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.

[ssmith194]

Seems like it's working right when I create a brand new document if it's the only one open in Ai but if I have another doc open already and create a new one, the copy/cut issue is present. Hope this helps. I know you all are working hard on a fix, just wanted to relay what I have seen on my end to help with your investigation.

[Kylee38557325k8af]

Hi, this issue needs to be taken as a top priority. Our working files are essentially useless, and it has been over 10 days. It is a major technical problem, and should have been solved days ago. We have tried your solutions, and they do not work. Alt-drag is a very temporary fix for a much larger problem

[louise_1151]

I did the Wondows update and it now works - see screenshot of the update

[Wei5DAA]

Me and collegue have experience the same issue. I have tried the lastest 3 versions, uninstall and installed; and still having the crash

[Wei5DAA]

The proplem has been an week since the last Tuesday automatic update august 4

[keiths55952771]

I would suggest that you save your WORKSPACE. Everytime it crashes and I go back in, I had to set up my WORKSPACE. Since I have saved it now, I just have to pick it and it restores it. 

Adobe.....stop wasting money on your cute little phone apps and work on the real work horses of Adobe....Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign (by the way ISN'T having the same issue).

[Harmonious_guide5540]

I am still having severe issues with Illustrator crashing constantly... copying and pasting and just using it! Please help!

[jason_3465]

Same issue here. Windows 11 24H2 with Illustrator 29.7.1 (64-bit)

1. Does Illustrator behave this way when working with new files as well?: New files with single vector crash after ctrl-c/ctrl-p.
2. Is this problem replicable when saving the file as a Cloud Document?: Cloud or local, new or old they all crash after ctrl-c/ctrl-p. Using the Illustrator Web application does not crash.
3. As a temporary workaround, try using Alt-Drag while keeping the documents open in tiled/windowed mode, and let us know if it works.: This works but I expect ctrl-c/ctrl-p to not crash an entire application. 

Windows Event Viewer shows an Error in the Application logs, I've attached the Error and a subsiquent event. The Windows file implicated is ole32.dll. ole32.dll is a core Windows file enabling copy/paste document/data transfer.

[jason_3465]

Here's a video of the crash Windows 11 24H2 with Illustrator 29.7.1 (64-bit) using a new file and existing Cloud-saved file:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a_xgTSXhe_hjSg9W8Wa1yTs9NPgSkZty/view?usp=drive_link

[KristyGange]

OMG - I tried to copy and paste an object in Illustrator 2024 & 2025.
Windows 11 PC and as soon as I hit Ctrl C - Illustrator freezes and then crashes. 

It was working perfectly until today.
I had InDesign open at the same time. I'm not sure if that matters... 
I just updated software but same freezing issue in both 2024 & 2025.

>>>>> I CAN'T WORK! 

[Myra D]

I have revised artwork that is on another layer and I need paste to Front (ctrl+F) so I can update my artwork and that part is all on one layer. It keeps crashing after ctrl+C . I'm on PC/Windows too. 

My work around was to open it on my iPad in Illustrator and copy + paste worked in the iPad version. I'm not as fluent on the iPad but it's better than constantly crashing or now I got over one hurdle. It will open in desktop with newly pasted vector artwork. 

Please fix! This is hurting my productivity!

[KristyGange]

Everything is broken! 
Sucks beyond sucking... No Copy and paste in Illustrator. LOL.
Doesn't work in any version avaible to me.

28.1 is the earliest I could try, and crash. 
Totally throwing my day into the ditch.

[cathy_6954]

My go-around for that is to open a blank file and drag and drop what I want to copy onto the blank canvas, then I navigate back to my original file and select the layer I want the copied material to appear on. I then drag from the new canvas back into my file.  It doesn't paste-in-place so you still have to manually manipulate where you want it.

[ZSS-S]

ALT+Drag to duplicate is a copy/paste work around.

If you're looking to copy an element from one layer to another there's an easy way to do that:

Select the element that needs to move to a new layer-->select the destination layer in the layers panel-->Right-click the element that needs to move-->go to Arrange and click Send to Current Layer.

You can do this with any element. And then if you need to bring things to the Front or Back you have multiple hotkey combos located in that Arrange menu you jussted used.

[Paul34707978fpvu]

Possible work around for yous guys...
I've been able to select elements in an un-docked file and drag them over to my working file without crashing. No alt, no nothin' but draggin'. Has this worked/not worked for those who've tried? I'm using 29.7.1 on Enterprise 11 - 24H2 on a Dell.

[RejPL]

Quickly checked if the issue still persists before turning in for the night. Sadly it does, same as before.

To add, I am grateful for all the people trying to come up with temporary fixes, but to be completely honest I fully believe we should not be asked to work around major issues or disable basic Windows functions with such expensive software. The way we work (copy stuff, to be exact) is not the issue here.

To quickly wish a good night to every tormented graphic designer out there, a quick meme I made. 

[J Kromer]

Something that might or might not be related. I have Windows Enterprise 23.2 and AI 29.7.1

My work involves transfering data from an original source into Microsoft Excel and after copying the data in the right format, I then copy and transfer it to an AI document.

About a week ago, I started having problems when I would copy information in Excel where I would get a message that it failed to copy into clipboard because another program was using it. Copying around in excel was fine but I could not copy the data from Excel to AI. Rebooting Excel fixes this.

I am wondering if this is tied the the AI crash problem because I started getting the crash a few days after that.

[J Kromer]

I replied wrong. Can I delete?

[OGD_RON]

❤️

[tnbruno31]

I am having the same issue that started today. I am unable to do my job effectively. This is very frustrating

[Tammy36396774vuxv]

I'm having this exact same issue.

[Drewt...]

There is another response from Adobe on Illustrator Uservoice:
https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-desktop-bugs/suggestions/50302284-illust...

For what it's worth (possibly nothing) cast a vote and it may get more attention.

[belinda_6897]

This would be useful to vote upon but it's not letting me vote until I create an account and that seems to be stuck in a loop of confirming my email address, presumably the votes would be much higher if people could actually log onto it 😄

[Norberto5F94]

Try saving to EPS ; close the file ; open and close the file 2x to achieve working file with no crashing. Hope its helps till the issue is not fixed!

[kim_1619]

I am having the 'crashing-problem' in my windows workspace for about 10 days now and the only work-around (other than do my design work on a seperate mac-laptop) is to save my .AI or .PDF-files as .EPS, close Illustrator, start it agian and only open the .EPS. Work in it and save it as .AI or PDF only at the end when finished. If I keep a .AI or .PDF open in Illustrator next to the open EPS, the trick does not work. 

This is workable for me as I don't create very big files, but it is a work-around and every work-around takes extra time.