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

[Drew5FA1]

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}

[Monika Gause]

A lot of people are reporting that issue to the forums.

We don't know yet how to solve it. Sorry.

Nobody even knows if it's Wacom related, system related or Illustrator related.

For some people it seems to work, but nobody can tell why.

[Sterphy]

Adobe really do put out some quality products for us to keep paying for /s

[default0v4rmrg5djdp]

Can we get some sort of compo for your broken software then... we pay good money we expect working software, don't try and palm the issue off on Wacom, everything works fine on other software (even free software) you guys need to spend some time fixing Illustrator.

[Anshul_Saini]

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

[Drew5FA1]

Thank you for replying. These are the links: https://machow2.com/wacom-tablet-driver/ and https://support.wacom.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500006336422-Is-there-a-driver-for-macOS-11-Big-Sur-

I am running AI 2021, I've reset the preferences to no avail.

[Anshul_Saini]

Sorry for the delayed response, and thank you for sharing the link. One user in the community has shared a solution that works for him. I will request you to try the steps shared by the user in this community post (https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator-discussions/wacom-intuos-4-not-working-with-illustrator-c...) and let us know how it goes. I hope it helps.

Thanks and Regards,

Anshul Saini

[Guest]

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-d...

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. 

[Guest]

Also: I have just opened an old .eps artwork file (2014). with that file open, some calligraphic brushes are working as they should. 

[Anshul_Saini]

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...)
• 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

[Guest]

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.

[Anshul_Saini]

Thanks for trying them. I can understand your frustration, and I did read your comment a couple of times. I talked with the team and this procedure they follow to restore the pen pressure sensitivity. This helped a lot of users. However, I would request you to send me your Adobe ID, Country & Timezone, phone number with country code, preferred time for a call, and the URL of this post over a private message. We will get in touch with you.

To send a private message, click my picture and use the message button.

Regards,

Anshul Saini

[Carey5CFD]

Hello - I am looking to find support for getting my brush pressure option available in Illustrator - I've spent the last 2 days trying all the suggestions I can find online, except downloading the 2020 version of which I do not have access to as a newbie student to Illustrator.

If any adobe support/helpers out there reads this please contact me - I have not been able to get any support - I am on a subscription via a school program and have not been able to find support available via chat etc, please help - I want to learn to use this new Wacom Intuis Pro I just got with Illustrator so bad for the class I am taking = (

[Monika Gause]

Currently installing Illustrator 2020 seems to be the only way to be able to set the necessary options in the system.

The forum cannot give you that version unfortunately.

Can you help @Anshul_Saini ?

[Guest]

Hey Carey5CFD, I'm not sure if you are notified, but I've just posted a long reply to Drew5FA1 with some suggestions based on my experience. 

[Hye In23643360wdfg]

I'm also experiencing such an issue.
Please send me a link to check quickly and download the previous version.

 

[Anshul_Saini]

Hi @Hye In23643360wdfg,

Sorry for the delayed response.
I've sent the link over DM. Please Check!

Regards,

Anshul Saini

[jacaizda_555]

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

[Anshul_Saini · Accepted solution]

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

[Matthias Schoeffl]

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]

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]

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]

Glad to hear you're back on track. Please feel free to reach out if you run into any other questions or issues in the future. We'd be happy to help.

Regards,

Anshul Saini

[Andre23648655ylbr]

Hi Anshul_Saini i recently bought Illsutrator 2022 and have the same problem with my wacom intuos pro with the pressure of the brush. Unfortunately, I can't add the Illustrator app to my Mac under Security & Privacy in the Automation tab either. Can you please send my the DM for the 2020 version too.

Thank you.

Regards André 

[Anshul_Saini]

Hi @Andre23648655ylbr,

Sorry for the delayed response.
I've sent the link over DM. Please Check!

Regards,

Anshul Saini