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Why does everything want to open in Illustrator?

New Here ,
Nov 16, 2017 Nov 16, 2017

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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?

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Community Expert , Feb 25, 2018 Feb 25, 2018

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.

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Adobe Employee ,
Nov 16, 2017 Nov 16, 2017

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not sure if I understand the issue. Since you said you are using CC 2015 version did you install the October 2017? I can assure Illustrator installer does not change file associations of txt, doc, psd or html files.

I am not sure what changed things on your machine, It is very easy to fix this, however : macOS Sierra: Choose an app to open a file

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New Here ,
Nov 17, 2017 Nov 17, 2017

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Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately I am unable to update my Mac OS to install the latest version of CC (It's an old Mac). It must therefore be my Mac changing things to open everything in Illustrator by default. Yes, your link does work for a day or two, but then it defaults back. Hopefully I'll get a new Mac soon

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 18, 2017 Nov 18, 2017

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I am having the same issue. I don't know what changed but now Illustrator has become the default application for opening almost EVERYTHING. I can't imagine going into every file to change it back to preview or acrobat. I'm on el capitan so pretty up to date with illustrator CC. I opened up illustrator to work on a file and then it became the default for everything.

Thanks

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Community Expert ,
Nov 18, 2017 Nov 18, 2017

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joesgrille  schrieb

I can't imagine going into every file to change it back to preview or acrobat.

You don't have to.

Please read the link Ashutosh posted. The procedure hasn't changed in years.

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 18, 2017 Nov 18, 2017

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That works for about a day and then everything defaults back to opening in illustrator again. And then the "Preview" app option disappears from the Get Info menu as an option- you have to physically relink it to get it to show up again. This has been happening for about 2 weeks, ever since I opened illustrator to work on a file (I don't usually use illustrator).

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Community Expert ,
Nov 18, 2017 Nov 18, 2017

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joesgrille  schrieb

That works for about a day and then everything defaults back to opening in illustrator again. And then the "Preview" app option disappears from the Get Info menu as an option- you have to physically relink it to get it to show up again. This has been happening for about 2 weeks, ever since I opened illustrator to work on a file (I don't usually use illustrator).

That sounds like something is going very bad in your system.

Illustrator doesn't manipulate this. You might want to set up a new user account on your system and see if it still goes wrong.

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New Here ,
Nov 19, 2017 Nov 19, 2017

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This question is NOT answered - since the latest update of CC all image and text files - in fact pretty much all file formats - are opening with Illustrator.  Yes this can be changed as usuallfor all the various file types and 24 hours later the problem reappears.  So clearly something has happened to cause this issue.  The OS has not been update (El Capitan 10.11.6) and no other software has been installed - the only upgrade has been the CC suite... Any more ideas?

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 19, 2017 Nov 19, 2017

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Thank you so much- It's always so good to know it is a common issue and not just on my computer!! Hopefully we will get an answer

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Community Expert ,
Nov 20, 2017 Nov 20, 2017

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You might want to read this:

Rebuild LaunchServices to Fix Duplicates in OS X's 'Open With' Menu

As this includes Terminal operations respectively some deeper actions in your system, you might want to validate all the tipps against other sources before you hack your system.

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New Here ,
Nov 21, 2017 Nov 21, 2017

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I went through these options and as expected it fixed the issue - for 24 hours.  Back to the same situation now with all files being opened by Illustrator. No software updates or system changes / installs since running the suggested commands.

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Community Expert ,
Nov 21, 2017 Nov 21, 2017

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Something is going very wrong in your system, but it has nothing to do with Illustrator.

You should contact Apple service.

Of course you might try if Adobe Customer Care is able to fix it, go here:

Contact Customer Care

The forum cannot help you with this since someone needs to take a look at your computer.

Helping here might include that you need to create a new user account.

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 21, 2017 Nov 21, 2017

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That's incorrect. It is not her system. I have had the exact same experience after opening up illustrator for the first time in many months. Illustrator was the cause. It started taking over opening every file by making itself the default after that. It is not a user account or a system issue. It is an illustrator issue.

Thanks in advance for helping us this the problem!

