How do I change the default font in Illustrator CC?

[Michelle Proud]

How do I change the default font in Illustrator CC?

[trashcaneron]

Does anyone else think it's hilarious that it's 2019 and there still isn't a way to change the default font from Myriad Pro? Who uses that font anyway? May as well be comic sans or papyrus.

Any real solutions to this or is it still about making a new character / paragraph style?

[Ton Frederiks]

Using fonts in Illustrator

[Ton Frederiks]

Unfortunately changing your default new document profile is very difficult (a mess).

There are 2 places where these profiles are located.

One is inside the Illustrator application folder > Support Files > New Document Profiles > a folder with the name of your language.

You cannot save a file in that folder from Illustrator.

You have to save it in a different place and move it to that folder.

But you need an Admin password to do that.

If you get it into that folder you will find that it only works for new documents saved with a different name than Print or Web, Print2 works but saved as Print  does not change the default Print profile.

To get a default profile to change you need to save your modified profile into:

User > Library > Application Support > Adobe > Adobe Illustrator 23 (or your version number) > en_GB (or your language folder) > new document profiles

You will probably have to enter your Admin password.

[trashcaneron]

Well that's good news and works just fine, thanks a ton, Ton!

[grimages1982]

I changed all the permissions for the folders, which takes a lot of time. Then I saved the files with a one after them, then deleted the original files, and changed their names back. However, this method didn't stick, meaning I need to change the default manually in the character default document window. Since I know where this is, it is easier to do than changing it all the time, but still frustrating. I am also frustrated that in using Illustrator 2019, one cannot do this in a preference box. This whole experience of using Illustrator 2019 has been a mess, since switching over from CS6. I know I had to do it because of system software issues with the Mac OS, but the lack of documentation has been quite embarassing to say the least. I don't know how you can charge a monthly fee, but only give videos for documentation. Who has the time to devote to watching videos when you are trying to complete projects? This is madness...

[grimages1982]

I see it is year later, I am using the 2020 version now, and it still is a mess for default documents. I was hoping that instead of new features for illustrator that they would fix the myriad of simple annoyances that have plagued this app in recent years, but I guess that is just a pipe dream. During lockdown, I was playing around will an older mac I had, pre system 10, and it had the ability to change the default system font!! Amazing that illustrator 5(1993) had the capability to do something so simple which we cannot do now! We have not added anything new, just added 100 more steps to doing the same thing which is a very sad to say the least.

[Minnepolitan]

I see that I can update the default font by changing the character style in each new document. Easy. AI 27 does not have new document preferences in the Library folder, so is it possible to change the default font universally, or do I still have to do it locally for each new AI document opened? 

[Ton Frederiks]

Your library folder may be hidden. Google : Library folder Mac

and change the Print or other preset from User > Library > Application Support > Adobe > Adobe Illustrator 23 (or your version number) > en_GB (or your language folder) > new document profiles

[Minnepolitan]

Yay, worked perfectly! Thank you!

[Ton Frederiks]

Good to hear that worked for you.

[anthonyc78776180]

I don't think it's supported.

[Monika Gause]

I don't think it's supported.

By @anthonyc78776180

Do you have that same problem? What is not working for you. Please elaborate.

[anthonyc78776180]

I found the answer, but it took forever to find it. This works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1jaOzqEvfQ

"Illustrator CC: Change Default Font - How to do it to work 100% of the time" by Helen Bradley. So I guess it is supported, my bad.

[Braxton26941821kk8k]

Watch this video and it explains it much more easily. https://youtu.be/iu3yWk0azkk

[Ton Frederiks]

That changes only the default character style for that document only. That does not answer the question.