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19

Illustrator application window moves behind everything when I try to move it (mac)

Community Beginner ,
May 28, 2023 May 28, 2023

It's a little difficult to explain this properly, but whenever I try to move the Illustrator program window to another part of my screen, it instantly moves behind every other program window I have open. Even if I just move it a teeny tiny bit...boom... now it's behind all the programs I have open. It is very annoying and I can't find a solution anywhere. I dropped in "before and after" screenshots if they help at all. You can see the "Pathfinder" toolbar is still in front of the Chrome window so it's definitely a weird glitch. The issue doesn't happen with any other Adobe program either. I have updated to the latest vesion of AI a few times and still no luck. I have a 2021 Macbook Pro. Anyone have a solution? Thank you.

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correct answers 3 Correct answers

New Here , Sep 21, 2023 Sep 21, 2023

I have had the same issue for weeks. In an attempt to solve it, I asked the internets and it led me here. Very frustrating stuff, as people have stated. I too tried some of the solutions here and nothing stuck. BUT... and I am crossing my fingers here, I switched workspaces to "layout" and so far everything is back in order. Been a couple hours now. Perhaps try this one... if it reverts back to our hated glitch I will report back.

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Explorer , Jan 27, 2025 Jan 27, 2025
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Participant , Apr 24, 2025 Apr 24, 2025

EVERYONE ON THIS THREAD. I see over 190 replies, but this is a community forum. I only see a handful of people taking advantage of the Bug Fix request posted at the top as the second correct answer by richardw. 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE add your comments to that bug fix - 

 

Ill paste it again here:

(from richardw59677702 )
Everyone – you can vote to have this bug fixed by Adobe here: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-desktop-bugs/suggestions/46772908-illustrator-window-moves-behind-all-other-windows

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correct answers 1 Pinned Reply

Adobe Employee , Jul 24, 2024 Jul 24, 2024

Hello @jeremyc83162335,

We understand that encountering technical issues can be frustrating. Would it be possible for you to have a debug session with us? If yes, please send me your Adobe ID, Country & Timezone, phone number with country code, and preferred dates and times between Mon- and Fri over a private message.
To send a private message, click my profile picture and use the ”Send a message” button.


Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Thanks,

Anubhav

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replies 205 Replies 205
Community Beginner ,
Feb 27, 2024 Feb 27, 2024

It's still happening! With every single update, you fail to fix this relentless bug that stops designers in their tracks. What are you guys doing over there? It's been roughly 8 months since this was first reported in this community. 

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Participant ,
Mar 19, 2024 Mar 19, 2024

I am still dealing with this issue and have for quite some time. I just never "Googled" the right phrase to find a discussion on this topic until now. 

 

 My issue is when selecting Illustrator's application "frame", it does not select the application, selecting the document within the frame does, but you need to select the "frame" to move it around the desktop

 I work on a 2019 MacBook Pro 2.3 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9 and M1 with the same OS  Version 14.3.1 (23D60) using a Wacom tablet. 

 

I've been experiencing multiple embarrassing issues with Adobe products as of late when sharing my screen during a production meetings and all of my other open windows keep poping up in front the a document I'm working on every time I touch/move the application on my desktop.

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Participant ,
Apr 05, 2024 Apr 05, 2024

Recent updates to the OS and Illustrator did NOT fix this issue.

Mac OS Sonoma Version 14.4.1 (23E224) which also did "something" to the Wacom center.

Illustrator 28.4.1 

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New Here ,
Jan 18, 2024 Jan 18, 2024

I'm a professional illustrator and it continually happens to me and is extremely frustrating! I expect better out of Adobe.

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New Here ,
Jan 18, 2024 Jan 18, 2024

This problem it's been for months Ron, sorry for you because seems you might use Illustrator quite often.

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Explorer ,
Jan 18, 2024 Jan 18, 2024

It's actually been well over a year. The answer labelled 'correct' is anything but so. It requires resetting your workspace so that all you custom, regularly used tools and menus are hidden, which is more of a pain and disruption than this ongoing fault. 

Does anyone know if Adobe are still actively working on it, let alone viewing this thread? 

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Participant ,
Jan 18, 2024 Jan 18, 2024

Im in the same boat as you andyp - although I did succumb and change my workspace. which worked for a bit, then it seems the problem now is sporadic. As a Graphic Designer who uses Adobe Illustrator, Indesign and Photoshop all at the same time on a daily basis - this is quite annoying. Luckily I have two screens so I can keep the overlap issues to a minumum. I have also rebuilt my workspace back to exactly how it was before and I will go days without having a problem - then all of  a sudden - the problem prairie-dogs its stupid head for me to deal with again. The frustration is real, my friend!

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Participant ,
Jan 18, 2024 Jan 18, 2024

I agree with you all, Adobe should fix this issue! At the same time I finally just bit the bullet and  redid my workspace, I just don't think this is the top of their priorities. The other thing I though about was, everytime either Ai or PS goes bad and I have to redue my Prefs, it's usually something to do with my workspace. I don't think they carry though from verion to version that well. Again an Adobe problem that we all suffer for.

