Illustrator Crashing Constantly

[KB Creative]

Illustrator crashes every time I open it (first screenshot) - or if I get it open - try opening a file (second screenshot). I've tried EVERYTHING on the crash issues (https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/fix-crash-on-launch-issues.html?linkId=100000347817406) page. NOTHING works. I'm having this problem on both my Mac laptop and desktop. I'm on the most recent version - 29.3.1.

[Monika Gause]

Do you have any third party plugins installed?

Font management?

Are the files on your hard drive? If not, try opening from there.

Do you have a printer? ANd if so: is it set up corectly and turned on? Illustrator saves information about the printer in the file. If it can't find the printer while opening the file, it might act up.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @KB Creative,

I hope Monika's suggestions helped resolve the problem. If not, try running Illustrator under Safe Mode (macOS) and checking if it helps? Also, try running Illustrator under a different administrator account (macOS) and share your observations.

If the problem persists, kindly submit the crash report using your Adobe email address and share it here for quick tracking. Steps are shared here: (https://adobe.ly/3FFluj2).

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[Eliana_Ami825]

I'm having this same issue and nothing is working to fix it. I'm out of options & so frustrated. I've uninstalled & reinstalled multiple times and I've sent multiple crash reports. I can't get anything done & I'm so frustrated.

[Monika Gause]

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@Eliana_Ami825  schrieb:

I'm having this same issue and nothing is working to fix it. I'm out of options & so frustrated. I've uninstalled & reinstalled multiple times and I've sent multiple crash reports. I can't get anything done & I'm so frustrated.

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Please tell us your hardware and software specifications. file sizes and the kind of thing you do when it crashes.

[Eliana_Ami825]

I recently updated to macOS Sequoia 15.3.2 and Illustrator 29.3.1.

I cannot even open any files. When I try to open Illustrator itself, after the initializing screen disappears & the app screen shows up, the app crashes. Sometimes it's an immediate crash and other times, my Cloud files will show up but as soon as I click anywhere within the program, it crashes. When it crashes, it asks me to reopen, report, or ignore and I've done all 3 but it just keeps happening.

[Eliana_Ami825]

I even tried to install a 2024 version & that won't run either.

[Anshul_Saini]

Hi @Eliana_Ami825,

I’m really sorry to hear about the frustration this has caused you. I understand how difficult it must be when nothing seems to work.

We’ve located your crash report on our end and will escalate this to the product team for investigation. To help us further, could you please share a short screen recording showing the crash in action and the steps that led to it? Even if it’s just launching the app and crashing immediately, this will be helpful for the team.

I truly appreciate your patience. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best,

Anshul

[Monika Gause]

What kind of hardware is it?

Can you post the specifications?

Does it also crash when you boot into Safe Mode?

[Eliana_Ami825]

It crashes in Safe Mode, yes.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Eliana_Ami825,

Thanks for sharing the details. The team is still investigating this, and I will update this thread as I have more info.

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

Anubhav

[Eliana_Ami825]

It's been almost 2 months since I last asked for help & after I did, I downgraded to a 2024 version which somehow worked. I didn't close the app or restart my Macbook since then. Unfortunately, I eventually did have to restart the computer 3 days ago when all of my Adobe apps stopped responding and since then, I'm back to this issue. Illustrator opens but the second I move the cursor, it crashes.

I got a pop up that there was a recovered file that was trying to open so I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it. (It did freeze while an unsaved file was open.)  But of course, it crashed immediately after I tried to click on this notification and I haven't seen it again when trying to run the app.

I have projects with deadlines that I need to meet this week. I'm getting more and more upset that the expensive programs I spend money on keep doing this to me. Nothing is working and I have no idea how to fix this now. At this point, do I need to get a whole new computer and hope for the best?

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Eliana_Ami825,

Sorry for the delayed response. Could you try the following steps to check if they help:

> Navigate to your Applications folder.
> Right-click on the Adobe Illustrator application and choose the option for Show Package Contents
> Go to the following folder location: Support Files\Required\UXP\extensions
> Move the folders listed under extensions one at a time to the Desktop folder and then relaunch Illustrator

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[demonstrable]

Illustrator is constantly crashing for me, too! Using (or trying to use) the latest version, but I'm lucky to be able to get 10 minutes work done, before it crashes.

