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Pen pressure is greyed out in Illustrator on Wacom Tablet on macOS Bug Sur

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
September 1, 2021
9 replies
12930 views

I purchased a Wacom tablet today to work in Illustrator. Despite making sure I followed every step based on System Preferences, the Illustrator pen pressure is still greyed out. I know do not what to do. I've unistalled and restalled this Wacom program multiple times.

I'm running OS Big Sur, I followed a document with steps - still nothing. Very frustrating.

Has anyone has this issue? What am I missing?

{Renamed by MOD}

Performance

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Anshul_Saini

I have the exact same issue. Can't install older Illustrator Versions and the brush pressure doesn't work on my app either. I deinstalled and installed Wacom multiple times.

Can you send me a link too @Anshul_Saini ?

Best regards,

Jasmina

Hi @jacaizda_555,

Sorry for the delayed response. We understand this is a long-standing issue, but it is resolved with update v26.2.1. Please update the app. This update fixes the issue of Wacom tablets not having pen pressure on macOS.

However, if you are not using a Wacom tablet, then I would suggest you install both the Wacom driver & your tablet driver, which will help you get the pen pressure. This is a tested resolution/ workaround for Non-Wacom tablets, and we have confirmed this with multiple users. Let me know if it works for you.

I hope this helps!

Thanks & Regards,
Anshul Saini

Anshul_Saini

Community Manager

Hi All,

I know this issue has been pending for a long time. But I am glad to inform you that we have tried to address it with the latest Illustrator update, v26.2.1, released yesterday. I would request you to update and let us know if the issue persists.

Regards,

Anshul Saini

@seishinkuo @Showgato5CB4

S

seishinkuo

Participant

It works now. Thank you very much.

gammarART

Participant

Hey guys,

is there any current solution for this pen pressure issue with illustrator and Mac OS 12?
Or can someone please share a link to illustrator 2020 to get my work done at least?

@Anshul_Saini When you know about this issue – why do Adobe not share the link the normal way at the creative cloud app for the time the problem still exists?

tonyharmer

Community Expert

Hey @gammarART

Have you tried my solution above? The problem is not specifically with Adobe in this instance and is OS-related (specifically to security).

gammarART

Participant

Yes, I tried.
But these options only appear with the ooold 2020 Illustrator version.

No chance with 2021 or 22 here.

tonyharmer

Community Expert

I'd been experiencing this in my studio across all three of the macs that have a Cintiq attached, and have finally found what may hopefully be a fix for you. In the System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Accessibility, make sure that Illustrator is added to the list of apps. Make sure that Illustrator is not running while you make this change.

Anshul_Saini

Community Manager

Hi All,

We are really sorry to hear about your experiences. The product team is aware of the issue, and they are currently working on a fix. I would request you and others to please be patient and stay tuned for the updates.

In the meantime, I would request you to reach out to me via DM. I will provide you with a direct download link to an Illustrator version 2020.

Note: The download link expires after 24 hours. So, I will be sharing the download link via DM only until this issue gets fixed.

Thanks & Regards,

Anshul Saini

G

Gadi Gershon

Participant

Hello

need help with this too...

thank you!

Anshul_Saini

Community Manager

Hi @Gadi Gershon,

I've sent a DM. Please check!

Thanks & regards,

Anshul Saini

logynnhailley

Participant

I was having the same problem. If I open an old file with the correct settings and select a brush stroke with the correct settings, and then start painting, it works. Apparently you can use the pressure setting as long as it already exists in the file. You simply cannot turn the setting on in a new file.

A

Anonymous

You're not missing anything, many other people have this issue. I had the same problem and was going mad (both insane and angry).
TL:DR (I have this from Adobe Illustrator Support, not the forums) this problem is due to Apple changing the way permissions work. It is NOT a Wacom driver issue.

