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coolcaut
coolcaut
Participant
December 12, 2018
Answered

Workspace Missing/Empty, Tools Missing On Start Up

  • December 12, 2018
  • 12 replies
  • 32429 views

After a recent update, Illustrator is missing all tools/toolbars/panels except the main menu toolbar (file, edit, etc.), doesn't save my workspaces (it sees that I have saved past ones), lost my previous workspaces and won't activate any of the built in workspaces. Since this update, I have had to manually turn on the toolbars, windows and tools I want to access every time I open Illustrator.

This is super frustrating and a gigantic waste of my time. I haven't been able to find any exact questions that have the same issue as me but I have seen other issues with workspaces.

I am using Illustrator CC, version 23.01 on Windows 10. I believe that this started after the v23 update.

So far I've uninstalled and reinstalled with no help. Anyone else with this issue able to resolve it?

      Correct answer Koen5EB0
      1. Close Illustrator
      2. Open Run by pressing "Win+R" and type "appdata" and click on enter key.
      3. Open Roaming from Appdata>Adobe>Rename Adobe IIlustrator and Adobe Illustrator 27 Settings folder to .old
      4. Start Illustrator now and check for the issue.

      12 replies

      J
      JasonCarr
      Participating Frequently
      January 30, 2023

      For the record and the moderators, this is not limited to Illustrator. The missing tools and toolbars is happening in Photoshop and InDesign also. Started for me in January. I'm guessing it's happening to folks still using Intel chips. (I'm on a 2019 iMac 27") Super annoying. 

        M
        mmrdesigner
        Participating Frequently
        January 30, 2023

        Yes! It happens in InDesign and Photoshop as well as Illustrator for me too! I'm on an M1 chip Mac Mini (late 2020). Adobe NEEDS TO RESOLVE THIS ASAP! I've had to "reset my workspaces" a dozen times already today. It's infuriating.

        Monika Gause
        Community Expert
        Monika GauseCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        January 30, 2023
        @mmrdesigner  schrieb:

        Yes! It happens in InDesign and Photoshop as well as Illustrator for me too! I'm on an M1 chip Mac Mini (late 2020). Adobe NEEDS TO RESOLVE THIS ASAP! I've had to "reset my workspaces" a dozen times already today. It's infuriating.

         

        Please contact Customer Care so they can take a look into it

        https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html 

        M
        mmrdesigner
        Participating Frequently
        January 13, 2023

        I have the same issue and it's driving me crazy!

        Monika Gause
        Community Expert
        Monika GauseCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        January 13, 2023
        @mmrdesigner  schrieb:

        I have the same issue and it's driving me crazy!

         

        And the tips in this thread don't solve your issue?

        If so, please give us the details of your system.

        M
        mmrdesigner
        Participating Frequently
        January 13, 2023

        this worked:

        (and I agree this is a major glitch from Adobe)

        -------

        Just updated to a new machine and all 2023 Adobe Cloud apps and had the same issue - every time I opened AI or InDesign, toolbar and palettes were “missing” (hidden and reappear once I hit tab) and when appeared, would be in the wrong place from my last placement. AI: I simply set all of my tools and pallets where I wanted them and Window > Workspace > New Workspace. Titled it and quit. So far, on reopen, all of my tools and palettes appear where I set them (sometimes they are hidden but when I hit tab - they at least appear in the “right” place). Same process worked for InDesign. Still feel it is a major glitch from Adobe and this is not a perfect solution but ...

        R
        Richard26576857ojzc
        Participant
        January 5, 2023

        Just updated to a new machine and all 2023 Adobe Cloud apps and had the same issue - every time I opened AI or InDesign, toolbar and palettes were “missing” (hidden and reappear once I hit tab) and when appeared, would be in the wrong place from my last placement. AI: I simply set all of my tools and pallets where I wanted them and Window > Workspace > New Workspace. Titled it and quit. So far, on reopen, all of my tools and palettes appear where I set them (sometimes they are hidden but when I hit tab - they at least appear in the “right” place). Same process worked for InDesign. Still feel it is a major glitch from Adobe and this is not a perfect solution but ...

        K
        Koen5EB0Correct answer
        Participant
        October 25, 2022
        1. Close Illustrator
        2. Open Run by pressing "Win+R" and type "appdata" and click on enter key.
        3. Open Roaming from Appdata>Adobe>Rename Adobe IIlustrator and Adobe Illustrator 27 Settings folder to .old
        4. Start Illustrator now and check for the issue.
          A
          AllenMuellerTHD
          Participating Frequently
          September 27, 2022

          I've been using Illustrator since 1998, and workspaces ever since they emerged. 
          I think I've lost all saved CC workspaces on every major update since 2017. 
          If you can "save" it, then it shouldn't disappear, right? Maybe that's too much to ask.

          Monika Gause
          Community Expert
          Monika GauseCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          September 28, 2022

          It's saved inside the preferences folder. That folder can get corrupted and then it will be re-created.

          It's a good idea to make a backup of the preferences folder (as well as other settings) after you have adjusted everything to your needs.

          E
          Empire Designs
          Participant
          September 14, 2021

          Had the same issue but I found a nice easy fix... close illustrator, then simply remove your custom workspace files from, e.g. C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator 25 Settings\en_US\x64\Workspaces, and save to your desktop, restart illustrator and open new file, then close illustartor, move your custom workspace files back, restart illustartor and everything should work as before!

          D
          default3q4ubgyr5p97
          Participant
          August 24, 2022

          It's 2022, I'm experiencing the same problem. However, in 2022, when you go to Windows/Type there is now no Ai selection choice. This has happened to me before and drives me up the bloody wall. I could throttle Adobe sometimes. I've spent an hour searching online for a solution that shouldn't bloody occur in the first place. Such a waste of time, ahhhhhhh!!!

           

          Is there a new solution to this age-old problem in 2022???

          CarlaMotionG
          CarlaMotionG
          Participant
          January 17, 2021

          I found this answer in another post and it worked for me!! 

          "Open Ai, don't create a new file just click on the window tab> choose typography> then close Ai. Open Ai again then try creating a new file, then you can now choose your preferred workspace"

           

            Nathan Atwood
            Nathan Atwood
            Participant
            January 25, 2021

            This worked for me! Thank you!

            M
            Monika5C52
            Participant
            October 17, 2020

            Hello guys, I have been experiencing the same problem.

             

            Dear Adobe, please help us here - your suggestions are not solving the issue.

             

            Any chance you can tell our bosses that the main tool we use for design is failing; therefore, it is possible that what used to take us 6 hours to do now might take 7? Of course not a real request; I am just being frustrated online -_-

             

            Please come back to me with an update on this issue. 

              Monika Gause
              Community Expert
              Monika GauseCommunity Expert
              Community Expert
              October 17, 2020

              If workspaces don't get saved, then it's a sign for preference corruption.

              Exactly what did you already try?

              Did you already try and create a new user on the computer (Admin privileges) and launch into that, then start Illustrator?

              If that works, then it points to preferences corruption or even corruption of your user account.

              You can contact Customer Care and have them log into the system.

              A
              anonfssdgs
              Participant
              October 17, 2020

              I have tried all of the suggestions listed above, and no workspace comes up.

                D
                Dalibor Mrška
                Participant
                October 15, 2020

                I have the same problem.

                  J
                  Joost0D4D
                  Participant
                  October 16, 2020

                  Same here, again workspaces are all gone, can't select any of the the regular or saved workspaces or get them on screen...also toolbars and advanced setting have been reset again. 

                    D
                    DH2020
                    Participant
                    October 5, 2020

                    I am also currently experiencing this issue.

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