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My color swatch library disappeared!! why?? and how do I get it back?

Community Beginner ,
Aug 27, 2017 Aug 27, 2017

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I Usually use my default color swatches that illustrator automatically gave me when I first downloaded it... but now when I open new documents, those don't show up anymore.. No my settings are not on greyscale. I did however catch it on greyscale when I first encountered this problem. The color swatches have been lost ever since then. How do I get my default Illustrator color library that Illustrator first starts you off with back in my color swatches and how do I keep it there??

Screen Shot 2017-08-27 at 2.08.58 AM.png

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correct answers 3 Correct answers

Community Expert , Aug 27, 2017 Aug 27, 2017

You can always load the default swatches using the Swatches panel menu.

Did you try to reset  your preferences?

How to set preferences in Illustrator

To restore preferences quickly using a keyboard shortcut

Press and hold Alt+Control+Shift (Windows) or Option+Command+Shift (macOS) as you start

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Community Beginner , Jun 20, 2018 Jun 20, 2018

Also, at the bottom of the Swatches panel is the Show Swatch Kinds menu. I had Show Pattern Swatches selected by accident and thought all my document swatches were gone, but when selecting Show All Swatches they were back!

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New Here , Feb 06, 2023 Feb 06, 2023

This happens to me regularly where the default swatches will dissapear leaving just registration and no-color. Open the swatch library at the bottom left drop-down menu, then open the desired library (for me it is Art & Illustration in Default Swatches). Select all the colors you want (click + shift-click first and last), open the pallet options and select "Add to Swatches".

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Community Expert ,
Aug 27, 2017 Aug 27, 2017

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Do you have this problem when you create a new file? File > New... ?

This problem normally happens when you open an image file.

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Community Beginner ,
Aug 27, 2017 Aug 27, 2017

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yes every time I create a new file or open a project from my creative cloud library. I have an iPad pro and i use sketch and draw

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Community Expert ,
Aug 27, 2017 Aug 27, 2017

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You can always load the default swatches using the Swatches panel menu.

Did you try to reset  your preferences?

How to set preferences in Illustrator

To restore preferences quickly using a keyboard shortcut

Press and hold Alt+Control+Shift (Windows) or Option+Command+Shift (macOS) as you start

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Community Beginner ,
Jun 20, 2018 Jun 20, 2018

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Also, at the bottom of the Swatches panel is the Show Swatch Kinds menu. I had Show Pattern Swatches selected by accident and thought all my document swatches were gone, but when selecting Show All Swatches they were back!

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 22, 2022 Nov 22, 2022

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THANK YOU!!!!!

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Community Beginner ,
Jul 19, 2019 Jul 19, 2019

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I just had this happen to me.  The default swatches no longer exist.  Is there a place one can download them?

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Community Expert ,
Jul 19, 2019 Jul 19, 2019

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What OS and version are you using? What version of AI? Have you tried the option from the marked answer? What type of file have you opened? If a raster file it will not show any swatches.

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Community Expert ,
Jul 19, 2019 Jul 19, 2019

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Select them from the swatches panel.

default swatches.png

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Community Beginner ,
Sep 12, 2019 Sep 12, 2019

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I have been having this issue for a few months now as well. Each time I open Illustrator my swatches window is missing, and I had to open the swatches window and re-load my swatches. I think I found the solution. Within the swatches window/panel click the upper right hamburger menu to reveal the swatches options - make sure persitent is checked. Checking that appears to be holding the swatch window/panel when I close then re-open illustrator.

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New Here ,
Oct 16, 2019 Oct 16, 2019

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I am also having this problem and can't work out how to get them back. I have so much work to do and now can't complete it 😞

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Community Expert ,
Oct 17, 2019 Oct 17, 2019

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Your swatches are gone? Just create new ones. https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/using-creating-swatches.html If you want swatches in every new document, don't bypass the new document dialog box by opening a JPEG or the like.

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New Here ,
Nov 19, 2020 Nov 19, 2020

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Thank you, this fixed it for me!

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New Here ,
Feb 13, 2020 Feb 13, 2020

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I see this is a really old post. Did you figure it out? I'm having the same problem and don't know what to do. I've tried everything that's been recommended here and nothing works.

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New Here ,
May 10, 2020 May 10, 2020

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New Here ,
Nov 27, 2020 Nov 27, 2020

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I'm a AI beginner and came across the issue of missing swatches.  The problem is I was opening an image file (jpg) which 'disables' the swatch library from showing up.  I finally figured out this process that worked:

 

  1. Open your image file and do an Image Trace to convert the image to vector object
  2. Open a new file window (File / New / Create) which should display your default swatches
  3. Copy the vector object from the first window (the jpg file) into the new window by Direct Selecting all, then Edit / Copy / Paste into new file window
  4. The vector object will now be in the new window where the swatches are displayed

 

Hope this helps. 

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Community Expert ,
Nov 27, 2020 Nov 27, 2020

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Or as mentioned above, select them from the swatches panel.

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New Here ,
Apr 19, 2021 Apr 19, 2021

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This video helps! My swatches were missing from the upper right corner. Copy them like in that video posted by Iamwoodnut, and they will appear again in the swatches whic are right beneeth the "File" and "edit" menues.

 

Thanks  for help 🙂

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New Here ,
Dec 03, 2023 Dec 03, 2023

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this little video worked for me. It was driving me crazy. Thanks!

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New Here ,
Feb 06, 2023 Feb 06, 2023

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This happens to me regularly where the default swatches will dissapear leaving just registration and no-color. Open the swatch library at the bottom left drop-down menu, then open the desired library (for me it is Art & Illustration in Default Swatches). Select all the colors you want (click + shift-click first and last), open the pallet options and select "Add to Swatches".

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New Here ,
Feb 06, 2023 Feb 06, 2023

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Thank you very much for your help!

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