Illustrator 2020 Can't finish preview

[laraeh]

Hello all. I have a Macbook and a desktop Mac. When trying to apply a gradient, my file suddenly turned to outline mode. When I try to change it back, it says "Can't Finish Preview". I've tried opening the file on both of my computers to no avail. I've also restarted Ilustrator and my computers. This is for work so the sooner this is solved, the better.

[laraeh]

I've also tried resetting my preferences, which also has not helped. 

[Doug A Roberts]

Is this a single specific file, or all files?

[laraeh]

Just this one file!

[Doug A Roberts]

What kind of object is it?

Does it work if you copy the object to a new file?

[laraeh]

It's a social media calendar for a client. I was adding a gradient over an image to make the text more readable. I tried copying my work to a new file and am still having the same issue. I've attached a screenshot!

[laraeh · Accepted solution]

It seems like the issue was the gradient itself. I deleted the last few posts I was working on and now I'm able to see everything else. So the underlying issue still isn't solved but I may have found a workaround that'll do for now. I hope Adobe fixes this problem soon! I came across many others who are having this issue without any solutions. Thanks for your help, Doug_A_Roberts!

[Leif Robertson Fifer]

Same problem here and I am not so sure this is corect (despite the fact its showing as the answer but not for me) because I am NOT using blends or the gradient tool and im locked in Preview. I am on macbook pro with Catalina but illustrator on main monitor stuck in preview mode.. I click back in Illustrator (all typical mac issues and im locked out of mu file)..Im thinking of just force quitting as I have it in the cloud..... I hope it saved though!

[Doug A Roberts]

What object are you applying the gradient to?

[laraeh]

It's a rectangle shape that I'm putting over an image!

[bartm58950308]

same problem. i am running 24.1.3 on OS Mojave 10.14.6 - complex file with DCS images can not render preview. switches to outline 😞

[1621631]

Same problem here. I have a Macbook pro 2019 (almost exactly 1 year old) running Catalina. Got the "Can't Finish Preview" when trying to add a stroke to text outlines. I use illustrator every day and haven't had this problem before, and the operation I was trying to do is relatively simple. No other programs are open on my computer. Recently upgraded to newest illustrator 2020 version.

[Monika Gause]

So your issue is not with gradients?

Please create a new thread.

[rubaalramlawi]

Hi Laraeh, Has your problem been solved? Please provide me with the method if you skip it. and Thank you.

[laraeh]

I found that finding and deleting the problem shape, normally whatever I was working on when I got the error message, got rid of the problem

[Glen Charles Rowell]

This memory problem needs to be fixed. Illustrator 25.1 gets a message when doing simple stuff as well. I have a computer with 32GB of memory and an NVidia 3090 graphics card. Why does Illustrator say it is running out of memory? I even set the scratch disk to an M.2 NVMe drive (512GB 3500 read speed) without anything else on it. The start up screen has rounded edges with transparency but it turns white when starting up as well. The rounded bits. Please do something Adobe.

[Glen Charles Rowell]

Another shot but black.

[Monika Gause]

Please embed images in posts, don't attach them, thank you.

Also: exactly what kind of artwork is it? Does it also happen with a very simple file?