2025

    I can reproduce this (mis-)behaviour in Illustrator 29.6 when scaling / rotating with the Selection tool (black arrow).

     

    As far as I can see, it does not happen when you scale / rotate with the Scale tool / Rotate tool / Free Transform tool.

     

    Obviously a bug.

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