Why can't I press enter to start a new line of text?

[georgiakelley]

Nothing happens when I press the Enter/return key when I'm typing in Illustrator. I want to type:

Fitness
Center

but I can only type
Fitness Center

Any ideas?

[Monika Gause]

Press Return instead.

[georgiakelley]

Enter/Return are the same key

[Monika Gause]

Then you're on Windows?

Connect a different keyboard and try again.

[georgiakelley]

No I'm on a Macbook Pro.

So you think it's just my keyboard? In other programs like photoshop and word I can use the enter key.

I appreciate you trying to help! This is an annoying problem

[Monika Gause]

If it works in other apps then the hardware most likely is not the issue.

But there are system extentions or other apps that might interfere with the keyboard.

What is running when you use Illustrator? Especially apps that connect to the internet are known to cause this kind of problems.

[georgiakelley]

Photoshop, Outlook, and Google Chrome are the other applications open. Maybe I will restart my computer? Or maybe I have a bug?

[Jacob Bugge]

Ally,

Is the Enter/Return key working in other connexions?

If it is, it may be time for the list, hoping for one of the easy ones at the top.

Sometimes, (certain) things may fail or stop working for no apparent reason. When the (other) possible reasons/cures fail to work, it may be some kind of (temporay or permanent) corruption which may be cured with something on the following list. It starts with a few easy and harmless suggestions 1) and 2) for milder cases, and goes on with two alternative ways 3) and 4) of clearing preferences (irreversible and reversible), then follows a list 5) of various other possibilities, and it ends with a full reinstallation 6). If no other suggestions work, or if no other suggestions appear, you may start on the list and decide how far to go.

The following is a general list of things you may try when

A) The issue is not in a specific file,

B) You have a printer correctly installed, connected, and turned on if it is physical printer (you may use Adobe PDF/Acrobat Distiller as the default printer with no need to have a printer turned on, obviously you will need to specify when you actually need to print on paper), and

C) It is not caused by issues with opening a file from external media (see at the bottom).

You may have tried/done some of them already; 1) and 2) are the easy ones for temporary strangenesses, and 3) and 4) are specifically aimed at possibly corrupt preferences); 5) is a list in itself, and 6) is the last resort.

If possible/applicable, you should save current artwork first, of course.

1) Close down Illy and open again;

2) Restart the computer (you may do that up to at least 5 times);

3) Close down Illy and press Ctrl+Alt+Shift/Cmd+Option+Shift during startup (easy but irreversible);

4) Move the folder (follow the link with that name) with Illy closed (more tedious but also more thorough and reversible), for CS3 - CC you may find the folder here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/preference-file-location-illustrator.html

5) Look through and try out the relevant among the Other options (follow the link with that name, Item 7) is a list of usual suspects among other applications that may disturb and confuse Illy, Item 15) applies to CC, CS6, and maybe CS5);

Even more seriously, you may:

6) Uninstall (ticking the box to delete the preferences), run the Cleaner Tool (if you have CS3/CS4/CS5/CS6/CC), and reinstall. It is important to use this full three step way: otherwise, things may linger.

http://www.adobe.com/support/contact/cscleanertool.html

[georgiakelley]

Great, thanks for the extensive list of solutions! I will let you know what works. Thanks-appreciate it!

[Jacob Bugge]

You are welcome, Ally, and thank you.

Most likely you may skip 5).

[Guest]

Not sure if you've already tried this - I didn't see it noted in any of the comments above

Have you tried holding Shift when hitting Return/Enter? This is typically used in other software as a soft line break, and in some software it's the way to indicate to the software that you want a new line rather than executing/initiating a command (similar to how commenting on Facebook will send the comment with Return/Enter, but Shift+Return/Enter will create a new line so you can continue typing)

[AfterdarkMedia]

Thank you! Helped me today!