Oddity using the tab key in the 'Color' window

[wwrsimon]

Hello all

This has started happening a short while ago. If I want to change the CMYK values on a colour in the 'Color' window and change the C value, then tab to M and change that, when I tab to Y the whole set of percentage values goes blank and the color preview has a question mark.

Example:

I change 40% in C to 50%, then press the tab key to move to M, then tab to Y to change that, everything goes very odd - screenshots attached...

Is this a bug? Been using Illustrator since Illustrator 3...not something I recall coming across before. 

Simon

[wwrsimon]

A further oddity - I just opened the document again and Illustrator now thinks that swatch is 40% cyan/20% magenta/100% yellow/0% black, which clearly it ain't...

[Anubhav M]

Hello @wwrsimon,

Thanks for reaching out. That does seem odd. Could you confirm the exact version of the OS/Illustrator installed, if this happens with all files, and a small screen recording of your exact workflow, so I can better assist you?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Anubhav

[Ton Frederiks]

Can you check if there is a color selected in the Appearance panel below the blue fill?

[wwrsimon]

Thank you both for your replies, mich appreciated.

Firstly for Anubhav, I'm using a Mac Studio M2 Max with 32Gb RAM, Mac OS Sequoia 15.7.1, and Illustrator 29.8.2. Seems to happen with any file. 

Secondly for Ton, screenshot of the Appearance panel attached.

I know it's not a real problem at the end of the day (just Command-z and it's done) , but it's a glitch that seems a bit odd.

Simon

[Ton Frederiks]

Hi Simon, 

if this happens regularly and is repeatable, you may want to report it at UserVoice:

https://illustrator.uservoice.com/

[HARSHIKA_VERMA]

Hi wwrsimon,

Sorry for the trouble. As suggested by our expert, once you post on UserVoice, please share the link with us here for tracking purposes. Also, would you mind sharing a screen recording of the issue? 

We will also highlight to the team.

Thanks, 
Harshika

[wwrsimon]

Apologies for the delay in replying to Ton's suggestion, but I've just posted on the UserVoice link.

https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-desktop-bugs/suggestions/50627384-cmyk-c...

FYI I've attached  the screen recording I posted.

Thanks

Simon

[Abhishek Rao · Accepted solution]

Hi @wwrsimon,

Thanks so much for sharing the screen recording and details. I tested this on the same Illustrator version, 29.8.2, and the color fields in the CMYK palette update normally when using the Tab key. However, I don't see the values reset or the color preview switch to a question mark.

Since this happens consistently for you across files, it might be linked to a specific app preference or color management setting. Could you please try manually resetting Illustrator preferences once and see if the issue still occurs afterward? You can back them up before resetting if needed.

Please let me know how it goes after that.

Abhishek

[wwrsimon]

Hello Abhishek.

That worked fine, obviously something amiss in the preferences! Thank you for your help, it's very much appreciated.

Regards

Simon