Illustrator doesn’t work on macOS 26

[_scaryhouse]

Today my computer updated to the latest version of macOS and Illustrator won’t open. I’ve already tried uninstalling and reinstalling the program several times, using the beta version, opening it with Rosetta, and nothing works.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @_scaryhouse,

Thank you for sharing the details. I'm currently checking this issue with our product team to understand if there are any compatibility concerns with Illustrator on macOS 26. I will update you as soon as I have more information.

Thank you for your patience.

Abhishek

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @_scaryhouse,

Thanks for your patience. From your screenshot, it seems Illustrator launches, but the home screen doesn't appear. Could you check if the top menu (File, Edit, Illustrator, etc.) is responsive? Also, please confirm your system locale and the Default Install Language in the Creative Cloud Desktop app. On your Mac, go to Apple menu > System Settings > General > Language & Region to see the system locale, and in Creative Cloud, check Profile icon > Preferences > Apps > Default Install Language. Moreover, please confirm if you see this with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications like InDesign, Photoshop, etc, as well. Moreover, test the issue after resetting Illustrator Preferences manually. Refer the article: https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/setting-preferences.html

Additionally, try launching Illustrator in Safe Mode to see if the issue persists: https://adobe.ly/42zMskO

Let us know what you find so we can investigate further.

Abhishek

[Zubair5C97]

Hi @Abhishek Rao. I'd like to know if it's safe to update to Mac OS 26? Will most of the common apps (Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects) work just fine?

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Zubair5C97,

Thanks for your query. Regarding Illustrator, I've tested it on my end with macOS 26, and it works fine. The issues being reported seem to be case-specific, and in those situations we’ll need to troubleshoot one by one. If you update and notice Illustrator not launching, I'd suggest starting by testing in Safe Mode to rule out any third-party app interference. Ref:

https://adobe.ly/41V3MAA

For Photoshop and After Effects, I'll be checking with the respective team representatives and will update you. In the meantime, I'd also recommend creating a post with your query in the Photoshop and After Effects communities here: https://adobe.ly/41VJQO4 and https://adobe.ly/3K2WvIZ.

Looking forward to hearing how it goes.

Abhishek

[Monika Gause]

Hi @Abhishek Rao. I'd like to know if it's safe to update to Mac OS 26? Will most of the common apps (Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects) work just fine?

By @Zubair5C97

Just watch this page: https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/apps/system-requirements/apps-compatible-macos.html

If the system is not listed there, it's obviously not safe to update. 

Apparently Apple's new toy is working for some people and not working for a lot of others.

[Anubhav M]

Hello everyone,

Would you mind trying to manually reset Illustrator's preferences and checking if it helps:

For macOS

• Close all Adobe applications.

• Go to the following locations

• ~/Library/Caches

• ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe

• ~/Library/Preferences

• Rename Adobe Illustrator, com.adobe.illustrator and Adobe Illustrator 29 Settings folders to Adobe Illustrator.old, com.adobe.illustrator.old and Adobe Illustrator 29 Settings.old

• Launch Illustrator from the Creative Cloud.

Note: Location starting with this "~" sign indicates the User Library, which is hidden. So, you need to copy & paste the exact path in Spotlight search or from Finder Menu > Go > Go to Folder > Paste the location in the dialog box like this:

Disclaimer: Please note that renaming preferences folders will remove all the custom settings, and Illustrator will launch with default settings. You can also save a backup of the folders, the location of which is mentioned above.


Also, try the following steps and share your observations:

- Close all Adobe applications.

- Rename the UXP folder to UXP.old from the following location:

(macOS) Navigate to Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Adobe/UXP

- Relaunch Illustrator

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[Zubair5C97]

@Monika Gause My computer automatically updated to MacOS 26. So far, everything seems to be running smoothly. In some instances, such as saving Illustrator files, it feels slightly quicker than before.

[Alessandra239563090p3x]

I have the same problem.
After the new update of MacOs, Illustrator doesn't work anymore.

[Alessandra239563090p3x]

After the new update of MacOs, Illustrator doesn't work anymore.

[luan.veiga]

I'm having the same issue. 

[Kindhearted_interest15A8]

I am having the same issue. Illustrator just sits on the blank gray screenw/ the beachball spinning. Ultimately have to Force Quit from the doc. However; Photoshop opend and worked just fine.

[Kindhearted_interest15A8 · Accepted solution]

YES! The Wacom driver update fixed it. 
Thank you to everyone who offered helpful advise. I appreciate you. 🤙🏻

[Monika Gause]

As someone wrote in another thread:

Do you have a Wacom installed? Its driver is not compatible with Tahoe: https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator-discussions/illustrator-stuck-at-not-responding-for-sever... 

[luan.veiga]

I turned the driver off and in the same time Illustrator started to work fine. The driver isn't work indeed.

[leighr]

Good news, Wacom just released a new driver compatible with Tahoe...
 https://www.wacom.com/en-us/support/product-support/drivers

[hgandrade21]

After updating my system to macOS 26, Adobe Illustrator has stopped working properly. The app either fails to launch. I’ve already tried reinstalling, clearing caches, but the issue persists.

[hgandrade21 · Accepted solution]

Following the Wacom software update, Adobe Illustrator is functioning correctly.”

[oğulcan5E58]

Hi,

After upgrading to macOS 26 (Tahoe), Adobe Illustrator (v29.1) now regularly freezes on launch. The app becomes “Not Responding” for 10-15 minutes (sometimes more), and only then opens. I’ve tested this on a MacBook M-series (32GB RAM), and the issue persists even after resetting preferences and reinstalling the app.

There was no such delay before updating macOS. Illustrator was launching instantly under macOS 18 (

(Sequoia)

. I suspect this is related to a compatibility or memory handling issue specific to Tahoe.

Please let me know if this is a known issue, or if a fix is planned. Thanks.

[Monika Gause]

For the last 20 years it hasn't been a good idea to upgrade MacOS immediately after release. 

Some users are running Tahoe without any problems apparently, some not at all. Sequoia needed a couple of fixes to address its several initial bugs. And the same goes for each MacOS before it.

If Illustrator is not working for you, then probably the best idea is to downgrade the system and wait some months.

[Anna ?mejkalov� · Accepted solution]

Hey @oğulcan5E58 🙂 I've been dealing with the exactly same issue yesterday, it seemed hopeless. Spent many hours chatting with Adobe --> Try to uninstall and reinstall Illustrator from the Creative Cloud app, choose to forget your preferences. And, most importantly, check your mac setting - apps launching on start and running on background automatically. In my case, it was incompatible Wacom tablet driver running (not ready for Tahoe) on background causing Illustrator to crash. I disabled it, removed and the issue, luckily, dissapeared (Illustrator launched smoothly, runs fine).

So, try to disable all your apps launching on start and running on background, then start enabling them back, one by one, to discover if some of them is the Illustrator freeze culprit. (This is an advice suggested by Adobe, it saved me). Hope it works for you as well, let me know! 🤞🏻😊

[leighr]

Good news, Wacom just released a new driver compatible with Tahoe...
 https://www.wacom.com/en-us/support/product-support/drivers

[Anna ?mejkalov�]

Yes, yes! I found out a few hours ago, everything runs amazingly. Thanks 😊

[Kromswell]

I have the same problem!!!!! ! I don't know what to do, the best recommendation is to download a previous version !
 😞 

[Saygın Mehmet]

I have the same problem type tool is not working proparly. I type inside it and it doesnt type.