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Sarah Lark
New Participant
June 19, 2020
Answered

Illustration Rotate Transform Handle Missing

  • June 19, 2020
  • 8 replies
  • 17953 views

I've been having this issue on and off for months now, but I can't seem to find any solutions or even anyone else who is having the same problem. My transform scale handles are still visible around the shape, but the rotate handles never appear no matter where I hold my mouse over the shape. I've tried toggling on and off the "Hide Bounding Box" option, but it doesn't help.

 

It works fine for some documents, and doesn't work for others. The only workaround I've found is to right-click > Transform > Rotate, but then I have to know the degree I want to rotate it to, and often I just want to eyeball it!

 

Thanks for your help!

Correct answer Nick Avallone

It looks like your question was never really answered, despite being marked as "Answered".

I mistakenly hit COMMAND+SHIFT+B, and the scale/rotate handles stopped appearing when I selected shapes in my workspace. Hitting that combo again brought the handles back. Hopefully that relates to your issue!

8 replies

sueh77503171
sueh77503171
New Participant
July 6, 2025

I have exactly the same problem in AI 2025, show bounding box and show edges are all on.  Very frustrating!  I also notice that grabbing and changing text is much more diffult in this version!

A
Community Manager
Anubhav MCommunity Manager
Community Manager
July 7, 2025

Hello @sueh77503171,

I'm sorry to hear about the trouble you're having. Could you confirm the exact version of the OS/Illustrator installed, and a small screen recording of your workflow and the problem, so I can better assist you?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

D
dalface
Inspiring
November 27, 2023

I've been having this problem for a few version of AI. I am now using version 27.9. I keep expecting it to get fixed and it doesn't. Zoom level does not matter. Complex or simple doesn't matter. Sometimes I can rotate on left, sometimes, right, bottom, top, and other times i have to use the rotate tool and hovering the mouse near doesn't work. Is Adobe working on fixing this. It is odd that I cannot find many complaints online and i know me and my coworker both experience this. I am not sure what a screenshot would show you. 

thanks,

    Monika Gause
    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    November 27, 2023

    If you read the complete thread, please answer the questions that have already been asked.

    K
    Kelly28860142ukio
    New Participant
    March 14, 2023

    I am having the same issue. I'm using Adobe Illustrator 2023. Is there a glitch in the program? When I hover my cursor over the corner of a bounding box, it never changes to the rotate arrow. 

      T
      totaison2
      Participating Frequently
      June 15, 2023

      It happens to me sometimes. Maybe when starting the program it works fine, but after a few hours it starts to fail. Very annoying thing...

      K
      keithasims
      New Participant
      April 1, 2022

      OK - 

      I JUST started to have this same issue.  I've tried all of the keystroke / CMD + options and none seem to work. Is this a new OS / Adobe issue?  It's SO annoying to not be able to ease through just basics.

      Illustator 26.1 (Adobe CC)
      Monterey OS 12.2.1

      Any help or advice would be appreciated!

      Keith

      E
      edwinm32051433
      New Participant
      December 9, 2021

      Doing Ctrl+G on the shaped helped me 

        G
        Gairo5C05
        New Participant
        October 9, 2021

         I was having the same problem and I don't know why the rotate cursor isn't showing up but I was still able to rotate the triangle in the picture. Ill explain how. While having the shape selected, I moved my cursornear the top right corner, a bit away from the corner as to not be in the outer blue square outline. I then right clicked down, after a second or to the cursor transformed into the rotation cursor and I was able to rotate. After right clicking, you basically just wait a second and then you are able to rotate even though at times the cursor looks like its still in the resize cursor mode. Hope this helps somebody! I found this solution by shear luck!

          B
          Brulu
          New Participant
          October 13, 2021

          Recently this has started happening to me and this is the only advice that has helped. Thank you! Although it doesn't seem to work everytime unfortunately. Very odd

          Kurt Gold
          Kurt Gold
          Community Expert
          June 20, 2020

          Also, check if it may have to do something with the actual zoom level.

           

          (Small) Objects that are zoomed out tend to lose the rotation cursor when you are trying to rotate them with the bounding box.

           

          Either zoom in or use the Free Transform tool (default shortcut is E) in that case.

            S
            Sarah LarkAuthor
            New Participant
            June 22, 2020

            Unfortunately, it's not the zoom level. It makes no difference no matter how zoomed in or out I am.

             

            Thank you for the tip on the Free Transform tool! That works fine and is a great work around.

              N
              Nick AvalloneCorrect answer
              Inspiring
              January 26, 2021

              It looks like your question was never really answered, despite being marked as "Answered".

              I mistakenly hit COMMAND+SHIFT+B, and the scale/rotate handles stopped appearing when I selected shapes in my workspace. Hitting that combo again brought the handles back. Hopefully that relates to your issue!

                Monika Gause
                Monika Gause
                Community Expert
                June 20, 2020

                Does this happen with all shapes?

                Which version and system is it?

                Do you have any third party plugins installed?

                 

                Can you plase post a screenshot.

                S
                Sarah LarkAuthor
                New Participant
                June 22, 2020

                Sorry! I should have said originally, it's only an issue with simple shapes. Compound shapes are fine.
                I'm using version 24.2.
                I don't have any third-party plugins.

                I didn't initially post a screenshot because I can't screen shot the cursor, which defeats the whole point. See below.

                 

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