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Explorer ,
Jan 18, 2024 Jan 18, 2024

It has been a LOOONG year issue for sure and I must say they are trying,  just don't understand why they can't find bad code by date of issue but I'm not a programmer. I have tried all the Beta's and other so called fixes and don't even want to count the lost billable hours BUT my go to now is; Double click the Adobe app bar at top to minimize the window to the dock then click the desktop and another program window and then go back to your Adobe app, because Photoshop and Illustrator both do it, and it works until you click another program window out of Adobe.  

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Participant ,
Jan 18, 2024 Jan 18, 2024

Knock on wood, I have not had happen again since I redid my workspace. I used the new Essentials as the starting  point for my new custom workspace in Ai.

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Explorer ,
Jan 18, 2024 Jan 18, 2024

Murphy's Law, right after i posted... now when I click on Photoshop from Illustrator it does it... even to the other Adobe  window makes it happen again. So that said if it's a backgraound to forground issue then I believe it's more of an IOS issue which means Apple probably is in a "not our problem it's yours" stance... Just saying

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Adobe Employee ,
Jan 25, 2024 Jan 25, 2024

FYI: This happens when you have a drawer open. If you close the drawer, this issue does not occur.

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New Here ,
Feb 06, 2024 Feb 06, 2024

Mine has now started in Photoshop too! It is so frustrating, and makes it hard to work. I just recently bought a new macbook pro, that is when this started happening. Adobe HELP!

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 08, 2024 Feb 08, 2024

This issue is incredibly frustrating because when you're in the middle of working, your window suddenly gets minimized behind all the other open windows. Despite several updates, this problem still persists. Adobe, could you please address this bug sometime soon? It would be insanely appreciated. 

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 12, 2024 Feb 12, 2024

How has this not been fixed?!

It's 02/12/24 and I'm still having this issue. We shouldn't need workarounds for this issue. We pay a lot of $$ for these apps. And have since 2000. C'mon.

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New Here ,
Feb 12, 2024 Feb 12, 2024

As a professional illustrator, I've been an Adobe user since the early 90s and I'm very frustrated with this as well. Are you really going to hold this over us with your monopoly of software that we depend on? Your attitude with this lingering problem is insulting and quite unprofessional. Pour some of the megabucks you rake in for our subscriptions and fix this immediately!

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 16, 2024 Feb 16, 2024

This is still an issue for me. But I found the cause of it (at least for me). I setup my workspace to have some of my panels open up as tabs (or whatever they're actually called). If I have a panel opened and try to move the Illustrator window then it  moves behind everything. But closing the panel before moving Illustrator will have no problem. I'm guessing it has to do with the way the App was developed to display those panels over everything. And instead of making it go above the  everything, it's set to push everything else back.

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Explorer ,
Feb 20, 2024 Feb 20, 2024

Akong, I found the same to work for me as well as a temporary fix and it's called Stage Dock, also figured out if you hold shift you can have the two windowos open at the same time to tranfer art like from AI to PS or InD. Still a pian in the butt to have to do it this way especially if you have a big Monitor and you like being able to click back and forth. I have also noticed a new glitch with the curser going from percise and back or from text to something back it gets stuck and you have to click out of the window or even close the page and open it back up... Crazy stuff going on.

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Explorer ,
Feb 20, 2024 Feb 20, 2024

Utter nightmare! Everytime I update Illustrator it happens ... I click on the top header bar and all other OS windows jump to the front. This is just not good enough from Adobe. I'm working on a 2019 iMac.

This is also happening on my newly updated Photoshop too.

Apple/Adobe sort it out!

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 27, 2024 Feb 27, 2024

This issue has now spread to the latest version of Photoshop as well!!

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Explorer ,
Feb 28, 2024 Feb 28, 2024
Yes agreed! I have exactly the same issue in new version of Photoshop.

All suggestions that have been made on this issue have been for me,
temporary fixes, that last no more than 10 mins!

There seems no permanent fix that I can see that stops the issue.
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Explorer ,
Feb 28, 2024 Feb 28, 2024

Hi, there is a little work around for it by using the new function in system settingd under something called Stage Dock. It docs all windows to the left side of your desk top. Easch window docs so you have open space then just hold shift and click on the extra windo you want open to work with Illustrator or Photoshop. to close the extra window just click hide or double click the top bar like usual. It's not favorable but works a little bit. Hope that eases some of the frustration for you all.

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New Here ,
Feb 28, 2024 Feb 28, 2024

Excuse me, but as a fellow sufferer of this hidden-window syndrome I wish to pipe in about another issue with these complaints. Spelling. Assuming you are in some sort of graphic design role or another type of artistic endeavor, can you please read what you wrote and check your spelling as it must reflect your work ethic? The problem is frustrating enough with this Adobe guffaw without trying to navigate poorly spelled commentaries. Fair enough?

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Participant ,
Feb 28, 2024 Feb 28, 2024

Dude, seriously. Who cares? He was trying to provide some assistance here. I understood what he meant even with some typos - did you not?. C'mon! I got an email notification because the spelling police showed up... on a community forum?? (rolls eyes).

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New Here ,
Feb 28, 2024 Feb 28, 2024

A dash after 'complaints' would be the correct form punctuation to create the emphasis you desired, not a full stop. So, '...as a fellow sufferer of this hidden-window syndrome I wish to pipe in about another issue with these complaints–spelling.'

 

Fair enough?

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