Illustrator Mac 2024 freezes on launch, won't start

[tunghoy]

It was running fine, then randomly stopped launching. When I try, it gets to the point of checking and initializing, then freezes. Always a different item that it's initializing when it freezes. What I have tried:

• Uninstalled from CC desktop and from Finder, reinstalled over and over and over.
• Used the Cleanup tool to remove Illustrator and CC desktop
• Deleted font cache using Terminal
• No 3rd party plugins or anything else to remove, no scripts to launch
• Removed Illustrator caches
• Removed beta version
• Rebooted several times

System info:

• M2 with 16 gb
• Sonoma 14.4.1
• System Monitor shows 9 gb free before trying to launch
• Monitor shows 12 gb used when launch attempt is in progress
• 95 gb disk available, trash is empty, iCloud is nearly full
• Other CC apps are installed but not running

Searching here shows this has been an issue for years. Any suggestions before I give up and start using something else?

[Nomad Charlie]

yeap! it works! thanks a lot!

[Clinton296419578pm0]

This worked. I uninstalled the BETA version of Media Encoder and Premiere then Illustrator worked again. I was starting to feel hopeless after clearing the cache, resetting the preferences, uninstalling and re installing Illustrator and updating my macbook. The only thing that did the trick was uninstalling BETA apps. Thanks!

[Fraeypro]

Also worked for me, thanks! I was already having panic attacks 😅

[CADOBE]

Having the exact same issue.  I searched the internet and found out that some people have had success with uninstalling everything, adobe cleaner after, etc.  And then creating a new profile and that seems to solve the issue.  Apparently, the personal settings along with the latest Adobe updates have caused many issues.  Would be nice for Adobe to just let us know.  I am late on projects because of this.

[Anubhav M · Accepted solution]

Hello everyone,

We have received several reports of apps crashing or becoming unresponsive after launch, particularly following the release of version 28.6. Unlike generic crashes, this issue specifically causes all Adobe apps to get stuck at the splash screen or enter a “not responding” state, preventing them from launching. The problem has been traced to certain Beta Adobe applications related to video composition and editing. We recommend updating all Beta and released versions of video-specific Adobe applications on your system, including Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Media Encoder. After updating, please relaunch Illustrator to see if this resolves the issue.

We suggest trying the solutions listed in this help article (https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/fix-crash-on-launch-issues.html) for other generic cases. We appreciate your patience and are here to assist if you need further help. Please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions or need assistance.

Thanks,
Anubhav

[cyrusv45541258]

this works - but it's ridiculous we all need to do this. 

[jan@tombolacph.dk]

I totally agree - this wasted a full day of work for me - this is a sad story

[reginad49576340]

I'm having the same issue. I've installed and uninstalled Illustrator but it's still not working.

[Danicali-99]

I wasted a whole day trying to figure this out I almost bought a new computer 

[Ernesto38576003u632]

Since yesterday, the whole Adobe suite suddenly froze, I can't start it, first it was Illustrator, then InDesign and Photoshop, I can't use the tools.
I have already restarted, uninstalled and reinstalled and nothing works.
I'm really desperate, all my work is here.

[Monika Gause]

Do you have any Adobe beta apps installed? If so try and uninstall them.

Did you use the Adobe Cleaner tool inbetween uninstalling and reinstalling?

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html 

[NickSaltamachia]

Is this a joke? It's one thing to charge as much as you do, and use our creative work for your own purposes...but now you're telling us that the overpriced platform where our work is your work is [abuse removed by moderator] the bed in the most impressive of ways, by your own doing, and WE have to put on our engineer pants to fix the problem ourselves?

[GGSolutions]

Thank you this worked but ONLY after uninstalling and cleaning ALL my creative cloud apps, including the creative cloud desktop. Lost all morning with this! Uninstalling and cleaning illustrator was not enough. ugh!

[rahul_7275]

does'nt work at all for me, i'm still facing the same issue even after following each and every step

[hummelsturm]

This is utterly nuts. Yesterday everything is fine, this morning... zip. I've followed the instruction to the letter but Illustrator still hangs. I've not been able to work for 4 hours now whilst messing around with this stuff. The last time I spoke directly to Adobe Tech Support and the sorted stuff out directly via screen sharing it took hours. 

[hummelsturm]

So I just uninstalled Beta apps as suggested by defaultdrb8xf8fgaca and now it's working again. Can someone explain to me why this solution did not come from Adobe but instead from the community? Isn't that part of what we pay for? Thanks so much to defaultdrb8xf8fgaca

[Cengiz35200347ktr1]

Tried the same steps but still not working... 😞

[Luis Ant23010087xeb7]

not working on my side ......

[eco2drew]

Illustrator 2024 has also stopped working for me, having followed all the guides here (using the tool and deleting everything and starting again), i have now got most of my CC account working, but Illustrator just hangs, also  and very strangely, my avatar seems to have disappeared. When this happens mid project, it truly is a huge disruption...

[Monika Gause]

---

@eco2drew  schrieb:

Illustrator 2024 has also stopped working for me, having followed all the guides here (using the tool and deleting everything and starting again), i have now got most of my CC account working, but Illustrator just hangs, also  and very strangely, my avatar seems to have disappeared. When this happens mid project, it truly is a huge disruption...

---

Did you use the Adobe Cleaner tool in between uninstalling and reinstalling?

[eco2drew]

indeed i did use the cleaner tool, twice, and when it came to reinstalling, i went back a version with illustrator and thats working ok now. I had NO Beta apps installed anywhere before this whole saga began, so i am odds with those who faced that issue.

[dawnk11363365]

Hi. I used the cloud cleaner tool, uninstalled all apps, uninstalled the Creative Cloud Desktop app and reinstalled, etc. Seems to be a new problem as I could open Illustrator a few months ago with no issues.  I tried to install and open just the one Illustrator app without success. Nothing is working. I was able to open the browser cloud app but don't prefer to use this version. Thank you.

[Monika Gause]

Hi. I used the cloud cleaner tool, uninstalled all apps, uninstalled the Creative Cloud Desktop app and reinstalled, etc. Seems to be a new problem as I could open Illustrator a few months ago with no issues.  I tried to install and open just the one Illustrator app without success. Nothing is working. I was able to open the browser cloud app but don't prefer to use this version. Thank you.

By @dawnk11363365

Do you have any Adobe Beta apps installed? Video apps? Uninstall them, reboot and then try to launch Illustrator again

[dawnk11363365]

Thanks for responding. I uninstalled all of the Adobe apps and the Creative Cloud app. Nothing worked.

[cyrusv45541258]

I've had this problem accross 2 machines - one is an M2 mac studio ultra. Wasted last 3 hours trying to figure out whats going on.