Short term work-rounds:
1. (Worked for me for Photoshop as well as Illustrator) Go to your Brush Library -> Open Brush Library -> Wacom 6D brushes. Select one of those brushes, see if it is pressure-sensitive. I found those brushes to work when no Adobe native brush allowed me to select 'pressure' as a control. You can redefine that brush to be whatever brush (hardness/softness/size) you need.

2. Again, worked for me. Open a .eps or .ai file produced in an earlier version of Illustrator. Copy a pressure-sensitive brush stroke and paste it into your new Illustrator document. It brought its brush with it and that brush retained the pressure sensitivity.

From memory, once I'd done this on at least one occasion all the other brushes became pressure sensitive, even the ones that shouldn't be. But I could turn it off.

Sort-of explanation for the problem: The fact that some brushes worked perfectly while others did not told me that this was NOT a Wacom issue. The problem is that in the new OS the adobe software needs new/additional/different permissions to access the system controls/wacom data. If you look at System Preferences -> Security&Privacy -> Privacy, Wacom AND Adobe software must be showing in 'Accessibility' and in 'Automation' if Adobe software is to work as it should.
If you have to run the apps via terminal (?this is what the support person said, I don't know what it means but I know how to do it, described below) the brushes will work. Or so he said. If not, use the Wacom 6D brushes reconfigured until they work out how to solve this.

To run Illustrator via terminal:
Open your Applications folder, open the 'Adobe Illustrator 2022' folder.
Left-click or control-click on 'Adobe Illustrator 2022.app', select 'show package contents'
Open 'Contents', open 'MacOS'. You will see a file (icon is Unix Executable) named 'Adobe Illustrator'. Run it.
This opens a Terminal window, then Adobe Illustrator 2022 fires up. In theory the brushes will be useable in the app opened like this, but by the time I tried it I'd tried so many things that I can't remember if it worked or not.

Good luck!

C

Carey5CFD

Participating Frequently

Hey - Thanks so much for those details.

So heres how it went:

#1 got it, understood

#2 can't do since I dont have files from before 2021 - I'm a newbie here in school for Graphic Design.

Next section, I had previously checked and confirmed that next part you layed out about going into the system preferences - done.

However I found under 'Automation' the Illustrator app option does not show up there so couldn't check any boxes for it, but the Wacom desktop center and driver options did show up there though, and checked.

And I just tried the last part you listed but no luck there either -bummer...

TY for sharing your findings tho!

Hope they work it out sooner than later -

Matthias Schoeffl

Participant

We do have the same problem on all our Macs with Wacom Intuos Pro tablets, and Illustrator CC – all latest available versions (macOS, AI, Wacom drivers).

Anshul_Saini

Community Manager

Hi there,

Sorry about the trouble. I would like to know if you have you tried the steps suggested by the user on this community post (https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator-discussions/wacom-intuos-4-not-working-with-illustrator-c..._).

Kindly update the discussion if you still need assistance with it. We'd be happy to help.

Thanks & Regards,

Anshul Saini

Matthias Schoeffl

Participant

Hi Anshul Saini,

many thanks for the hint – i did exactly what is described in this post and it is OK now and pressure can be chosen again!

Best regards,

Matthias

Anshul_Saini

Community Manager

Hi there,

Sorry about the trouble. As @Monika Gause said, many users are reporting this issue. So, I would request to please share a few more details like:

The exact version of macOS Big Sur and Illustrator
Are you using an M1-based mac device?
Are there any recent changes made to your system? For example, any antivirus, system updates, or web extensions installed recently.
Which document steps have you followed? Could you share the link to this document with us?
Have you tried the steps shared in this help article (https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/illustrator-cc-crash-wacom-drivers.html)?
Does installing the previous version of Illustrator or macOS (Catalina or Mojave) help resolve the issue?
Does resetting Illustrator Preferences ( https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/setting-preferences.html) help to resolve the issue?
Disclaimer: Please note that resetting preferences will remove all the custom settings, and Illustrator will launch with default settings. You can also take a backup of the folders in case you want to. Location is mentioned in the article.

I will be looking forward to your response.