Would it be possible to have a version of Illustrator that JUST does the BASICS of drawing. NO plug-ins; NO bells and whistles; NO use of AI — just Illustrator á la, say, 1996?

Basically, a functional version of Illustrator for the non-geek / coder, that just gets the job done. 

Illustrator is now like a Christmas tree loaded down with too many decorations. It's basic functionality is SO overloaded with unneeded features piled on by coders to justify subscription price rises. And which cause untold problems, glitches and crashes that now waste SO much of my time.

Adobe, can you not allow users to open Illustrator in 'simple' or 'basic' mode — so that it is just functional as a drawing tool? It is just so depressing how bloated and plain BAD Illustrator has become.

[Monika Gause]

If you want help in this forum it would be useful if you could share your system and hardware setup and also what you already tried to address this problem.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @demonstrable,

I'm really sorry to hear about the issues you’re facing with Illustrator constantly crashing. I understand how frustrating this can be.

Could you kindly confirm the version of Illustrator you're using and the details of your operating system? Also, does this issue happen with all files or just specific ones?

I couldn't locate any crash reports under your community email address. Could you please submit the crash report via the Adobe crash reporter dialog box and share your email address via DM in the community? This way, I can check the logs and escalate the issue for further investigation. Reference: Crash Next Steps.

In the meantime, I'd recommend trying the troubleshooting steps mentioned in this article: Fix Illustrator Crash on Launch.

Looking forward to your response.

Abhishek

[demonstrable]

Using the latest version of Illustrator for Mac (version 29.5.1).

But I was posting not for a tech fix. I am just looking for a functional, stripped-down, uncomplicated, simplified version of Illustrator — akin to their product in 1996.

This is a genuine product that Adobe should produce and offer to professional users like me that simply do not have the time or inclination to bug-fix Adobe's unfinished and compromised Illustrator software, and constantly re-start or re-install their bugware.

[Monika Gause]

Illustrator is a pretty stable app for most people.

And if the current version crashes often on your computer, then a stripped down version probably will as well. 

So probably you would want to get in contact with the team.

[demonstrable]

Thanks for the reply. I couldn’t help but notice the heavy reliance on “probably” in your response — which, ironically, probably illustrates the issue I’m raising.

There seems to be a broader cultural tendency in software development (particularly among large, mature products) toward inaction by default. Instead of seeing persistent crashes as a trigger for serious reflection or innovation — say, exploring a lightweight, stable version of Illustrator that prioritises reliability over features — the response is to imply that nothing would really help, probably.

But this is exactly where the opportunity lies. Not everyone needs or wants the full feature set; many of us would gladly trade features for rock-solid stability, especially for specific workflows or constrained systems. A stripped-down version wouldn’t just be about reducing crashes — it could serve as a platform for rethinking user experience, performance, and long-term maintainability.

So perhaps, rather than assuming probably not, we could entertain the possibility that probably yes — and that doing so might actually lead to a better product for a broader range of users.

Just a thought...

d.

[Monika Gause]

Well, there is one thing I can tell you for sure:

You will miss a lot of things in a 1996 version of Illustrator.

There is a browser based version that has more functionality than that.

[demonstrable]

Probably.

[Abhishek Rao]

Thanks for the update, @demonstrable.

I completely understand your point, and it's a valid suggestion. A simplified version of Illustrator focused just on core drawing tools would definitely be helpful for many users.

As Monika mentioned, Illustrator is generally stable for most, but I agree that having an option for a lightweight version could benefit professionals looking for a more streamlined experience.

I've shared your feedback with the product team. Meanwhile, I'd also recommend posting it here so the team and other experts and the team can weigh in: Adobe Illustrator Community

Doing this will help us prioritize the request, and you'll be notified of any updates.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do.

Abhishek