I do not have Illustrator. How do I open .ai files?

[rdruhl]

I subscribe to Adobe Stock, because I was transferred over from Dollar Photo Club. However, I am not able to open .ai files, and I do not want to purchase Illustrator, nor do I want to subscribe to it. How can I open .ai files so that I can import them into Apple Pages?

[Willi Adelberger]

If they are saved as default with PDF compatibility you can handle them as PDF files. Most programs will recognize them as PDF, but if not, you can exchange the extension from AI to PDF.

[rdruhl]

Willi,

I have tried changing it from .ai to .pdf, and it did not work. The image is this one: Praying Jesus AdobeStock_95148842.ai

I added, "Praying Jesus," just so that I could find it on my computer for later use.

[cummingsrob]

I also have downloaded two different .ai files and neither of them open using Inkscape, GIMP, LibreOffice Draw, or Adobe Reader. I have also tried changing the extension to PDF. What gives? Is this expected if we do not choose to have Illustrator?

[rdruhl]

I also tried Inkscape, taking the time to install it and X11 to run Inkscape, and then was disappointed that it did not open my file. I have also tried using Pixelmator, Apple Preview, Adobe Reader, ColorStrokes, Snapheal, and I am not sure what else.

Since I came over from the Dollar Photo Club, I assumed that everything would work the same, but I keep encountering this .ai files. It is discouraging me from continuing with Adobe Stock.

[Test Screen Name]

‌Yes, it  would be expected that AI files are for people with Illustrator. AI is not a public format like JG PNG TIF EPS PDF etc. AI would be chosen to hold the vector and design info.

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

You can also try to change the extension to .eps

Apple Preview can convert .eps to PDF

[rdruhl]

Ton Frederiks,

That worked. All I did was change .ai to .eps and Apple's Preview opened it! Thank you so much!

[Ton Frederiks]

Good to hear that worked!

[rdruhl]

Believe I am very glad that it worked, and this will help me with some other files I have downloaded from here.

[Ahulani5FAD]

Worked for me! Thanks. I clicked " info" for the file and changed the extension there as I couldn't figure out how to "save it as". Worked fine.

[Beckster]

I have the same issue...only I was able to open an .ai file earlier this week using PSE, but now trying to open one today and it won't open. I am a novice - what does everyone mean to just change it to .eps? I tried to just rename the file and got the same message..can't open because it's the wrong type of file.

The one I opened Tuesday was  AdobeStock_99894280.ai and the one that won't open today is AdobeStock_49626287.ai.

[Monika Gause]

You can't open an AI file if you don't have Illustrator.

It might work for files that have been saved with specific options, but then you actually don't open the AI file, but a PDF that is embedded into it. When a file isn't saved with the options needed, then you can't open that file.

[Beckster]

Both files came straight off of StockAdobe.com - is there a way to know if they were downloaded with different options? Would that have been something on Adobe's end? I did nothing different in downloading the second file.

[Monika Gause]

Photoshop Elements is a bitmap editor, so its support for vector files can not be taken as granted. You might want to either get Illustrator or leave those kinds of files alone in the future.

I don't have these files and I don't want to download them. So I can't judge if the stock website promises something that it can't fulfill. You might try and contact them in the Stock forum: Adobe Stock

[Ton Frederiks]

Monika is right, this question is one for the Stock forum.

It is confusing though. The file type of the file you cannot open is labeled ai/eps on the Adobe Stock website.

If you change the extension from .ai to .eps, Apple's Preview can open the file (actually convert the file to PDF).