Freeform Gradient points disappear

[Guest]

I experience a problem with freeform gradient tool after updating to the latest version of Illustrator. The issue is objects with freeform gradient applied become uneditable after saving and reopening the document. This only happens to the freeform gradient tool, other gradient tools work fine.

When reopening the document, the rectangle (number 1) still shows the colours I chose but the freeform gradient points are not there to edit.

The rectangle apparently has been masked and when I release the masking, it becomes rectangle number 2, and still uneditable. It appears like an image.

I've never experienced this before. Can anyone give me solutions and advice? Thank you.

[Ton Frederiks]

As what version did you save the Illustrator file?

Older version did not have the freeform gradient and saving in such an older file format makes it uneditable.

[Guest]

It's Illustrator 2020. Originally the file was created using older version. I resaved the file,  ut it still didn't solve the problem.

[Monika Gause]

Did you just save the file after creating the freeform gradient?

In that case you saved it to the old version.

You would needed to "Save as" in order to save it to the current version.

[Guest]

I did save as the document.

[Kurt Gold]

Can you share the original Illustrator file (the one that was created in an older version of Illustrator)?

[Guest]

No, because I already replace it with the latest version.

[Guest]

Fyi, I tried to create a new object with freeform gradient tool in a new document and it works fine. I don't know why with that particular document, the tool doesn't work properly.

[Ton Frederiks]

That is correct, if you create a new document it automatically saves as the latest version. If you open an old document and use new features, it saves as the old document file format you will get a warning like this: