Default Fill & Stroke

[gmike@gmike]

Hello,

At some point recently I have unknowingly changed my default fill and stroke from black and white to red and blue. I've a rough idea when it happened but no idea how.

I've tried changing the default graphic style. I've tried defining a new graphic style and setting it to persistent. Nothing works. Every time I re-open Illustrator it's back to red and blue.

It's not often I get stuck, I'm an experienced user of many years, but this is driving me insane.

Any ideas anyone?

2024 Mac 24" OS Sonoma 14.2.1 Illustrator 28.3

[gmike@gmike]

Wow .. that's crazy! I thought it was something I'd done by mistake!
Not remedied the problem yet. I've tried opening, changing and saving all my new document files but whenever they open ... red and blue!! 🙂

[Ton Frederiks]

You are not alone with this problem. I am afraid that it is a strange bug. Both of you are using Sonoma, which has other inexplicable problems with Illustrator.

You cannot by accident change the default graphic style in a preset file (Jen has even problems finding that file). 

It would be useful to post this as a bug (with as many details about you machine and OS as possible) on UserVoice and post the link here.

https://illustrator.uservoice.com/

[Anubhav M]

Hello gmike@gmike,

We understand that encountering technical issues can be frustrating. Would you mind trying to manually reset Illustrator's preferences and checking if it helps:

For macOS

• Close all Adobe applications.

• Go to the following locations

• ~/Library/Caches

• ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe

• ~/Library/Preferences

• Rename Adobe Illustrator, com.adobe.illustrator and Adobe Illustrator 28 Settings folders to Adobe Illustrator.old, com.adobe.illustrator.old and Adobe Illustrator 28 Settings.old

• Launch Illustrator from the Creative Cloud.

Note: Location starting with this "~" sign indicates the User Library, which is hidden. So, you need to copy & paste the exact path in spotlight search or from Finder Menu > Go > Go to Folder > Paste the location in the dialog box like this:

For Windows

- Close all Adobe applications.

- Go to Location C:\Users\%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Adobe

- Rename Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Illustrator 28 Settings folders to Adobe Illustrator.old and Adobe Illustrator - 28 Settings.old

- Relaunch Illustrator from Creative Cloud

Disclaimer: Please note that renaming preferences folders will remove all the custom settings, and Illustrator will launch with default settings. You can also save a backup of the folders in case you want to. The location is mentioned above.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,

Anubhav

[Jen McFerrin]

Hello @Anubhav M 
I followed the instructions you provided and upon opening Illustrator, the default fill and stroke is still red and blue.

[nicoleg61544077]

It was that way for me to Anubhav.  I feel your frustration.  I just went back to 28.2 and that solved my issue.  Just hoping that going forward it will not be an issue with the next upgrade after 28.3.  If you find a solution, please share and I will do the same.

[chillicat.s]

Hi,

I've got the same problem. This happened randomly about a week or so ago one day when I opened Illustrator. I haven't found any answers so far; also did the whole defining a new graphic style etc. but nothing works. Same... when I reopen Illustrator I'm back to red and blue. Have you found an answer yet?

[Ton Frederiks]

It would be useful to post this as a bug (with as many details about you machine and OS as possible) on UserVoice and post the link here.

https://illustrator.uservoice.com/

[Jen McFerrin]

I followed @nicoleg61544077 's lead and just went back to 28.2. 
Not a long term solution, but with the amount of time I've wasted trying to test and fix the problem, at least I can work again without the issue.

[nicoleg61544077]

I have not.  I remain in 28.2 until the next update.  I have reinstalled and I have had all of caches pulled onto the desktop by an adobe employee.  Nothing has worked.  

[Monika Gause]

Can you heck if there is an option "Enable Rich UI" in the Preferences > General?

And what happens when you turn that off?

[Mike_Gondek]

PREFS  RESET MAC (more thorough)
Quit Illustrator (100% must quit as your prefs reside in RAM after loaded)
(HOLD DOWN OPTION) Finder >> Go >> Library (this is the user library)
rename these 3 folders to Adobe Illustrator XX to Adobe Illustrator XXold

• ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Illustrator XX/
• ~/Library/Caches/com.adobe.illustrator
• ~/Library/Preferences/Adobe Illustrator XX Settings/

And also this location, if the issue happens for all users

• Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Illustrator XX/

[Felix Mack]

This seems to have fixed the red / blue for me on new documents, but it is still happening on docs that had the issue previously. Thanks