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russg22417893
Inspiring
November 21, 2025
Question

Vector Smart Objects update incorrectly Adobe Photoshop 27.0, Illustrator 30.0

  • November 21, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 482 views

This issue is brand new for me, and began immediately after updating to PS 27.0 and Illustrator 30.0. When I edit a vector smart object embedded or linked in Photoshop 27.0, sometimes the smart object updates incorrectly. When the smart object updates, it appears that elements of the smart object have suddenly disappeared. I've discovered, however, that often it's showing elements in the wrong layer order within the smart object. However, when I go back into Illustrator to edit it, it appears correctly in Illustrator. I've also noticed that elements within the smart object that use a transparency mask will disappear, OR, sometimes just the transparency mask itself will disappear. I have learned that this problem often occurs when I edit only one part of my smart object, then hit save (though, I don't think it happens every time, so I probably haven't fully isolated the circumstances). As a work-around, I've learned that when editing the smart object in Illustrator, if I Select-All, and then move the entirety of the artwork with one nudge of my arrow key, then immediately back into the original position, it appears correctly again in Photoshop after saving. Not sure if others are having this issue or only me! (I use an iMac, Sequoia 15.7.2, Processor: 3.6 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9, Graphics: Radeon Pro Vega 48 8 GB, Memory: 64 GB 2667 MHz DDR4).

UPDATE: I think this may tie to the new performance enhancement — (from Adobe's Illustrator 30 release notes): "Save complex edits in your artwork faster, as Illustrator now only saves the changes you make, not the entire document each time." — Every time I have this error of elements "disappearing" when saving vector smart objects and viewing them in Photoshop, I notice that "save" happens much quicker. I didn't know you had added this enhancement until I started seeing this correlation. This is very likely what it is tied to. Until I force Illustrator to save the entire document (rather than JUST the changes I've made), it appears incorrectly in Photoshop. I will now move this over to the Illustrator team forum, since this appears to be an Illustrator issue.

Thanks!

4 replies

paulf40782745
Inspiring
January 12, 2026

I was having the exact same issue. Upgraded from Sequoia 15.7.2 to Tahoe 26.2 which seemed to sort it only for it to happen again. I upgraded illustrator from 29.8.4 to 30.1 and photoshop 26.11.2 to 27.2 but that made the problem worst. I resaved my smart object as an actual file and linked to that but it still created garbled content in photoshop when updated. So I've returned to the previous versions of illustrator and photoshop and switched off background saving. Seems to be ok so far...

Abhishek Rao
Community Manager
Community Manager
December 16, 2025

Hi @russg22417893,

 

Just checking in to see how things are going on your end. Were you able to resolve the issue with Vector Smart Objects updating incorrectly after trying the expert suggestions, or are you still seeing the same behavior? Whenever you have a moment, please share a quick update, so we can move this forward.

 

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Abhishek

russg22417893
Inspiring
December 18, 2025

Hi, yes, thanks for checking in. Ton's suggestion worked. It doesn't FIX the issue of course, but by turning off "Save in Background", I now avoid the issue and thus it is no longer a problem! I can live without Save in Background, so though it's a hassle to wait for files to save now, I'd prefer that over the original problem. Thanks Ton, and thanks Abhishek for asking!

 

- Russ

Participant
January 23, 2026

This has been happening to me and it's infuriating. I don't need more AI or more useless bells & whistles. I need what used to work to go back to working. 

 

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 7, 2025

@russg22417893 Save in Background could very well be the culprit. Does it improve if you turn it off in Preferences > File Handling?

creative explorer
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 7, 2025

@russg22417893 maybe this is how I was taught in pre-press and at an agency once upon a time ago, is to use the 'Save As' function. When I use the 'Save As' command, I save the file with a new name, for example Annual_Report_2025_vers1, Annual_Report_2025_vers2, Annual_Report_2025_vers3—what it does it creates and saves a completely new, full copy of the entire document data under the new filename. 

But if you just use 'Save,' yeah, it would records only the changes and applies them to the existing file. It is a 'fast save' because just saving the changes.

If you noticed, when you create a new document, and when you click on 'Save,' that first screen shows up as 'Save As!' 

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