Illustrator Crashes When Copying - Illustrator 29.6.1 / Win 11

[Boon23853857gxj4]

I’m experiencing an issue with Adobe Illustrator where I cannot copy anything. Both Ctrl+C and right-click > Copy cause the software to crash immediately. This has been happening repeatedly throughout the day.

Could you please advise on the cause and any possible solution? It’s really frustrating that Illustrator can’t handle such a basic function like copying without crashing.

[Mystical_artist1591]

You actually got it right. That is the key to the story. The workaround is to uncheck the feature that is mentioned in that post....   "Paste Remembers Layers".  

[efficient_captain1991]

Hey everyone,

I’m having a really frustrating issue with Illustrator lately. Every time I try to copy anything from my artwork, the app completely freezes and then crashes. It’s happening every single time, and I honestly can’t get any work done because of it.

I’ve tried restarting Illustrator, resetting preferences, and even reinstalling it, but nothing seems to help. I’m on Windown 11 (23H2), using Illustrator (version 29.7) , and this started happening out of nowhere.

Is anyone else facing this? Any ideas on how to fix it? I’m stuck and would really appreciate any help.

Thanks in advance!

[Monika Gause]

Can you check out what's been poasted here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator-discussions/paste-option-not-active-when-i-cut-an-item/m-... 

[efficient_captain1991]

Yes i have tried that too.. Cleared clipboard on illustrator aswell as windows!

[efficient_captain1991]

I’ve searched all over the forums and seen peoples reporting the same issue, but there’s no clear solution anywhere.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @efficient_captain1991,

Thanks for reaching out and sharing the details. Sorry to hear that Illustrator is crashing when copying to the clipboard.

To start with, can you confirm if this happens with all files or just specific ones? Try creating a new document and copy a simple object like a rectangle to see if the issue still occurs.

Also, check if there's any third-party clipboard manager, antivirus software, or background service that might be interfering. You can isolate all such third-party tools by starting your system in Safe Mode and testing Illustrator there. Reference: Microsoft guide

Additionally, if you see the Adobe crash reporter dialog when Illustrator crashes, please submit the report and send me a direct message with your email address, so I can locate the logs and investigate further. Reference: Crash next steps

Let me know how it goes after trying this. If the crash only happens with certain artwork or actions, feel free to share those details too.

Looking forward to your update,
Abhishek

[efficient_captain1991]

Thanks @Abhishek Rao I have submitted the crash report, which contains my email address. The issue occurs with every file, whether it is an existing file or a new file with simple shapes.

[John23873686q4wy]

Providing more information - I have worked with setting on multi-clipboard, I've reverted back to V28 of Illustrator. It's an issue on new and existing files. I'm on Win 11. The only way to stop the problem that I've found is to boot the computer in safe mode. I am not using any extensions or plug ins.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @efficient_captain1991,

Our product team is aware of the problem and is investigating it. I will update this thread as I have more information. In the meantime, kindly try installing an earlier version of Illustrator (https://adobe.ly/4lYBld2) and let us know if it helps.

Feel free to reach out if you have more questions or need assistance. We'd be happy to help.

Anubhav

[John23873686q4wy]

Mentioned below, but this is a dense thread 🙂
I've downgraded to 28.0 and still having the issue. Just started a new, simple black and white file with only a few text boxes, issue continues.
Thanks for prioritizing.

[Boon23853857gxj4]

May I follow up on this issue? I’ve now had to switch to another tool which is not convenient, in order to keep my work going. It has been three days since I reported the problem, and the issue is still occurring.

I have already tried downgrading Illustrator, but the crash still happens whenever I copy anything.

Please advise if there’s an urgent fix or workaround available, as this is blocking my workflow. Thank you.

[Monika Gause]

Do you have any tool or system setting that "enhances" the clipboard?

[efficient_captain1991]

I'm experiencing the same issue, even after trying with a downgraded version. The problem still persists. I'm currently in a production environment.

[efficient_captain1991]

@Anubhav M @Abhishek Rao I'm currently facing this issue in a production environment, which is causing delays and impacting both my workflow and professional reputation. I hope you understand the urgency of the situation and request your prompt assistance.

[Manohar5F8D]

saving the file as a cloud document temporarily fixed this issue for me. however this is happening to me suddenly, I have not installed anything nor changed any settings.

[Mystical_artist1591]

The workaround is to uncheck this feature "Paste Remembers Layers".  So please open an illustrator document, go to the Layers section on the right, click on the hamburger.  Uncheck the feature, test copy/paste

[Jennifer37689919ibsx]

I can't copy even the simplest of layers without an immediate crash and it's getting a little insane at this point. Is there any other way to duplicate layers from one illustrator file to another? My workflow is completely stalled and I keep losing progress every time I instinctually "copy."

[Hannah28417173g6qs]

I am having the same issue! I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling various versions of illustrator and it still crashes when I try and copy anything. I am not able to run in safe mode due to IT restrictions on my laptop. Looking forward to hearing if there is a fix for this as it's preventing me from doing some time-critical work.

[belinda_6897]

As of Monday 4th August, I am also having this issue. Fairly simple copy requests are causing Illustrator to freeze and crash. I've tried updating to the latest version 29.7 but the problem persists. My colleague is not having this issue despite using the same piece of software.

[Scott_Chegg]

This same issue started with me - and a colleague working remotely - on Friday 1st Aug. We've tried uninstalling and reinstalling; removing preferences; opening in safe mode etc etc with no success.
Only the two us in the studio seem to be having this issue.

[belinda_6897]

Yes i've tried the same, with our IT team also uninstalling/reinstalling creative cloud and the illustrator app, nothing seems to work at all 😞

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for continuing to share your details and updates. Our product team is actively investigating this issue, and I wanted to share the latest update from them.

The reports of Illustrator crashing when copying started coming in very recently, and we've seen it affect users on 29.6.1, 29.7, and even 28.0 in some cases. This suggests that the problem may not be limited to a single version of Illustrator.

The team is currently exploring whether any third‑party apps, like clipboard utilities or window management tools (for example, Magnet), or a recent OS update could be contributing to this sudden behavior.

To help us narrow this down, could you please confirm:

1. The exact Windows version and build number you are using.

2. Any third‑party apps or services related to clipboard or window management running on your machine. You can isolate this by testing the issue in Safe mode.

Your responses will help the team identify the cause faster. We'll keep this thread updated as we learn more.

Thank you for your patience, and looking forward to your replies.

Abhishek 

[John23873686q4wy]

Safe mode does solve the issue for me.
I have no clipboard utitilites or managers installed.

On:
Edition Windows 11 Enterprise
Version 22H2
Installed on ‎11/‎16/‎2023
OS build 22621.5760
Serial number 0F01D8H22253CX
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22700.1106.0

[John23873686q4wy]

I have a different computer and it's not having the issue:

Edition Windows 11 Enterprise
Version 24H2
Installed on ‎9/‎24/‎2024
OS build 26100.4652
Serial number 0F03SGW22343BF
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.128.0

[Hannah28417173g6qs]

Hi Abhishek,

Thank you for looking into this. Here are some details:

1. Windows 11 Enterprise 23H2 - installed August 2024. OS build 22631.5624

2. I have the Microsoft Snipping Tool installed but no other 3rd party clipboard or window management apps or services running

Let me know if you need any further information.