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Glenn305505337i2a
New Participant
June 16, 2023
Question

Ai version 27.6.1 rotating linked files without me asking it to do this.

  • June 16, 2023
  • 11 replies
  • 5105 views

Just updated Adobe Illustrator to version 27.6.1.

Upon opening an existing, saved file which I have already been working on for several months, two of the  linked files (photos) are now rotated 90 degrees and no longer match up with the layers I have already drawn in above the linked files.  Does anyone know what is going on?  Is there a fix for this, or is this something that was accidentally "broken" with the update to version 27.6.1?  I've never encountered this previously.

Thank you to anyone who is willing to help.

    11 replies

    M
    maximiliano_7694
    New Participant
    July 7, 2025

    I had the same issue and the only way I found to fix it was to open the file with an older version (AI CS6), save it as eps., open it up with the newer AI, save it as whatever you want.

     

    I do not understand why you update Illustrator so much, the older versions are better in every way!

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

    Hello @kirstinhepburn,

    Sorry for the delayed response. Our team has tried fixing this in the latest version of Illustrator v29.6.1. Could you try updating (https://adobe.ly/3GM1IU7) to that version and checking if it helps resolve the problem?

    Anubhav

    K
    kirstinhepburn
    Participating Frequently
    July 14, 2025

    Hi Anubhav,

     

    I am on Illustrator v29.6.1 now. When I open a file that I created back in May that I knew had this issue, the issue persists. I'll attach some screengrabs -- the first is how the file looks when I first open it in Illustrator. The photo (PNG file I created in Photoshop) and its clipping mask have both moved up to the top of the artboard. The second screengrab is how it's supposed to look.

    Jacaranda Marketing & Design | Graphic Design | Children's Book Author & Illustrator
    K
    katz_3893
    New Participant
    April 1, 2025

    I have been experiencing the same problems. All my images on my illustrator artwork rotated 90° when I relink the images. All these are on my MacBook Pro. Firstly, the images didn't to the new link folder. Then I have to individually link all of the images and then they all turned up rotated. It is very frustrating.

     

    A
    Community Manager
    Anubhav MCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    April 3, 2025

    Hello @katz_3893,

    Could you share more details, like the exact version of the OS/Illustrator installed, if this happens with all files, and a small screen recording of your workflow and the problem (if possible), so I can try and replicate this on my end?


    Looking forward to hearing from you.

     

    Anubhav

    K
    katz_3893
    New Participant
    April 5, 2025
    Hi Anubhav,

    I was working on illustrator and had linked all the images (jpegs) to a folder with low er resolution images. I do this so that i can work faster on my file. Everything was done and saved. However, when I complete my project, I replace the low res images with high res one in the same folder.When I reopen my ai file, all the placed images had rotated 90 degrees. I quickly closed the file thinking it may just be a temporary bug. But when I reopen the file, it is the same. all the images was rotated. It was a school poster, I had 80+ images. I had to rotate them one by one back 90 degrees. It was very frustrating and a total waste of time - I had 7 posters to correct! And I had memory and rtorage on my Mac. Very very frustrating. It seems the new illustrator, photoshop and Acrobat all had problems. I use to have CS6 on my computer and I never encounter this problem!

    Karen
    J
    jenuary
    Inspiring
    February 28, 2025

    This is happening to me as well. I opened an .ai file originally created in 2024 with dozens of photos placed (linked, not embedded). Had no issues with photos auto-rotating when I created the document, saved pressready PDFs, and printed.

     

    As of today, every time I open the file, 17 of the photos (out of maybe 100; all jpgs) are rotated 90 degrees. I've corrected them within Illustrator three times, and when reopening the file, they revert to rotation. The original files in the packaged links folder are not flipped.

     

    Mac, Illustrator 29.2.1, file is packaged and saved in Dropbox.

    Anshul_Saini
    Community Manager
    Anshul_SainiCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    March 18, 2025

    Hi @jenuary @kirstinhepburn @michaelw35756003 @Beep Sparrow @david_6755 @Linda.R.Smith,

     

    Thanks for sharing your experience. The team has been actively investigating this issue, but we’re unable to reproduce it on our end using Illustrator 29.3 on macOS.

     

    To help us better understand the problem, could you please share a sample Illustrator file along with the affected images? If the content is confidential, feel free to send the files via Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar services through DM.

     

    Your input will be invaluable in helping the team identify and resolve the issue. Looking forward to your response!

