How do I retrieve an off-screen dialog box?

[Marylee2]

I am using two screens and moving Illustrator to the larger screen from my laptop so that I can see things better. I am still using CS2. One day for reasons I still do not understand, my PDF dialog box disappeared. Illustrator thinks it is there, but the only thing I can do is escape out of it. I can't save a file as a PDF, and I need to do that on a regular basis. I even tried uninstalling and reinstalling CS2, but it did not change anything.

Does anyone know how to retrieve a dialog box that has gone off the screens?

Thanks!

[SHornbaek]

I have multiple screens and got the same problem on Windows 10. The table settings pop-up was displaying all the way up (and above) the screen. I solved it this way:

1. Re-create the error (I opened the table settings pop-up).

2. Open display settings (in windows) from the desktop > right click > display settings

3. Move another window above (depending on your case) and click apply. (see screenshot, red is the moved screen and dotted green is the faulty pop-up). 

4. Now the top of the pop-up is showing on the screen above the faulty one and you should be able to move the pop-up to the right position!

5. (optional) move back the screens to the original position within display settings in windows.

[Delevision]

This method worked for me.

I have a tri-monitor setup running on Windows 11. The "Save As" dialog was somehow erroneously placed way above the middle screen such that it was irretrievable. (I wonder if a flaky optical mouse could cause this, because sometimes the screen pointer jumps around like it's warping into hyperspace. I am also trying a different mouse now.)

I tried all the other methods described, above, in this thread, and none worked until I tried this method.

Thank you!

[Christopher24945188e8t7]

Thank You so much! 

I was loosing pop up windows on my dual screen display and found it on the oposite side of my main display hanging out there in space! You would think the program would have rules about poping up windows inside the displayable area. 

But it's all sorted out now, Thank you again!

[Olivié Charbonneau]

If you lost your dialog windows on a multi-screen setup (typicaly a dialog window is out of frame in a disabled or turned of screen) : disable the second / tird screen temporarily, close application, launch application. All dialog windows are reset to their default position in the single screen. Re-enable second / third screen. 

[defaultiz8wyxnhqb35]

I totally understand why Adobe Illustrator hasn't fixed this. Its such and edge case, creatives never use a secondary monitor. Personally, I really like to work exclusively off my laptops 13" screen - images, vectors, typography, all are easier to view on the smallest screen possible.

[Olivié Charbonneau]

Bro you should try to design on your mobile it's the best experience, garantied without off-screen windows. 

Why should Adobe ever fix this ? 

[default5z8b67u64n9o]

take any another window (like pathfinder, appearance, layers, etc) and move it to your stuck window, it will connect to it and they you double click the bottom bar and it'll pop back on your screen

[digitalembic]

Your "solution" does not apply to this reported problem. When a MODAL DIALOG BOX pops up somewhere offscreen:  A) you can't click on anything else in the app; B) even if you could, panels do not snap to dialog boxes; and 3) even if you COULD drag a panel completely off the edge of the screen and somehow have it "stick" to a dialog box (which it cannot do), you don't know where the dialog box is to begin with because you can't see it.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @digitalembic,

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. Would you mind sharing more details, like the OS/Illustrator version, and a screen recording of the problem (if possible), so I can check it with the team?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav