.ai files not previewing on Mac?

[Astonishing_joyB82D]

Why are .ai files not previewing with quick preview function on Mac? I've had this issue confirmed by several other users.

The quick preview app on Mac is essential tool for scrolling though and identifying image files. For it to no longer work with AI files is disastrous!

Help please!

[Monika Gause]

---

@epic_visionary1960  schrieb:

Why would Adobe Stock's .ai files NOT be saved with PDF compatibility so we can view them in Finder? 

---

Because it doubles the filesize. Plain and simple.

[wandam03248239]

This is exactly what is happening for me. I've downloaded a number of .ai files from Adobe Stock images and none of them will preview for me. I open them to find that yes, they are PDF compatible. Having to open each one up to find out what it is just isn't doable!

[Monika Gause]

If you want anything changed in the application, please make a feature request. https://illustrator.uservoice.com 

[Scott Falkner]

Try restarting the Finder. Hold Option as you click on the Finder in the Dock and select Relaunch.

[Dodfaefife]

Thanks. Didnt change anything. Cheers anyway

[o77o]

The answer is unclear to me. From what I understand, every single time I download an .ai stock file, I have to open it and resave? Like the original poster, I have hundreds, if not thousands of .ai files. I have been ignoring this huge inconvenience because I don't have the time to find the actual answer to help me resolve this ongoing issue. Is there anyone who give me an answer?

[Monika Gause]

The answer is unclear to me. From what I understand, every single time I download an .ai stock file, I have to open it and resave? Like the original poster, I have hundreds, if not thousands of .ai files. I have been ignoring this huge inconvenience because I don't have the time to find the actual answer to help me resolve this ongoing issue. Is there anyone who give me an answer?

By @o77o

It's simple: there are file size limits, so the stock creators do not include the PDF when saving the file. And since on the Mac the preview is based on the embedded PDF (and has been since version CS2 at least), you will have to create that first by opening and then saving.

[Dodfaefife]

It's not simple because your method doesn't fix the problem. I've tried resaving my files in all ways with no difference to preview working. Adobe needs to acknowledge this problem, offer a solution or admit we have to live with it randomly not working 

[Monika Gause]

---

@Dodfaefife  schrieb:

It's not simple because your method doesn't fix the problem. I've tried resaving my files in all ways with no difference to preview working. Adobe needs to acknowledge this problem, offer a solution or admit we have to live with it randomly not working 

---

You did save it PDF compatible, right?

MacOS sues the PDF inside the AI file for its preview. If that still doesn't work, you need to complain to Apple.

[audreyh617]

So I finally had enough of not being able to preview a bunch of .ai files and thanks to this thread I was able to get .ai files to preview by doing a save as with pdf compatilibity. The maddening thing is, these are .ai files I'm downloading as previews from Adobe Stock - omgeeee, how do they not generate pdf compatible files to download as previews?? I just downloaded like 30 images and now I have to resave all of them so I can scan through them quickly? Or better yet, why do they not download ai/eps previews as pngs rather than .ai files - a bit off topic, I know, but where is a good place to request that? 

[Ton Frederiks]

Adobe Stock forum may be a good place to discuss this:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/stock/ct-p/ct-stock?page=1&sort=latest_replies&lang=all&tabid=all

[o77o]

Since I initated the question, I went into hundreds of ai files and resaved them as pdf compatible (possiblly 1,000+). It should be clear to Adobe to allow designers to preview all files. Took me forever.

[alyk10845209]

I'm also having this issue, and it's not a matter of saving the file with PDF compatibility, because I was able to see previews of these files before. I'm not sure if it was an Adobe update or an OS update, but at some point the finder preview capability disappeared with no explanation as to why.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @alyk10845209,

Could you try using Adobe Bridge (https://adobe.ly/3GEX9uy) to view/manage your creative assets and let me know if it helps?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[alyk10845209]

Why would I do that? There's no earthly reason to open a program to look through a list of files I can see clearly in my Finder.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @alyk10845209,

Thanks for confirming. Could you try saving a new file with the "Create PDF compatible file" option enabled to see if the preview for it shows? Also, does this happen with all AI files or files stored in a specific folder location on your computer?

Additionally, try running Illustrator under a different administrator account (macOS) and share your observations.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[alyk10845209]

It does not make the preview show.
There is no other administrator account on this computer.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @alyk10845209,

Could you create another admin account on your computer and check if it behaves the same there? This will help us better understand the root cause of the problem.

Anubhav

[audreyh617]

I ihave the same issue, when I download ai/eps adobe stock files, they don't preview in finder, unless I do as you're saying and save as "Create PDF compatible file" - which is super annoying, I often download quite a lot of files to test and have to take an extra step to preview them in finder (otherwise you're having to open them all to find the one you want). Sequoia 15.4.1 

[Ton Frederiks]

If you are having problems with Stock .ai files that do not preview on Mac OS, I would ask at the Stock  forum if they would change that behaviour and request to save the stock .ai files with PDF capability.

[alyk10845209]

I'm not sure what you missed about the original post I made, but this was not a problem before. No one needs to request to save the stock with PDF capability, it already has that. The problem is that the preview capability in Finder was there for some time with those exact same files, and either in an Adobe update or an OS update, the capability disappeared. The files did not change.

[Ton Frederiks]

I am currently on MacOS Sonoma Version 14.7.5 and Illustrator files preview fine. What OS are you using?

[alyk10845209]

Sequoia 15.3.2 

[Ton Frederiks]

Maybe someone with Sequoia can confirm your problem.

[davecourtemanche]

I'm on Sequoia 15.5 and they preview fine. Out of curiousity, are these your settings under Finder / View / Show View Options?