     

    Best,

    Anshul Saini

    michaelw35756003
    michaelw35756003
    New Participant
    February 24, 2025

    Had the same issue, also iphone shot jpegs. Resaved in Photoshop as tiffs, relinked and all works fine

    Anshul_Saini
    Community Manager
    Anshul_SainiCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    February 19, 2025

    Hi @Linda.R.Smith, @Ajlouny, @Beep Sparrow, and @david_6755,

     

    Thanks for reaching out and sharing your experience. We’ve seen similar reports of linked or placed images rotating unexpectedly, and we understand how frustrating this can be—especially when working with a large number of images.

     

    To help us investigate further, could you share the following details?

    • Does this happen with all images or only certain formats (JPEG, PNG, etc.)?

    • Are the affected images taken directly from a smartphone, or have they been edited/saved in another app before placing them in Illustrator?

    • If possible, could you share a sample Ai file along with images where this issue occurs?

    • Your system specs (OS version, CPU, GPU, RAM) and whether this happens consistently across different documents.
    • A screen recording of the issue would also be incredibly helpful in diagnosing the problem.

     

    We want to ensure this is properly escalated to the product team for a fix. Looking forward to your response!

     

    Best,

    Anshul Saini

    david_6755
    david_6755
    Inspiring
    February 19, 2025

    to my understanding they are only smartphone pics affected. 

    Beep Sparrow
    Beep Sparrow
    Participating Frequently
    February 20, 2025

    Nope, mine that keep rotating are all from a photoshoot with a DSLR. My photographer uses a Canon, I believe.

    david_6755
    david_6755
    Inspiring
    February 18, 2025

    Updated to 29.3, still rotaing linked images in certain files

    A
    Ajlouny
    Known Participant
    February 14, 2025

    I just updated to Illustrator 29.3, looks like the bug is fixed.

    Beep Sparrow
    Beep Sparrow
    Participating Frequently
    February 11, 2025

    I'm having this same issue on 29.2.1.

    A
    Ajlouny
    Known Participant
    January 28, 2025

    The bug persists in the current version (29.2.1) on iMac 5K (2017) running Ventura 13.7.2.

    When placing (importing) an image with a rotated orientation in the EXIF data, Illustrator correctly applies the rotation. However, every time the file is reopened, Illustrator re-applies the EXIF rotation to the image, even if it was already corrected and saved.

      Linda.R.Smith
      Linda.R.Smith
      Known Participant
      February 10, 2025

      I am now having this same issue with the latest Illustrator version 29.2.1. Some placed images are randomly rotate 90˚, 180˚ when I reopen an Illustrator document.

        Monika Gause
        Monika Gause
        Community Expert
        February 10, 2025

        WHat kind of images? Photos directly from a phone?

        1
        1h63965575
        New Participant
        November 13, 2023

        It's probably a bug on Illustrator's side.

         

        <Sample image>
        Taken with iPhone 11(Photographed vertically)
        On iPhone, the default orientation is landscape, and if the photo is taken vertically, it will be rotated 90 degrees as an attribute (Orientation=6)

         

        <Reproduction steps>
        1. Arrange and save images taken with iPhone at 27.5 or below or 27.8.1 or above.
        2. Unintended rotation occurs when opening with 27.6.1 or 27.7

        or

        1. Arrange and save images taken with iPhone on 27.6.1 or 27.7
        2. Unintended rotation will occur if opened below 27.5 or above 27.8.1

         

        <Result>

        27.5 No Rotate
        27.6.1 Rotate
        27.7 Rotate
        27.8.1 No Rotate
        27.9 No Rotate
        28.0 No Rotate

          1
          1h63965575
          New Participant
          November 13, 2023

          Fix up

           

          1. Arrange and save images taken with iPhone at 27.5 or below or 27.8.1 or above.
          2. Unintended rotation occurs when opening with 27.6.1 or 27.7

           

          27.5 No Rotate
          27.6.1 Rotate
          27.7 Rotate
          27.8.1 No Rotate
          27.9 No Rotate
          28.0 No Rotate

           

          or

           

          1. Arrange and save images taken with iPhone on 27.6.1 or 27.7
          2. Unintended rotation will occur if opened below 27.5 or above 27.8.1

           

          27.5 Rotate
          27.6.1 No Rotate
          27.7 No Rotate
          27.8.1 Rotate
          27.9 Rotate
          28.0 Rotate

           

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