Thanks & Regards,

Anshul Saini

A

Anonymous

Mac Mini, M1 2020.
Big Sur 11.6
This is a new machine (Nov 2021) with a new install of Adobe Creative Cloud (my old CS6 is incompatible).

Wacom Intuos 5 Touch (PTH 650)

Illustrator 26.0.1

Also Photoshop 23.0.2
I have checked that 'Enable Wacom' is checked in the Illustrator prefs. THere is no option to do that for Photoshop.

The problem: Illustrator and Photoshop calligraphic brushes from the brush library are not pressure sensitive: only 'fixed' and 'random' can be selected, all other options are greyed out.
If I create a new calligraphic brush in Illustrator I cannot select 'pressure' to control width, only Fixed and Random.
If I create a new calligraphic brush in Photoshop all the pressure-sensitive controls in 'shape dynamics' have warning triangles and cannot be selected.

BUT: the Wacom 6D brushes in both Illustrator and Photoshop *are* fully pressure-sensitive.

I have tried Wacom support
https://support.wacom.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500006337162-No-pressure-in-Adobe-Photoshop-what-do-I-do-

I have added Wacom to the list of allowed third party installers.
I have uninstalled and reinstalled the current Wacom driver 6.3.44-2, several times.
I have checked that com.Wacom.IOManager, WacomTabletDriver.app, WacomTouchDriver.app, appear in my 'System Preferences' Security & Privacy>Accessibility>Privacy. I have added Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to that list.
I have checked that Wacom Desktop Center appears in my 'System Preferences' Security & Privacy>Automation>Privacy

I have tried https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/illustrator-cc-crash-wacom-drivers.html
deleting WacomMultiTouch.framework did not correct this.

I cannot completely try (https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator-discussions/wacom-intuos-4-not-working-with-illustrator-c...) because Illustrator 2020 is no longer available for download.
I tried uninstalling the Wacom driver 6.3.44-2 and replacing it with 6.3.39-1: this did not solve the problem.

I will repeat: the Wacom 6D brushes in both Illustrator and Photoshop *are* fully pressure-sensitive.
This surely means that the apps can see and use the pressure info for these brushes, if not any others. Says to me that the tablet isn't the problem.

My workround is going to be creating all my brushes within the Wacom 6D library, if I can.

A

Anonymous

Hi there,

Sorry about the trouble. I would suggest you to try the following steps & let us know how it goes:

Disconnect the Wacom device
Uninstall the Wacom drivers manually by following the steps mentioned in this help article (https://support.wacom.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500006264541-How-do-I-uninstall-manually-and-re-install-the-Wacom-driver-on-Mac-OS-for-a-Pen-Tablet-Pen-Display-or-Pen-Computer-)
Restart Mac
Install Wacom latest driver
Connect Wacom Device
Follow the steps mentioned in this help article again (https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/illustrator-cc-crash-wacom-drivers.html)
Add Macintosh HD as Scratch Disk in Illustrator Preferences
Resrtat Mac

I hope it helps!

Regards,

Anshul Saini

Anshul, I had already tried your suggestions. If I listed everything I tried in the course of two full days of dealing with this, my post would have been too long to read. I suspect you did not read all my posts anyway.

This is not a system-level issue, at least not on my machine.
The Wacom Desktop Center 'Diagnostics' test registered correct pressure sensitivity from the tablet.
Some brushes with Photoshop and Illustrator still have pressure sensitivity, which suggests this is NOT a Wacom driver issue, it is a problem within the Adobe apps.

1. Even while 'normal' Adobe calligraphic brushes were not pressure-sensitive, Wacom 6D brushes retained their pressure sensitivity in both Photoshop and Illustrator. A Wacom 6B brush could be reconfigured as the brush I needed and still works with pressure sensitivity.

2. I copied a line drawn with a pressure sensitive brush in Illustrator CS6 and pasted it into my Illustrator 2022 artwork. The brush imported with that line retained its pressure sensitivity.

I don't think this is a Wacom problem, this is an Adobe problem.