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RogerCS
Participant
November 16, 2017
Answered

Why does everything want to open in Illustrator?

  • November 16, 2017
  • 22 replies
  • 29071 views

Since October 2017 it seems Adobe Illustrator has made itself the default application for opening everything (I'm on a Mac running Adobe CC 2015 version)?

 

PNG screen grabs - double click they now open in Illustrator instead of Preview

PDF files - double click they now open in Illustrator instead of Acrobat

The same applies to TXT files, DOC files, PSD files, HTML files... even if I try to 'View Source' of an email in Outlook - it always opens it (or tries to) in Illustrator.

 

I tried the advice of selecting the file on the desktop, select Apple and 'i' to view document info, and then changing the default application back to what it should be (and selecting 'Change All' so all similar files default the same) - which works for a few days, but then it all defaults back to Illustrator again!

 

Perhaps I'm inadvertently doing this somehow?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Monika Gause

Monika,

Thanks a lot for your answer !

i already Repaired the Launch Database with Onyx several time. But as soon as i restart my computer the problem appear again and again.

So this trick doesn't solve the problem at all...


There are a couple of other things you might need to do, such as: wrong icons and OSX doesnt know what program to... | Communities  and maybe even more. I have never had an issue with that, so I never needed to do it.

Bottom line is: this is not an Illustrator issue, but a Finder issue. It happens with other apps as well. You will need to answer this question on an Apple forum, where you will find other people who could solve it.

22 replies

Participant
November 13, 2019

Step 1: Single click a PDF file you wish to open or any PDF file in general while holding the Control key. Then select GET INFO from the menu you’ve opened.

 

Step 2: Click the drop down menu for OPEN WITH.

 

Step 3: Select ADOBE READER [or Acrobat] from the menu.

 

Step 4: Click on the CHANGE ALL button to keep the changes.

 

Worked first time, like a charm. I'm running MacOS Sierra 10.12.6

I’m not the clever one here, this advice was from ZipLogix

PHRESHAIR
Participant
June 12, 2019

SAME PROBLEM HERE.

MacBook Pro 15' 2017 / MOJAVE 10.14.5 (18F132) /  Adobe Illustrator 2019 CC

Known Participant
May 30, 2018

It is happening on my Windows PC too. So glad I found this info.

sebastiáng33787359
Participant
May 2, 2018

Hello Guys I am happy you I am not the only one.

I have El Capital and experiencing the same issue.

No Idea why and still nothing works, very anoying

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 2, 2018

  schrieb

Hello Guys I am happy you I am not the only one.

I have El Capital and experiencing the same issue.

No Idea why and still nothing works, very anoying

Please read post #53

Participant
January 19, 2019

I found this to be very helpful...

 

Windows or a Mac?

 

On a PC, you should be able to fix this by going into the Help menu in Acrobat and select to repair the installation. You can also open up Acrobat's Preferences, then go to the "General" category and change the default PDF handler.

 

On a Mac, right-click (or Ctrl-click) on any PDF file and select "Get Info". Change the "Open with" setting, and click on the "Change all..." button.

 

Karl Heinz

 

 

 

[ private informations removed by moderator --> Email signatures and personal information ]

Participant
April 8, 2018

I have had the same problem for tow or three months now - with Illustrator opening all jpeg, png and some other files by defalt, regardless of clicking the 'Always' button in the Get Info dialog box. It's really irritating.

I have CS4 and El Capitan

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 8, 2018

  schrieb

I have had the same problem for tow or three months now - with Illustrator opening all jpeg, png and some other files by defalt, regardless of clicking the 'Always' button in the Get Info dialog box. It's really irritating.

I have CS4 and El Capitan

Please read answer #48 - does that work for you?

Participant
March 28, 2018

I've been having the same problem since last fall, with everything wanting to open in Illustrator. Weirdly, what worked for me was to Quit Firefox, double-click on an image to open it with Firefox off, then reopen Firefox.

So far, so good. Even with Firefox back on, all my images are again opening automatically in Preview. From what I've read in various places, it's a conflict of some kind with Firefox. There are all kinds of weird and wonderful things you can do with .plist and .sandbox, but it seems to reset itself just as well if you just quit out of Firefox, open an image, then reopen Firefox. Not sure yet how well it works over the long term, but if it happens again, I'll just do the same thing.

For the record, I'm using El Capitan and CC-whatever-is-newest, and was driven so bananas that I wanted to ditch Adobe-everything.

Good luck everyone!

AnnaLenaK
Participant
March 27, 2018

Having had this problem too (El Capitan, Illustrator CS3), I've been visiting this thread from time to time when the problem got on my nerves … Indeed, the problem appeared with other Apps too from time to time.

There seems to be a solution or workaround where I'd never expected: Firefox Quantum seems to be the "culprit": Have a look at this thread and the references bugzilla entry:

Resolved - something keeps changing my "open with" defaults | MacRumors Forums

1437281 - OSX dragging image to desktop changes OSX File associations

Looks familiar? I gave it a try. Let me know it it worked for you.

Participating Frequently
March 27, 2018

Wow!  Thanks, AnnaLenaK.  That is good info.

I do use Firefox as my default browser.

Participant
March 24, 2018

I found a temporary solution: uninstall Illustrator until I get a grip on this.

Participating Frequently
March 24, 2018

I also have a problem where text files open with MS Word instead of BB Edit.

I can change the "Open with" default but it eventually reverts back.

This is another reason I believe this is a Mac OS X problem; not an Adobe problem.

S4NCH32
Participating Frequently
March 22, 2018

I've been routinely getting this problem for months. "Open with" will fix it for a day or two, then its starts back up again.  Also having issues where "edit original" from indesign opens jpgs/tiffs or psds in illustrator. My experience of CC has been nothing bugs and glitches from the get go! (Mac -El Capitan, CC 2018)

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 22, 2018

S4NCH32  schrieb

I've been routinely getting this problem for months. "Open with" will fix it for a day or two, then its starts back up again.  Also having issues where "edit original" from indesign opens jpgs/tiffs or psds in illustrator. My experience of CC has been nothing bugs and glitches from the get go! (Mac -El Capitan, CC 2018)

Fix your Launch Services on the operating system.

The Apple forum might help you with that.

Participating Frequently
March 22, 2018

Rebuilding Launch Services only fixes the problem temporarily. 

It invariably comes back.

I have been experiencing this problem for many months now.

The only Adobe upgrades I performed were:

    Adobe Acrobat Reader DC,

    Adobe Flash Player and

    Adobe Reader XI.

Most people are experiencing this problem with Mac OS X version 10.11.x (El Capitan).

I suspect it is a bug introduced in an Apple update.

I am pessimistic that Apple will fix that as their support for older OS's is very poor.

enochulus
Participant
March 8, 2018

it's definitely an OS thing. I freelance from home and at a few different places. same problem everywhere.