Sampling colors outside of Illustrator

[jay fresno]

I used to be able to use the Eyedropper tool to copy colors anywhere on my computer -- web pages, other applications, and so forth. I start by holding down the Eyedropper and dragging outside the Illustrator window without letting go of the mouse until the mouse is on top of the color I want.

For some reason, I cannot do that anymore. Does anyone know why or how to make the eyedropper work the way it used to?

[Doug A Roberts]

still works that way for me. which version of illustrator? which OS? are you using more than one monitor?

[jay fresno]

Windows 7, only one monitor, Illustrator CC 2018. Failed on two different computers.

[jane-e]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/jay+fresno  wrote

. I start by holding down the Eyedropper and dragging outside the Illustrator window without letting go of the mouse until the mouse is on top of the color I want.

There is one step I am not reading, so I don't know if you are doing it or not:

• Select the Eyedropper tool (okay to let go)
• Press and hold inside Illustrator (this is what you didn't write)
• Drag from inside Illustrator to outside Illustrator until the mouse is on the color you want
• Release the mouse

[jay fresno]

Yes, that's exactly what I do, but you explained it better.

[jay fresno]

Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't work, it usually changes the active color to black or gray instead of the actual color that the Eyedropper is sampling.

[jane-e · Accepted solution]

Check the Fill / Stroke box to confirm you are on the Fill.

And remember it's the tip of the mouse that's active. So if you put most of the mouse on something orange, but the tiny tip is on something black, you will pick up black.

[jay fresno]

Hard to say now, but yesterday when I tried it, it may have been the fill/stroke issue.

Today, trying it on a different computer, after your suggestions, I put the cap lock key down so that I could see exactly where the eyedropper was, and it worked.

Thank you for your helpful suggestions.

[jane-e]

Oh hooray! I love that feature too, and would hate it if it stopped working.

[Steve Werner]

It works for me in both Safari and Firefox on my Macintosh with Illustrator CC 2019 (23.0.4).

[Cacho0D45]

Jay,

thats really helpful, CAPS LOCK! and all in one monitor (using PC 2020 ilustrator version)
Tks

[hasans29954615]

This feature does not work on new internet browsers. Must be updated absolutely.

[hasans29954615]

I will report a bug. But I do not know where I should go.

[Monika Gause]

  schrieb

I will report a bug. But I do not know where I should go.

http://illustrator.uservoice.com

[Rob Ainscough]

This is NOT solution for me. 

I've tried everything listed here and on YouTube videos and I can't get Illustrator 2019 to work on any web site or app external to illustrator.  Works find within Illustrator, but as soon as I move the eye dropper outside of illustrator and hover over the external element it never changes color, and no matter what I release on it comes out black fill.

This is really frustrating, something that works in Photoshop doesn't work in Illustrator ... does the left hand talk to the right hand at all in Adobe, or do the software engineers work in departmental vacuums?

Rob.

[Monika Gause]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Rob+Ainscough  schrieb

This is NOT solution for me. 

I've tried everything listed here and on YouTube videos and I can't get Illustrator 2019 to work on any web site or app external to illustrator.  Works find within Illustrator, but as soon as I move the eye dropper outside of illustrator and hover over the external element it never changes color, and no matter what I release on it comes out black fill.

This is really frustrating, something that works in Photoshop doesn't work in Illustrator ... does the left hand talk to the right hand at all in Adobe, or do the software engineers work in departmental vacuums?

Rob.

No problem to pick up colors from a web site (Mac OS 10.12, Safari and Illustrator 23)

I just don't know why I would want to do it, because color management (or the lack thereof) would kick in and I would need to double check if it's really the color used on the web site anyway.

[Doug A Roberts]

Checking both CC2018 and 2019 now on Windows 10, I'm seeing a different in browsers. It doesn't work in Chrome or Edge, but works in Firefox.

[Rob Ainscough]

Yes ... not working for Chrome or Edge or IE11 for that matter.  I don't have Firefox nor Safari.

Oddly the eye dropper does work in Photoshop with Chrome and Edge, but NOT in Illustrator?

So the "working" code obviously exists, unfortunate that Adobe don't development teams don't seem to "share" their code??

Cheers, Rob.

[Steve Werner]

Development on Adobe applications doesn't usually allow sharing a "cup of code" from one app to another.

Certain features can used shared libraries (creating PDF, I think is one), but not for more general functions.

[Sarah22142571qkul · Accepted solution]

For anyone looking at this after 2020 from a Mac... you want to make sure Adobe Illustrator is ALLOWED to see your screen. Go to system preferences, click security and privacy. Click Privacy, and then make sure under screen recording that Adobe Illustrator is allowed.

[Madeline Nicole]

This is the only thing that worked! What a lifesaver! Thank you tons! This also applies if you get a new computer as well.

[Can22239585qjbw]

Hi i am a total newbie and could not find about an updated solution to this issue, 

I am using a win10 laptop, 2019 illustrator CC and could not pick any color via eyedropper tool on a different file within or outside illustrator. Any idea about how? 

Thanks in advance.

[Jenna23193490a1wy]

YES! This solved it! Thank you.

[thebeastisback]

Thank you for this solve! I wouldn't have known where to look otherwise.

[Milan Vokoun]

Hi I have the same issue but on a PC, can't for the life of me find security and privacy settings under preferences.  

This is what I found doesn't work:

1. Chrome 107.0.5304.88 (64bit) colorpicking - my only fix is to do a screenshot with FastStone Capture and colorpick the screenshot...that works.

Thanks for your help.