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Inspiring
January 12, 2025
Answered

Illustrator 2025 keeps crashing and won't open!

  • January 12, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 5344 views

OS is Windows 11. The software just freezes when I try opening any of my files. I uninstalled and reinstalled the software, restarted my PC, and removed all previous preferences. Nothing works! I have been facing this problem since Dec, when I updated Illustrator to the latest version. I am unable to get an earlier version of illustrator. The problem seems tobe because of the latest updates. Please help.

 

Correct answer preeta_4266

Thanks Bobby! Was able to download an earlier version of illustrator. 

4 replies

boomobile
Participant
November 3, 2025

I've been having this problem recently too. What I found (cross your fingers that this was the issue) by searching is that sometimes your prefrences (workspace) is in conflict, so It can't load up properly. What I did, was (after trying to launch it repeatedy and getting one goos launch). Before you open any document go up to the Workspace area and go to "manage workspace" delete all of them, then make a new workspace. This seemed to allow it to load and open files. I just found this fix today.....so we will see. Previous "fixes" that did not work for me: 1. uninstall and reinstall illustrator. 2. uninstall and reinstall Creative Cloud. 3. adjust Memory settings. 4. try to roll back to an earlier version - this worked temporarily, but when I uninstalled, I lost the earlier version. Hope this new fix holds, and hope you can get yours working again. It's such BS when the newest version is worse to work with than the older one.

Community Expert
November 3, 2025

If Illustator's preferences are gummed-up it's usually better and easier to simply reset the AI Prefs file. I don't have many custom work spaces, but I wouldn't like having to delete and re-build them.

Participant
July 8, 2025

Hola Preeta_4266, me pasa lo mismo y todavia sigo trabajando con illustrator 2019 por que me pasa lo mismo que a vos, pudiste hacer algun cambio?

Community Expert
January 12, 2025

You can install previous builds of Illustrator using the Creative Cloud desktop app. Click on the Apps tab. In the table of apps under "Essential in your plan" you should see a tile for Adobe Illustrator. Click on the three dots icon in the lower left corner of the tile. That will show a flyout menu with options. One of those options is "Other Versions." Choose that and it will show several previous builds of Illustrator.

 

Regarding the crashes, there can be other factors causing them. Make sure the driver for your computer's graphics card or integrated graphics chip is updated. Any periphreals, such as graphics tablets, can also cause Illustrator to crash if their drivers are faulty. Certain applications running in the background at the same time can also cause issues.

Anubhav M
Community Manager
Community Manager
January 13, 2025

Hello @preeta_4266,

I hope Bobby's suggestions to install an older version of Illustrator worked for you. If not, kindly check if Illustrator behaves this way with specific/new files or files from a specific folder so I can better assist you.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Anubhav

Inspiring
January 22, 2025

The issue is resolved now. I guess there was one Ai file which was really large, that's the one which was crashing. Any of my newer or smaller files are now working fine.

creative explorer
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 12, 2025

@preeta_4266  may I asked if you did a clean un-install of Adobe Illustrator did you use Adobe Cleaner, https://helpx.adobe.com/ca/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html — this may help to remove cleaning corrupt installation files.

Once that is done, go back and log-in to adobe.com, or better yet, og into the Desktop Creative Cloud, which will show you other versions. As you can see, I am updating my Illustrator!  

 

Hopefully, that works for you! 

m
Inspiring
January 22, 2025
  1. Thank you! I was able to install an older version. I did a complete clean-uninstallation of the software too. Not sure if that specifically resolved the issue but illustrator seems to work fine for me now.