Illustration Rotate Transform Handle Missing

[Sarah Lark]

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!

[Monika Gause]

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.

[Sarah Lark]

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.

[Kurt Gold · Accepted solution]

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.

[Sarah Lark]

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.

[Nick Avallone · Accepted solution]

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!

[Stevano Ongko]

This is the only solution that works! Thank you so much Nick!

[ninaleth]

I love you - thank you..

[The Color Red LLC]

Thank you Nick!

[Qzzzzzzzzzzzz]

that worked - thank you!!!!

[blueocarina]

3yrs later, you're still saving people's sanity. Perfect.

[HalfPint33]

THANK YOU!!!!!!

[Phillip George]

This is it! Thank you for posting this!

[Gairo5C05]

 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!

[Brulu]

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

[edwinm32051433]

Doing Ctrl+G on the shaped helped me 

[keithasims]

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

[Kelly28860142ukio]

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. 

[totaison2]

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...

[dalface]

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]

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

[sueh77503171]

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!

[Anubhav M]

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