Unable to edit text in Illustrator

[allan evenas]

I'm having a lot of issues with making changes to text within an existing text box. I used to be able to just select the text box (with existing text in it), click the text tool and insert it anywhere in the text paragraph to make changes but now, I'm having issues just trying to select the text box ( I have "show edges" selected) even when it's on the top layer (and the layer is selected) and then, after multiple "clicks" and it's finally selected,  every time I use the text tool, when I click where I want to insert or update text, I get the default new text box with the large "Lorem Ipsum" greek text in it. I can't insert the text tool within an existing text box to edit the words!  This is unreal! There was never an issue with editing text in the past. Any suggestions?

I'm using an iMac M3, using macOS 15.7.1 and Illustrator 30.1.  This started when I updated Illustrator about a week ago.  HELP PLEASE.

[creative explorer · Accepted solution]

@allan evenas I don't have this issue...sometimes, when updating to the latest and greatest, there are slight changes. It might be your old preferences might be "fighting" the new preferences. You can reset those preferences. 

Let's start with the Lorem Ipsum... Go to Illustrator Preferences, Command K (MAC) or Control K (PC) - Type - Uncheck 'Fill New Type Objects With Placeholder Text'

 With regards to 'select the text box (with existing text in it), click the text tool' — are you not double-clicking on the word? It should select the text. If you need to select the text box, I normally use keyboard shortcuts, Command click (MAC) to select the text to move, or Control. click (PC)  to select the text to move. 

You can also change the 'Selection' & Anchor Display sensitivity in the preferences. Try turning off 'Object Selection by Path Only and I don't have this on, but you can also check your Snap to Point to 3px too. If this is used, you can only select the text box by clicking the tiny baseline of the text, not the letters themselves. I normally have this off as my eye-sight isn't that great to select just the tiny baseline!

Personally, I think once you reset Illustrator's preferences and changing the placeholder text, you should b good to go! 

[allan evenas]

THANK YOU!!!! I had a brain glitch and didn't even think about looking at the preferences! I was so stuck on doing it the way I've always done that it didn't occur to me to look at the preferences!  The solution was actually to uncheck the "Type objects selecton by path only" option!  I can now click and highlight the text! THANK YOU AGAIN!!