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?

[Anubhav M]

Hello @danny_68,

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. I hope Monika's suggestions helped resolve the problem. If not, kindly try removing all Adobe apps using the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool (https://adobe.ly/3WWeTqN) and then reinstalling them, and share your observations.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,
Anubhav

[ilanMor100]

I have a problem opening Photoshop and Illustrator, wrong files were deleted... I can't open. Staying stuck on opening: initializing plugin. I removed the programs and installed again without success, I removed creative cloud and installed again - no success.

[Monika Gause]

Are you sure that there is no Adobe Beta aopp installed in your applications folder?

[Anubhav M]

Hello @ilanMor100,

We understand that encountering technical issues can be frustrating. Would you mind confirming if you have any beta Adobe apps installed on your computer? If yes, kindly try the following steps, as Monika suggested, to check if they help:

- Close all Adobe applications
- Uninstall any installed Beta apps from Creative Cloud (https://adobe.ly/3WKr5K4)
- Relaunch Illustrator

If the problem persists, try removing Illustrator using the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool (https://adobe.ly/4diiK7b) and then reinstalling and share your observations.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,
Anubhav

[Ivan Fedorych]

Hi! I have downloaded the latest illustrator to my 2023 MAcBook Pro and something weird is happening lately - when I turn the app it instantly takes 26 - 50 GB of RAM and freezes.

I have reinstalled it but nothing helps. 

Please assist.

[Ton Frederiks]

Do you have Adobe beta versions installed? See if uninstalling them helps.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Ivan Fedorych,

We understand that encountering technical issues can be frustrating. Would you mind confirming if you have any beta Adobe apps installed on your computer? If yes, kindly try the following steps, as Ton suggested, to check if they help:

- Close all Adobe applications
- Uninstall any installed Beta apps from Creative Cloud (https://adobe.ly/4dvyh3k)
- Relaunch Illustrator

If the problem persists, try removing Illustrator using the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool (https://adobe.ly/4dCAt99) and then reinstalling and share your observations.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,
Anubhav

[Jack26070826va7t]

Thanks @Anubhav M I was experiencing the same problem, and this fixed the issue for me! 

[Ivan Fedorych]

I do! But haven't had any issues before with Premiere Beta

[Monika Gause]

---

@Ivan Fedorych  schrieb:

I do! But haven't had any issues before with Premiere Beta

---

Neither have all the other folks. Please uninstall it, reboot and try again.

[Merry_character5E89]

I've noticed in the last couple of days that my photoshop and illustrator is using a lot of ram that it even uses swap memory considering that I have 64gb ram. And now apps are now even opening. All my other apps, aside from Adobe apps, are working. Anyone experiencing the same thing?

Macbook Pro M1 Max user.

[Monika Gause]

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

[Srishti Bali]

Hi @Merry_character5E89

We understand that encountering technical issues can be frustrating. Would you mind confirming if you have any beta Adobe apps installed on your computer? If yes, kindly try the following steps to check if they help:

- Close all Adobe applications
- Uninstall any installed Beta apps from Creative Cloud (https://adobe.ly/3SHqUOt)
- Relaunch Illustrator

If the problem persists, try removing Illustrator using the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool (https://adobe.ly/3LUsoB9) and then reinstalling and share your observations.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,

Srishti

[Merry_character5E89]

Thank you! This worked fo me. But I feel like this is not the propper fix. Because this means I can't use any beta apps which is really important to check new and upcoming updates.

[Monika Gause]

It helped everyone else.

[Pela03]

Same here and there is not FCS at all. I am so annoyed ggrrrr,,,

 

[Pela03]

After doing deep clean and re install is working ppfff...
Follow the instructions up there that works.

[Ahmed23314670m6ox]

I can't open any Adobe program on my Mac due to an unknown problem. I updated my Mac and all Creative Cloud programs like Illustrator, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro and nothing still open

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Ahmed23314670m6ox,

We understand that encountering technical issues can be frustrating. Would you mind trying the following steps and checking if they help:

• Close all Adobe applications
• Remove Illustrator using the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool (https://adobe.ly/3SFX3po)
• Reinstall Illustrator using the Creative Cloud Desktop application (https://adobe.ly/3YzUr0j)
• Relaunch Illustrator

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,

Anubhav

[Ahmed23314670m6ox]

Thank you
the cleaner tool fix it

[poodyglitz]

Me too. I also can't open Illustrator ("Application not responding").

[kglad]

@poodyglitz 

reset your illustrator preferences.

[kglad]

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post (like this one has already been moved) if it helps you get responses.

<"moved and branched from cc desktop">

[Monika Gause]

Did you update it just recently?

So inthe order of doing least damage:

1. reboot the computer

2. uninstall any Adobe beta apps that you migt have

3. reset the preferences

4. uninstall, run the Adobe Cleaner tool and reinstall https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

If you have custom brushes or stuff, this is where to find it and pull out before resetting preferences or uninstalling: https://www.vektorgarten.de/illustrator-settings.html 

[Srishti Bali]

Hi @noahm90125240

I'm sorry to hear about the trouble you're experiencing. I'd like to confirm if the issue started after installing the latest release. If so, other users have reported a similar issue, and we have found that completely reinstalling the application helps resolve it. While our team is working on resolving this issue, could you please try the following steps and let us know your observations:

1. Close all Adobe applications.
2. Remove Illustrator using the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool: https://adobe.ly/3LZDS68.
3. Reinstall Illustrator using the Creative Cloud Desktop application: https://adobe.ly/3LX80PC.
4. Relaunch Illustrator.

Thank you for your patience, and I hope this helps!

Regards,

Srishti