Ai CC 2019 100% Zoom Not Displaying Accurate Physical Size

[Chris Panny]

Windows 10 64 bit machine; Illustrator CC 2019

I recently updated my CC apps. I'm having a big discrepancy in Illustrator when my zoom set to 100% versus the actual size of the document. I created a 6 inch x 6 inch file. When I set the zoom to 100% the actual size is 2.25 inches. I know this because I'm putting a tape measure up to my screen.

The previous versions of Ai I've had were a little off, meaning I had to zoom to 150% to get the actual physical size, but this latest version is way off.The preferences offer no resolution settings and I know Ai operates at 72 ppi, or at least it used to.

Any idea as to why this happens?

[AshutoshChaturvedi]

Press CTRL+1 shortcut or View menu>Actual Size you should get accurate print size.

NOTE: Actual view only works on primary monitor

[Guest]

THIS. I almost went crazy trying to find a solution until I found out it was my Monitor not being set as primary Monitor in MacOS settings. Thank you!

[barbara_a]

View > Actual Size is a new feature in Illustrator CC 2019. It does not work correctly on my computer.

6 x 6 inches on my computer measures 4 x 4 inches when choosing to view at actual size or 100%.

At 150% it measures 6 x 6 inches.

[Chris Panny · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the replies. I did use the keyboard shortcut for Actual Size, but it still gives me the view of the dimensions specified in the original post (2.25" for a 6" doc). What I ended up doing as a work-around is I made a new View that matches the physical size and that's been working out for me.

On a related note:

I think Ai needs to adopt the feature found in the PS Preferences which is the Screen Resolution setting. By default this value is set to 72 ppi which is obsolete. It dates back to the screen rez of the first Apple computer, I believe. This value directly affects the Print Size command under the View menu. To get an accurate Print Size preview you have to measure your monitor. Then you divide the width rez by the screen width in inches. Repeat this for the height.

Hypthetical example:

screen rez = 3000 x 2000

screen dimensions: 30" x 24"

3000 ÷ 30 = 100 px/in.

2000 ÷ 24 = 83 px/in

Which ever value is bigger, you enter that into the Screen Resolution value. When you invoke Print Size, PS will display your document at the correct physical size.

It would be nice if Ai had this feature.

[barbara_a]

That works. It's the old clunky workaround that we've had to use in the past. I hope that Adobe will weigh in on why the new Actual Size view is not accurate.