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Pressure sensitivity in Illustrator is grayed out for Calligraphic brushes on macOS Mojave

Community Beginner ,
May 17, 2019 May 17, 2019

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I just got a Wacom Intuos Pro tablet, installed the drivers and started using both Illustrator and the drawing tablet. I was really excited about trying out pressure sensitivity with the brushes, but I can't get the option to work in Illustrator.

When I choose the brush tool, I double click on the picture of the brush size to open the "Calligraphic Brush Options" window. I watched several people activate this on YouTube videos by adjusting the size variation and then selecting "pressure" from the dropdown menu. However, when I open the menu, pressure and several other options appear on the list, but I am only actually able to choose between "fixed" or "random."

Is there another setting I have to adjust first in order to activate pressure sensitivity? I am completely new to using both drawing tablets and Ai. Please help.

{Renamed by MOD}

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Adobe Employee , May 26, 2022 May 26, 2022

Hi All, @crgrory @WillyBee @crgrory 

 

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 use

...

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Community Expert ,
May 17, 2019 May 17, 2019

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Which system is it?

There are some additional remarks on installing the driver on the Wacom website. You have to allow the system control over the tablet.

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Community Beginner ,
May 17, 2019 May 17, 2019

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I have a Mac running "Mojavi" ios10.14.4

Adobe Illustrator CC

And Wacom Intuos Pro PTH660

I think I remember allowing that option, but I will double check in control panel

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Community Expert ,
Jul 21, 2019 Jul 21, 2019

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I actually have another issue cannot set up the pressure in Illustrator...did the following:

Reinstalled Illustrator.

Reinstalled drives.

allowed Mac to control drivers...

still mot working!

Sent a not to Wacom...no answer....

Have been using Wacom since 1988......

Screen Shot 2019-07-21 at 15.55.18.png

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Adobe Employee ,
Jul 23, 2019 Jul 23, 2019

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Hi Chana,

Thanks for reaching out. As you have already tried reinstalling drivers and Illustrator. Did you remove all the preferences folders while reinstalling? If not please try the following steps:

1. Reset preferences manually:

  • Close all Adobe applications.
  • Go to locations
  • ~/Library/Caches
  • ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe
  • ~/Library/Preferences
  • Rename  Adobe Illustrator, com.adobe.illustrator and Adobe Illustrator 23 Settings folders.
  • Launch Illustrator from the Creative Cloud.

2. If that doesn't help, try booting system in Safe Mode: Start in Safe Boot mode for Adobe products on Mac OS X

3. If nothing works, I would request if you can share the following details:

  • OS and version of Illustrator
  • Version of the Wacom tablet and the driver installed

Regards,

Srishti

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Explorer ,
Sep 19, 2019 Sep 19, 2019

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I cannot locate any of those areas you are listing there. The brush setting issue is recurring for me. It works in PS, not in IL. then it used to work and then not. too many glitches in this software. Using iMac, Wacom Cintiq 16, all of the upgraded software. I also frequently reset prefs in IL, I can get a few hours out of it before it dissappears. Really tired of this.

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Community Expert ,
Sep 20, 2019 Sep 20, 2019

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Did you set it up according to the Wacom directions (including the system settings you have to make)?

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New Here ,
Sep 29, 2020 Sep 29, 2020

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This worked perfectly for me.

 

And Im using a Huion Kamvas.

 

Thank you!

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New Here ,
Dec 26, 2019 Dec 26, 2019

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I have the same problem ,

i have tried clearing caches , everything , still not working for me 

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Community Beginner ,
May 17, 2019 May 17, 2019

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Oh my gosh! THANK YOU! That was it! Apparently, I *didn't* allow that control.

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New Here ,
Mar 31, 2020 Mar 31, 2020

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Thank YOU! again, uninstall illustrator and reinstall was the magic trick!

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New Here ,
Aug 31, 2021 Aug 31, 2021

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how did you do it?

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Explorer ,
Mar 07, 2022 Mar 07, 2022

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Sorry Monika, this is not the "Correct Answer", given that this issue still exists 2+ years later Adobe need to look into this with some urgency. 

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Community Expert ,
Mar 07, 2022 Mar 07, 2022

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quote

Sorry Monika, this is not the "Correct Answer", given that this issue still exists 2+ years later Adobe need to look into this with some urgency. 


By @crgrory

 

I don't mark my own answers correct, so don't blame me for that. This thread is 3 years old, it obviously helped someone.

 

In order to get the pressure, install version 2020. It allows you to set a specific setting in the system. Then it also works in other versions.

