Gradients not working on Text

[cwcurry]

Using Adobe Illustrator CC (20.1.0 64-bit)

I have applied gradient to the text, and it is displaying black. Just to prove that this actually is happening, I made a rectangle and applied the exact same gradient. The gradient is working on the rectangle. Nothing, and I mean nothing I can do will make a gradient work on the text. I can change the text color to red or any solid color and it will work on the text, just not a gradient.

Just so you can see that the actual characters themselves have that gradient applied, here is a snapshot of "some" of the characters selected. You will note the black to bright green gradient is indeed applied to the characters themselves.

Gradients are not showing up on my text. Gradients are working on shapes.

It is really making me think that this is a bug that nobody can solve. I have read the other threads, which are now quite old, and have videos which don't exist. This needs to be a new thread with new answers, IMO. I am using the most current version of AI.

[edgrimley]

You can outline the text and add a gradient. Or if you want to keep it editable,after you add the type, remove the fill. Go to the Apperance Panel and add a new fill with the gradient.

[Ton Frederiks]

See also Gradients not showing up in illustrator text

Select your text with a selection tool (not with the text tool).

Fill the text with none.

Go to the Appearance Panel and add a New Fill.

Change that fill to a gradient.

Alternatively you can also select the text with a selection tool (not the Text tool).

Go to the Appearance panel and add a new fill.

Change it to a gradient and make sure it is above the Characters in the Appearance panel.

[cwcurry · Accepted solution]

Ton Fredericks said: (THANK YOU)

Select your text with a selection tool (not with the text tool).

Fill the text with none.

Go to the Appearance Panel and add a New Fill.

Change that fill to a gradient.

Alternatively you can also select the text with a selection tool (not the Text tool).

Go to the Appearance panel and add a new fill.

Change it to a gradient and make sure it is above the Characters in the Appearance panel.

I made this video for the future for peeps looking for this solution.

Here is what I gleaned from this:

1. TEXT CANNOT BE GRADIENT FILLED

   so

2. You have to remove any fill on the text

   so that

3. You can select a block of text

   so that

4. YOU CAN GRADIENT FILL THAT BLOCK

You can still use the character tool and insert and delete the characters inside a group. This is a good thing.

[HeY tHeRe5FAA]

Thx kind Sir

[simone23527527wlrw]

Obrigada, 

Viva a internet.

[Rosie28944963byml]

You are a lifesaver, I've been creating outlines and crying when it needs editing for months

[Janak5C38]

Thank you for the answer. Can we acknowledge how absolutely moronic this issue actually is?

[myvideoguytv]

Thank You Mate!!!  Super helpful!

[Boka2112]

Why does this happen? Can this be fixed!

[Monika Gause]

It's the way Illustrator works.

You want it to behave differently, then please post a feature request to http://illustrator.uservoice.com

[theshowe]

Except it didn't in previous version you could fill with a gradient without having to go through the appearance panel. It's really annoying when things are changed randomly for no apparent reason and a way you've been working for ages is suddenly not working anymore. 

[Ton Frederiks]

Which version do yo think has worked that way?