How do I bring back my tools panel?

[ScottMiller06]

Hello,

When I had Illustrator open, I moved my Mac's view to the widgets desktop. When I went back to the desktop that had Illustrator, the tools panel and other panels were missing. I went back to the widgets desktop and the panels were there!

I could not figure out how to get them back over to the correct desktop, so I closed them. Now, back in Illustrator, I can't figure out how to open them up again.

I'd like to go back to the default setting. Please help!

Thanks and God bless,

Scott Miller

[PrintFusion45]

@scottm777, From the top right corner of Illustrator, click on Essentials > Reset essentials. This should bring back all your tools and panels.

[Westopherguy]

I can't believe how often I do some weird (wrong) keystroke, and end-up hiding or closing stuff. Always takes me 10 minutes to figure out how to get stuff back. This is way easier... Will have to remember that one.  😉

[jobro1]

Something happened (I hit god-knows-what-key) and all my tools disappeared. I had to stop everything to find a forum to come up with the solution. This is what I hate about Illustrator--everythingg is so darned counter-intuitive! "Adobe Frustrator" would be a better name for this app.

[Monika Gause]

jobro1  schrieb

Something happened (I hit god-knows-what-key) and all my tools disappeared. I had to stop everything to find a forum to come up with the solution. This is what I hate about Illustrator--everythingg is so darned counter-intuitive! "Adobe Frustrator" would be a better name for this app.

That has probably been the TAB key.

There's a documentation available and you can search it.

[ScottMiller06]

Thanks so much! I just got started, and had this problem. I could not go any further in learning this program, without this advise.

[PrintFusion45]

@scottm777, you're welcome

[Wade_Zimmerman1]

Sometimes hitting essentials is necessary as it iss the easiest way.

But if you have your panels all set up the way you want then you will ahve to do that all over.

So you should remmebr this, the three commans keyboard invoked actions that cause such problems are a s follows Command H is Hide Edges, Command Shift B is Hide Bounding Box and if hit the Tab key and do not have atrext string active the tools and panels will disappear hitting it again will bring them back. The previous two will also make the edges and bounding box visable as well if yoiu hit them again.

[rubyb84986650]

THANK YOUU!!! This helped me out as well

[morgenb99298508]

i am having the same issue at the moment, i can not get the side bar on the left (with all the tools) on illustrator back down. i know its the layout of how its set up but i don't not how to set it up and get it back! any help?

[Monika Gause]

Have you already tried resetting the workspace?

[ojak]

I had the same problem today after updating Illustrator CC 2015.  I tried resetting Essentials, but the layout panes simply flicker for a second (resetting) and then nothing happens (i.e. no palettes show up, and pressing F7, etc, does nothing).

The only way to access any of the palettes is to select a workspace other than "Essentials" (i.e. "Essentials" is essentially gone).

[ojak]

Ok, this workaround worked for me, although it's probably a bug:

1. Window > Workspace > Reset Essentials
2. Window > Application Frame
3. Window > Application Frame (yes, twice)

Note, however, if I go to "Window > Workspace > Reset Essentials" again while "Application Frame" is unchecked (under the "Windows" menu), all the palettes disappear again, and I have to go to "Window > Application Frame" again.  So, I have to leave "Application Frame" ON so that resetting will work.

It's a bug.

[ojak]

Sorry about the double-reply.  These "Jive-powered" forums are super irritating...

[Boomstation]

Thanks, man - this has been driving me up the bloody wall. The application frame brought the invisible panels back.

[valeriar69495727]

YOU ARE SO AMAZING

[katelinh64121100]

SAVED MY LIFE! Reset Essentials never works for me & I feel like an idiot. Thank you so much.

[paulj81223667]

Superb – worked for me. This has been driving me NUTS, and I have brand new 2018 CC Illustrator. Thank you.

[starsforluna]

Is there a way to bring it back without resetting your whole workspace?

[rcraighead]

"Tools>Default"

You can also hit "Tab" to hide/show all floating panels, or "Shift+Tab" to hide/show all BUT the Tools Panel.

[fredericke3885029]

Go to Window > Tools > Default Side Bar

(this is how it is on Mac, sorry, but I am not sure about how to do it on Windows)

[Guest]

scottm777 here is the solution >>> How to recover toolbars/tool pallets/missing panels in Adobe Illustrator CC/Adobe Photoshop CC - You...

[yub57947480]

Good job !

[jerreflorc3168994]

thanks for the info

[verdevice]

Hello,

Go to Windows> Tools and then click on to Default option. 

Now you are back to your default setting.