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New Here ,
Oct 29, 2021 Oct 29, 2021

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Hey All,

 

for anyone seeking for a solution.

I am  on Macbook Air M1,Big Sur, Illustrator 26.  XP-Pen  Deco 01  v2. I tried all the guides listed in the comments none  of it worked.  The only thing that is working for me is using Wacom 6D Pens. This pens work with pressure sensitivity and i can modify them to my needs (change size,  rotation etc).  When I go into pen  settings it is set to pressure however when I  open list (Fixed, Random, Pressure ....) the  sensitivity  option is  still greyed out and ifI change it I cannot go back.

Also I have to add the Wacom Pens whenever I start new file.

So the penworks with  Illustrator it is just a bug in Illustrator  settings. 

Please fixit Adobe.

 

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Explorer ,
Nov 26, 2021 Nov 26, 2021

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Thanks for this tip. That worked for me as a temporary workaround. I have since worked with Adobe to resolve the issue. For anyone looking to solve the problem on Illustrator 2022 (V26), I had to download and install Adobe Illustrator 2020. Here is their instructions:

 

Once it has download then install it.
Second steps is click on Apple icon>system preference>privacy and security>privacy>automation and checked the Illustrator there.
 Restart the machine and check it again. 
 
I actually didn't even have to restart the machine, it just worked. Right after installing a window poped up telling me that Illustrator was requesting access to control the wacom tablet. I hit allow and boom! This fix enables Illustrator 2022 to function as it should with the Wacom Tablet. Hopefully they put out a patch soon that just resolved this within 2022, but for now this will fix it.
 
The only catch here is that Illustartor 2020 no longer seems to be available from the Adobe website or from CC. I had to use a special link provided by the adobe tech. You may need to reach out to adobe to request access to Illustrator 2020.
 
Hope that helps some of you. 

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 26, 2022 Jan 26, 2022

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Thank you!!! I spent 2 days looking at adobe and wacom forums for help and this fixed it! I wasnt able to find an Ai 2020 download link but i found a 2019 and once i installed it, it fixed Ai 2022 not showing up in the "automation" tab in system prefrences, restarted my imac and it worked!

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Explorer ,
Jan 26, 2022 Jan 26, 2022

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No problem. I was in the same boat. Spent over a week and calls with both Adobe and Waycom before someone knew what they were doing and was able to fix it. Glad it was helpful for you.

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New Here ,
Mar 17, 2022 Mar 17, 2022

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I contacted support in March 2022 about getting the Illustrator 2020 version. The guy had me share my screen. Then he downloaded the Adobe Illustrator 2022 PRE-RELEASE. Yay. And it worked 100%. I had tried everything on every forum. But this pre-release worked. Just use their chat and ask for that. 🙂

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 28, 2022 Feb 28, 2022

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Thanks for the help @ignite_mike  and I found another option for those who are in the middle of the project and can't wait for the support:

 

In the Beta Applications section you have the option to download a 2020 version of Illustrator. After the installation, the message came up asking for access to control the Wacom tablet. Confirm this and the entry will be added to the system settings under Automation.

 

You can then uninstall the beta version and the entry will remain, even after a restart.

 

I hope this can help some of you.

 

For me, now I can finally swing the brush again 😉

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Explorer ,
Mar 03, 2022 Mar 03, 2022

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Jumping back in on this one, none of the above worked. Check box for Automation is checked, rebooted many times. Uninstalled and reinstalled. Tried 2022 and 2021. The pressue option works in every other Adobe application just not AI. 
Monterey 12.2.1
AI 2022 and 2021
Tried 2 different models of Wacom on the latest drivers, still always greyed out. Super annoying, how long until we can expect this to be fixed?

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Explorer ,
Mar 03, 2022 Mar 03, 2022

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Automation settings

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Community Expert ,
Mar 04, 2022 Mar 04, 2022

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You need to install version 2020 to make this work. Contact Customer Care to get it: https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html

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Explorer ,
Mar 07, 2022 Mar 07, 2022

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Yeah, unfortunately this will not fly with our users. They would rather not have the pressure option than go back to 2020.
Not really a solution either, Adobe should get this resolved, especially considering it's been going on since Big Sur...

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Explorer ,
Mar 07, 2022 Mar 07, 2022

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Just to clarify, once you install 2020 and go through the steps outlined, is resolved the issue for 2022 as well. You don't need to work in Illustrator 2020, you only need to activate those preferences in 2020, then go back to using 2022 as normal. But I agree, this is an asinine workaround. No excuse for not patching this long ago.

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