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Community Expert ,
Nov 21, 2017 Nov 21, 2017

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Illustrator cannot override the system on its own.

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 04, 2018 Feb 04, 2018

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My mac is doing this too, and it's a 2015 model. It didn't start until recently with CC2017 or 2018, and it's been pissing me off.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2018 Feb 04, 2018

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File type association and launching/focusing the app that opens a file is handled by the Finder and not by the app. It looks like there may be an issue with OS X in this case, since this happens with other applications as well, see: wrong icons and OSX doesnt know what program to... |Official Apple Support Communities

Also related:

Rebuild LaunchServices to Fix Duplicates in OS X's 'Open With' Menu

As this includes Terminal operations respectively some deeper actions in your system, you might want to validate all the tipps against other sources before you hack your system.

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 17, 2018 Jan 17, 2018

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Yes it does open those files and it changes them to Illustrator. Now programs that don't recognize .ai files don't recognize files EVEN THOUGH they have .pdf file endings and EVEN THOUGH I scan them the same HP scanner I have used for at least two years and  which never gave me a problem before this month. This is an Illustrator issue judging by the people below who have the same problem.

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Community Expert ,
Jan 18, 2018 Jan 18, 2018

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File type association and launching/focusing the app that opens a file is handled by the Finder and not by the app. It looks like there may be an issue with OS X in this case, since this happens with other applications as well, see: wrong icons and OSX doesnt know what program to... |Official Apple Support Communities

So you also might want to post your issues on the Apple forums.

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New Here ,
Jan 19, 2018 Jan 19, 2018

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I too have tried everything. Nothing works. The links you post do not help. Perhaps something Illustrator might address with Apple?

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Community Expert ,
Jan 19, 2018 Jan 19, 2018

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Please post your issues in the Apple forum. This is a Finder issue.

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 28, 2018 Jan 28, 2018

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I used the following instructions found on the Apple forum (the Official Apple Support Commmunity link Monika posted above): Default app opener may be a corrupt preference file. So in Finder, click on Go in the menubar, click on Go To Folder and enter this text ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist, click Go. A Finder window will open up with the file highlighted. move this file to the Trash, don't empty the trash. Restart your mac, open the info for a jpeg image, select Preview as the default app to open it and click on Change All. Now restart you mac again and see if these settings have stuck.

The files now open in PREVIEW as I want them to. I've scanned files in and they seem to be okay. But I hesitate to mark this problem solved until I use Illustrator again and see if the problem reoccurs.

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New Here ,
Feb 07, 2018 Feb 07, 2018

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I'm having the same issue and keep doing "Get Info...Open with...and clicking on Change all" but that isn't working for me either or like you never stays permanent! Illustrator seems to be the go to program to open EVERYTHING!!!

I tried the method of going to the folder "Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist" but I can't even find that file.


Moderators PLEASE change the Assumed Answered to completely NOT ANSWERED so someone at Adobe can solved this problem! I still have this issue and this post as of right now has answered it.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 07, 2018 Feb 07, 2018

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Please refer to the Apple forum. This is not an Illustrator issue. This is a Finder issue.

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New Here ,
Jan 11, 2018 Jan 11, 2018

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Hi. I saw this post and was terribly excited, because I have had this same problem, with Illustrator becoming the default for a lot of different files (.pdf, .jpg, .txt, etc). But now that I've read it, this hasn't actually been answered. That link from above is just a basic function that most know how to do on OSX, including me. I've done it maybe 100 times now. It still reverts back to being Illustrator as the default after a few openings. Does anyone have any recent updates since November? Please let me know, this is driving me crazy.

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New Here ,
Jan 13, 2018 Jan 13, 2018

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Same thing keeps happening to me too. No matter how many times I 'change to all' it just keeps reverting back to illustrator. I am close to completely removing Illustrator from my mac it's annoying me that much. After doing more google searching I have seen many others with the same issue but no solution. Only people saying to 'Get Info' and 'Change all'

Could it be a firefox update? Problem did start around the same time I did an update where it has this nice new screenshots feature. But after looking around firefox options and prefs I am still unable to fix issue. So back to square 1. I will keep checking back in to see if anyone has found a solution.

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