Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
When entering a new feature request, please provide:
- Description
- Why is this valuable to you?
4725 results found
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Introduce a tolerance for Snap to Grid / Pixel, so that snapping happens only when points are close enough to grid intersections
When Snap to Grid is enabled, the snapping is hard — a dragged point is always constrained to the grid intersections. While sometimes it’s handy, at other times is just too rigid, especially if you zoom in and try to make tiny adjustments. Paired with the fact we can’t toggle snapping temporarily on the fly, this makes it into 'try, curse, undo, disable, try again' routine. Same applies to Snap to Pixel.
Compare how Affinity Designer handles it (the turquoise GIF) with the way Ai uses (the orange GIF).
4 votes -
Make Create Gradient from swatches command to respect the order of selection
Recently Illustrator added a dedicated command to create a gradient form selected swatches, following this request: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/38592196
While the function works, there is no way to create a gradient respecting the selection order of swatches — the gradient will always use their order in the panel. I wish it worked! If we need the direct order of swatches, we’d just selected like this.
4 votes -
4 votes
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Create a symbol without replacing art with the symbol.
I would like a switch in the New Symbol dialogue to allow me to leave the original art on the canvas instead of replacing it with a symbol.
Also it would be nice to be able to make a symbol out of the entire contents of a layer nested in another layer without the entire layer being replaced by the symbol.
I use symbols in weird ways and both of these behaviors annoy the heck out of me.
4 votes -
All Inputs / Panels Follow Dimension Tool Scale
I want to be able to create and edit all of my art in scale.
Example
I would like to be able to make a 2" rectangle in 1:2 scale and have it illustrator draw me a 1" square on the page.
This would be very powerful for things when expanded to the object info box to get area and path dimensions, being able to make a font 3' tall in the character panel.
Every place that you can control shapes with math, it would be amazing to be able to do it to scale in the program without having…4 votes -
Knobs.
Just more knobs. There should be a knob next to every input that takes an angle value. The Scribble effect has one. The Gradient palette doesn't. The Transform palette has one but it could use another one along with a couple of text input boxes as an option to move an object a specified distance along a particular angle instead of moving it in X and Y. The angle value in the transform section of Properties doesn't have a knob. Scatter brush options have two horizontal sliders and no knobs. Put a knob next to each of those sliders.
Go…
4 votes -
Local saves with Version control
We need an option to create a project file that cannot be saved over. The reason for this is that when working with a client who has many options, we sometimes need to step back in time or recover older versions from unexpected changes.
Similar to an Illustrator template file (.ait), we could have a format like .aiv or .aivi. This way, when I save flyer.aiv, every save will generate a backup file flyer-250204817.ai next to the current file.
It would also be useful to have an option in a settings pane to save a backup every other save and…
4 votes -
Panelize Blend Options, Offset Path, etc.
In pre-2020 Illustrator versions, the Path -> Simplify tool was a window. Post 2020, it got changed into a live panel which, when opened, doesn't halt the focus and lets you change settings while you move around the artboard with the Hand tool or Zoom in or such.
It is sadly the only "classic" Object tool that got this treatment. Other tools, especially Blend Options, Offset Path, Envelope Distort with Warp, etc. would benefit greatly from similar panelisation. It's not a great user experience that I can't zoom or pan while I'm trying to offset my path.4 votes -
Allow to name new artboard copies by incrementing numbers in their names
I often have to make documents with many artboards. And every time when I copy it, Illustrator add " copy" to name.
Common, I name it like "name 01".
I want to in this case the copy of this artboard named "name 02" ...4 votes -
Add a quick way to toggle the alignment of a stoke (Center, Inside, Outside): with Opt/Alt-click and/or a hotkey
There are many modes, states, values in Ai that require precise clicking in a tiny button or a field to toggle or change. We need faster ways to access these.
A keyboard shortcut to quickly toggle how the current stroke is aligned would be nice to have... for those who prefer clicking, Opt/Alt could be added to avoid precise aiming, just to loop through the modes.
4 votes -
Select all anchor points between two points
Select an anchor point, select another further along the path, and easily select all anchor points in between.
4 votes -
Display names for character alternates
When a singular character is selected, Illustrator shows Character Alternates menu (if one has the option enabled in Preferences > Type).
But while some glyphs look distinct enough, some are obscure.
These have names, Unicode codes (these are displayed in Glyphs)...
What’s good seeing three similar spaces? How can I choose properly from two similar looking small 'a'-s, as shown in the screenshot attached?
Why can’t I see what these character alternates are when I hover over them?4 votes -
Offset Path - Option to offset to one side of path only
I wish the "Offset Path" gave me the option to offset the path to one side of the path only.
When creating labels for linear features on a map it is useful to create an offset version of the line you are labeling (road, river, etc.) and place the type on that path. Sometimes you can just copy the path and nudge it above or below the line that needs to be labeled, and type along that path. But this doesn't always work nicely if the path curves a lot.
Offsetting a single line in Illustrator results in a path…
4 votes -
Add Units Dropdown in Transform section in Properties
I constantly have to change units based on job parameters.
I would like to have a Units dropdown in the Properties panel itself.
Instead of going into Preferences or show rulers to change units, add a dropdown to the Transform section of the panel.4 votes -
Show list of open files in different menu place
The open files are under window menu, that is a large list to scroll and locate the files. I think it will be better to have an open files menu only for that. Also could be nice to have a button to browse them all.
4 votes -
Non-destructive clipping mask options
An option where you take a whole object or group and use it's whole area(including strokes) as a clipping mask for other layers. Similar to what you can do in Photoshop.
So you can create for instance, a shape with stroke and set it as the clipping mask for an underlying texture. Without the need to flatten it, so you can experiment with it, or keep a text live for later editting it.
Or have multiple shapes working as the clipping mask while you are choosing the appropriate combination or later need to adapt to a different format.
4 votes -
Add Font Height Options in Style Settings Panel
Can we get this option added within the Paragraph and Character Style Settings panels?
Currently you can only fix the font height of a Paragraph and Character styles with Em-box as a reference.4 votes -
Right-click on a text style to access the its definition and options
It would be a giant leap forward for Illustrator to match InDesign's UX for paragraph and character styles management.
Allow right-click on a character or paragraph style to access the style definition and options via a context menu: Edit style, Duplicate style, Delete style, Apply style, Redefine style, instead of using the panels’ menus.
Original idea by Alan Gilbertson
4 votes -
Objects on Path should allow snapping to (smart) guides
Hello Creatives,
I hope you enjoy the new handy "objects on path" tool as I do.The Request:
It would be awesome if Objects on Path (New Tool) could snap to smart guides, guides or even - let's go wild - to a grid. As sometimes you work within systems and/or objects are related to each it feels like this feature would make it a really great tool to design with.Kind regards
Andreas4 votes -
When dropping an object filled with a pattern into Swatches panel, open New Swatch dialog to add the pattern as a new swatch
If we drag-n-drop any artwork into Swatches, a new pattern swatch gets created based on this artwork.
But if we drag-n-drop an singular object with an existing pattern applied to it — nothing happens, as if Ai tries to create a nested pattern and refuses to do so. I think it’s quite obvious what a user intends to do in this case... but we get no warning.When we use Pattern Options panel/mode, and fill an object within a pattern with another pattern, and try to save, Ai throws us a message (rather vague — Ai knows for sure what…
4 votes
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