Free transform perspective tool missing ?

[Leanne5CE2]

I'm on Illustrator 25.2.3. This tool is missing. I can't find it anywhere, even when I go to rebuild my toolbar and click advanced - there's no option for this tool. Seems to have disappeared completely.  (Yes, I already looked under the free transform tool.) This update is super buggy on Mac Big Sur 11.2.3. 

[Monika Gause]

The screenshot shows the additional touch toolbar of the free transform tool. It will be visible as soon as you select and object and choose the free transform tool.

[Ashutosh_Mishra]

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about your experience. In addition to the suggestion given by Monika, you may try resetting the preferences of the app & see how it goes.

Please follow this help article to do so. Hope it helps.

Regards,

Ashutosh

[Ji24994980qkve]

  

[nicklawmusic · Accepted solution]

Don't know if you managed to solve this but I've spent around 40 minutes trying to get to the bottom of it, only to discover that people are right when they say when you click on the object then the Free Transform tool, a little popup toolbar should appear (as long as you've selected the Advance toolbar).

However, after following these instructions and tearing what is left of my hair out, I discovered that it was hiding behind my main toolbar, which is why I couldn't see it and why it looked like Illustrator wasn't doing anything.

Hopefully this reply will help anyone else searching for it and having the same headache that I've just had for 40 minutes.

[Studio.Earthling]

Your comment just saved me the 40 minute headache you suffered. My perspective transform tools were also hiding behind the main toolbar. Thank you!

[mátét28046943]

Ohhh com on... What instructions shuold I follow exactly? I can't find any solution - no perspective distort in my Illustrator yet... 😞

[Monika Gause]

Ohhh com on... What instructions shuold I follow exactly? I can't find any solution - no perspective distort in my Illustrator yet... 😞

By @mátét28046943

Please tell us step by step what you have done and what you now expect to happen.

[Met1]

Click on the three dots at the bottom of your tool bar, scroll to modify - is it in there as white or as grey? If white, drag it to your tool bar, if grey, it's already in there, and if you can't see it you have it in some sub menu of another tool set, you'll just have to open each one till you find it...

[AmyUskoski]

1. I reset my workspace (upper right corner of the main Illustrator window)
2. showed the advanced tool bar (again),
3. clicked on the free transform tool,
4. moved the main toolbar around to look under it (as nicklawmusic suggested).
5. The flyout menu was there. Goofy deal. It had been missing for ages.

[AmyUskoski]

Thanks a million! 

You solved a long-standing mystery for me and saved me untold hours. I did have to poke around and move menus but there it was!

[Miyuki Rosa]

Dear Nicklaw, 

I just spent about a good 50 minutes looking for these tools and googling in all directions.

They were actually behind the main tool bar, THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[Prowhiz]

OMG. You've saved me tons of time. I thought my illustrator was broken lol. Found it hiding behind my toolbar of course

[Graphic Squirrel]

Thank you for letting us know.  I NEVER would have looked there.  

[marym36701148]

THANK YOU FOR SAYING THIS!  I've spent DAYS wondering how to get that tool up, and just like you said, looked behind my tools, and sure enough.  There it was.

Thanks! Sometimes these forums save the day. This was a great example.

[Kerin32243647glru]

Thank you so much for this suggestion.  It was hiding behind my toolbar as well.  

[SBRudy]

Experiencing the same issue of not being able to find the Perspective Distort tool. I moved all menus, reset preferences. I've selected advanced within the toolbars, clicked the three dots to see if its hidden there, does not even show up. I've even gone back to previous versions of Illustrator only to have no success. I don't know what to do anymore. It's like it doesn't even exist within my versions of Illustrator....

[Monika Gause]

Experiencing the same issue of not being able to find the Perspective Distort tool. I moved all menus, reset preferences. I've selected advanced within the toolbars, clicked the three dots to see if its hidden there, does not even show up. I've even gone back to previous versions of Illustrator only to have no success. I don't know what to do anymore. It's like it doesn't even exist within my versions of Illustrator....

By @SBRudy

Window > Toolbars > Advanced

[SBRudy]

As I stated in my original message I have tried finding in the toolbars menu. It still does not show up for me.

[Monika Gause]

Please go into the main menu and open the "Window" menu and then take a screenshot of that.

[SBRudy]

screenshots attached

[Monika Gause]

So you have the free transform tool.

And what's missing? The little options bar? It's often hidden below the actual toolbar. So when you move the toolbar to the side, you might find it there.

[SBRudy]

But I have searched under the toolbar and its not there. I am trying to find the other options to the Free Transform tool, because what I have currently only skews. It doesn't allow me to do anything else to an object. I have attached what I'm trying to find (from a picture on the internet). Is it a matter of what version of Illustrator I am running?

[Monika Gause]

I assume you are using a somewhat current version of Illustrator and not version CS4 or the like?

As I said: that little options bar is probably hidden below your toolbar. So what you need to do: select the free transform tool. Then take the toolbar and move it around and then you should find the little free transform options bar.

[rockfordnorris]

I will concur. Using the bleeding edge most recent version of Illustrator, and there is no Perspective Distort tool to be found. Preferences reset. Workspace default. Advanced Toolbar. Tore away the Free transform toolbar tool into a floating menu. NOWHERE. It boggles my mind that whenever someone posts a problem, the automatic assumption is that the user is doing something wrong. I took a couple years off from the Adobe suite, only to find Illustrator to be almost unusably buggy, and this just adds to the pile of complaints.