Help menu search (in macOS) beachballs immediately every time

[Jack Brannen]

In macOS, in every app, in the Help menu, there's a search field to find a menu command if you don't know where it is.

In other Adobe apps (Photoshop, InDesign) this menu works great. In Illustrator, it beachballs (brings up the spinning rainbow wheel and delays for several seconds) every time I use it.

Seems like this is a recent change. I wonder if this is due to the humongous font menu that I think (?) is also newish. Disabling in-menu font previews helps but doesn't eliminate the problem.

My machine is plenty capable with great specs, so that's not the issue.

I've already tried resetting Illustrator prefs. No change.

Anyone else having this issue?

[Monika Gause]

Works for me.

Can you please tell us your version and system and your computer specifications?

[Jack Brannen]

@Monika Gause Thanks

Latest version of Adobe Illustrator 2024 (28.5.0)

macOS 14.5

MacBook Pro M1 Max, 64GB RAM

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Jack Brannen,

Thanks for sharing the details. Would you mind trying to run Illustrator under Safe Mode (Windows / macOS) and checking if it helps? Also, try running Illustrator under a different administrator account (Windows / macOS) and share your observations.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,

Anubhav

[Jack Brannen]

@Anubhav M Thanks for your reply. 

• Problem does still occur in safe mode
• Problem does not occur in a different admin account

[Jack Brannen]

@Anubhav M Checking in on this, thanks

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Jack Brannen,

Thanks for confirming. There might be a problem with the preferences / the user profile. 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

[Jack Brannen]

Hi @Anubhav M , I tried exactly as instructed and the issue persists.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Jack Brannen,

I have sent you a DM. Kindly check.

Anubhav