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christinabarcus
Participant
December 1, 2011
Answered

missing toolbar palette in illustrator CS5.5

  • December 1, 2011
  • 11 replies
  • 240114 views

I just installed CS5.5 onto my mac and all of my programs work except for illustrator.  Every time i open it up the toolbar on the left hand side is missing. Anyone know how i can get it back so i can access those tools?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer tromboniator

    Menu: Window>Tools

    11 replies

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    CBecks13
    Participant
    March 27, 2018

    This same thing happe to me and I just figured it out. I had accidentally switched to ESSENTIALS... I switched back to ESSENTIALS CLASSIC and my tool bar reappeared. It’s located in the window at the top next to search Adobe Stock. I hope this is a fix for anyone else who may not know how their toolbar disappeared.

    jane-e
    Community Expert
    jane-eCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 29, 2018

    CBecks13

    I'm glad you found a solution that worked for you, but it won't help the OP. This question was asked on Nov 11, 2011 about CS5, which did not have the Essentials Classic workspace. That's new in CC 2018.

    Cheers,

    Jane

    Ray Yorkshire
    Ray Yorkshire
    Participating Frequently
    August 31, 2017

    So your toolbar is not missing but unresponsive ?

    Maybe try reset preferences back to default  before re-installing

    How to set preferences in Illustrator

    Reset all preferences to default settings

        

    Resetting preferences can be helpful if you are having problems with the application.

    Do one of the following:

    Press and hold Alt+Control+Shift (Windows) or Option+Command+Shift (Mac OS) as you start Illustrator. Your current settings are deleted.

    Remove or rename the AIPrefs file (Windows) or Adobe Illustrator Prefs file (Mac OS). New preferences files are created the next time you start Illustrator.

    note: It is safe to remove the entire Adobe Illustrator CS5 Settings folder. This folder contains various preferences that can be regenerated.

    S
    schupbach
    Participating Frequently
    August 31, 2017

    Thanks for your help.

    Tool bar is responsive, but options in the tool bar are not appearing. Such as I can't make a circles, use scissors, pen tool there is only on option. Basically any tool that has the triangle in the lower right corner the options don't appear.

    I tried resetting preferences via Option+Command+Shift (Mac OS) as you start Illustrator.  Did not work.

    The second option -  I can't locate my Adobe Illustrator Prefs file. Can you explain exactly where those files are located? I did a general search for those files no luck locating them. I read somewhere that these files are located in the library folder in an adobe folder but did not see them. See screen shot. How long does it take to uninstall and reinstall the program? Will this even help my program. I don't know what else to do.

    Ray Yorkshire
    Ray Yorkshire
    Participating Frequently
    August 31, 2017

    i use windows myself

    i think this is the path

    <startup drive>/Users/<username>/Library/Preferences/Adobe Illustrator CS5 Settings/en_US*/Adobe Illustrator Prefs

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    dezm84164280
    Participant
    February 27, 2017

    easiest and fastest way to restore your missing toolbar :

    go to windows>workspace>reset essentials

    now it should reappear!

    S
    schupbach
    Participating Frequently
    August 30, 2017

    I have cs 5.5 and there is no option for reset essentials. What else can I try?

    jane-e
    Community Expert
    jane-eCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 31, 2017

    schupbach  wrote

    I have cs 5.5 and there is no option for reset essentials. What else can I try?

    You have to be in a workspace before you can reset it.

    Either:

    1. Reset the Workspace you are currently in

    OR

    2. Switch to the Essentials Workspace, then reset it.

    BubbleBug7
    BubbleBug7
    Participant
    October 22, 2016

    I may have missed if someone else mentioned this already, but have you tried going through Window>Workspace? At the bottom of this menu is a command "Reset ____" (it changes depending on which layout you have chosen, I believe the default it "Essentials") clicking this should reset all of your toolbars to their original positions as well as bring back any parts that may have disappeared. This function is also useful if there is a tool you frequently use that is not open by default, or a layout you prefer, you can create your own workspace. Hope this helps!

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      Anonymous
      September 7, 2016

      here is the solution >>> How to recover toolbars/tool pallets/missing panels in Adobe Illustrator CC/Adobe Photoshop CC - YouTube

      A
      andrews90726653
      Participant
      February 10, 2015

      My Illustrator CS5.5 has no tool bar  (none under Window either. This is from installing it for first time …it did say plugins missing 8 of them,  i have followed and tried everything suggested here… no success. i have also tried resetting preferences (well deleting them then going through the preference folder again no success. could it just be a faulty disc from Adobe? Everything else downloaded fine.

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      airapurificacion
      Participant
      January 8, 2015

      Hi! I had the same problem (if I understood your problem right). My tool bar is visible, but the tools inside it disappeared. I closed the software and then opened another AI file that I remember that I used the tools with. And it when it opened, the tools were back!

      G
      Gina Cocco
      Participant
      September 1, 2012

      I had the same problem. It drove me crazy. All of the threads seem to reference one of two things as the culprit: 1. Holding down a key while launching or closing the application and 2. Launching the application from OUTSIDE of the Illustrator folder.

      I remembered moving the app out onto my desktop to make it easier to launch. I went to the applications folder on my mac, and dragged the application into the Illustror folder. Then when I launched it from there, it gave me a warning that the path had moved, which I confirmed by clicking "update" and when the application launched, Voila! There was my toolbar pallette!

      Thanks to everyone for their collective help. I hope this helps someone else get to a solution quicker.

      D
      Darlene0000
      Participant
      October 31, 2013

      Gina - I just tried your 'fix' and it worked - I am so grateful, it's been two years since I bought my CS5 suite and though I use In-Design and Photoshop I have never been able to use Illustrator because of the missing Tool Bar.  Thank you.

      Jacob Bugge
      Community Expert
      Jacob BuggeCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      December 1, 2011

      Christina,

      It may be worth following this sister thread too:

      http://forums.adobe.com/thread/931600?tstart=0

      On of the suggestions there is to  Move the folder

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      christinabarcusAuthor
      Participant
      December 1, 2011

      my drop down menu under window doesn't have that option there is only application bar, application frame, and control. I have cs5.5 not 4 i know that tools was on option on the other version but the newsest version was changed and that is no longer there.

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      Wade_Zimmerman1
      Inspiring
      December 1, 2011

      This can happen in a couple of ways, one you were holding down the command and shift key when launching Illustrator that will definitely do this.

      Two you either move the application out side of the Illustrator folder or you accidentally copied the application when trying to make an alias of the application's icon in a different location like the deskto.

      The accident is common and it is manifested by holding only the option key down when dragging the icon to the new location when it requires that you hold the Command and option key.

      Holding the option key makes a duplicate and that has the same effect if you try launching Illustrator from the application once removed from the Illustrator folder.

      What you if you accidentally made a copy instead of an alias is to trash that copy and make a real one. If you simply move the application outside of the folder then you have to move it back to the folder. the folder should be in the default location if you are smart.

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        christinabarcusAuthor
        Participant
        December 1, 2011

        thanks for the suggestions but i know i wasn't holding any keys down such as shift or option or command when i was launching and installing the program and i took my computer into my college computer repair store and the guy there deleted all of the duplicates/aliases that i had made from before so i know thats not that problem.

        i tried holding the command and option key when i dragged the icon to the new location and still no success.

        do you know if there is anything else i can try?

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