Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
When entering a new feature request, please provide:
- Description
- Why is this valuable to you?
4781 results found
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Set Custom Scale based on artwork for Engineering Plans Measurements
I need to add measurements for lighting layouts, outlets, smoke detectors and fans on electric plans. The current measurement tool has a custom option but it's difficult to figure out the scale when it's 1:98 or 1:49. Trial and error gets frustrating and it's not always 100% correct.
**I need a way I could calibrate a custom scale like in CAD/Bluebeam. So, clicking two points and telling Illustrator that space between equals 4ft so it sets the scale for me. This would be more efficient. **
I know there are other programs I could do this in but I…
4 votes -
Dimension Tool option that creates appropriate size lines, arrows, text, based on the art measured
I work within a wide range of sizes, from very small to very large. 9 times out of 10 I'll go to use the dimension tool and find that the lines, arrows, text, etc. are far too large or small. I'll then go through the tedious process of deleting the dimensions, taking a wild guess that the new input sizes will do the trick, and try again. I like all the detailed controls and don't wish for them to go away, but I'd love the option for a more intuitive sizing result based upon whatever I'm measuring. for example, if…
3 votes -
29.7.1 macOS - PDF Export- Critical Parser failure: Unknown character in content stream
In the macOS version of Adobe Illustrator 29.7.1, there is indeed a critical bug. When exporting files containing a large amount of text that has been converted to outlines, the resulting PDF file becomes corrupted.
To verify the issue, please follow the steps below using the attached file:
1. Launch Adobe Illustrator on macOS (I use Sequoia 15.6)
2. Open the attached .ai file
3. Export the file as a PDF using the “High Quality Print” presetResult: The exported PDF will appear corrupted, just like the attached example. Furthermore, when attempting to open the PDF in Acrobat Pro, the…
1 vote -
Confusing migration confirmation dialogue box
Please fix the confusing migration confirmation dialogue box (popup), which is is needlessly unclear and needs revision. It asks a yes-or-no type question and provides a very clear negative option for a response. However, it provides two options for a positive response (I think), but which are bewildering. Each button just shows a version identifier: 29.7.2, 29.7.1, etc. Is this the new version and the version I was using last? Is this two versions where settings were detected? What version am I using when I see this? (Hmmm. I don't know. I can't check without answering first.) What happens when…
1 vote -
Window > Arrange > Swap
If you have two documents open and you enable "Window > Arrange > Tile" you get both windows side by side.
By default you get the first-opened document on the left and the second on the right.
"Swap" function would exchange positions of the windows.
In order to do this without Swap, I have to do a manual tab shuffle to make this work and it's not as easy as it seems.
2 votes -
Allow Figma-like zoom in and out on Mac with holding Cmd and moving 2 fingers instead of pinching
On a Mac to zoom in and out in Illustrator when no external mouse is connected we need to pinch together our fingers. That sucks and fingers hurt over time. In Figma I can just press Command and then move 2 fingers together (no uncomfortable pinching needed) to zoom in and out very quickly and precisely.
Illustrator NEEDS this as well!
It's what I do all day long and it sucks really.2 votes -
Better Interface for Document Setup / Artboard properties
When working with only one Artboard (in my case: 99% of my projects), it feels very uncomfortable to change the size via Document Setup - this shows a button 'Edit Artboards'. Clicking that button doesn't give any feedback to the user. We still have to find and click 'Properties'. Three clicks for such a fundamentals task. My requests:
1. Please integrate the Artboard size of a single Artboard document directly in the Document Setup panel.
2. When clicking 'Edit Artboards', open or bring to front the Properties panel.
3. Add a list or dropdown of existing Artboards in the Document…2 votes -
Overset Text Warning on Outline
Outlining a textbox which contains overset text should trigger an alert.
This would help to avoid inadvertent loss of that overset text.
The alert could include [Cancel] and [Ignore / Continue] buttons.Below is a link to a suggested function which would help the user find and resolve any overset text:
https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/50350404--find-overset-text-function3 votes -
Scale hidden objects within a group.
Objects in a group that are hidden should scale along with the rest of the group, like they do in Photoshop. (Or it should at least be an option alongside the "scale strokes & effects" option.)
It makes absolutely no sense for them to be left behind.
Construction lines & other elements that form part of a build (but are usually hidden) cannot always be grouped separately in order to make their management easier. Sometimes there are many, many elements interspersed amongst a build that need to remain there but to have them switched on can make scaling & positioning…
1 voteThe behavior differs on how the objects get hidden and selected. Jump into comments for the explanation if something like this happens for you.
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I would like the Share for Review links to show the file name instead of the random letters and numbers.
I would like the Share for Review links to show the file name instead of the random letters and numbers. When I have 90 documents to share among a dozen reviewers, they get really hard to track.
2 votes -
Make it possible to select objects using a path.
It would be very useful to be able select individual objects in a document using a path which touches each of those objects or lies entirely within the path, or both, with each option being selectable by the user.
5 votes -
A key to reverse "object selection by path only" while using selection tools.
Mostly I like to work with this setting off but there are times when it would really be nice to turn it on by holding down a key while clicking in the middle of a path.
I don't know what key to suggest, command swaps selection for direct selection (and vice-versa), alt widens the selection of the direct selection tool and does nothing for selection, shift adds to/subtracts fom the selection. Maybe `?
4 votes -
Rescale Recolor Window
It would be awesome if it was possible to rescale the Recolor Window or even the smooth & segmented color wheels on the Edit tab of the Recolor Window.
With the size now, it's difficult to control changes without changing each color individually in the Assign tab because of how small the color wheels are on the Edit tab. This challenge becomes worse when an illustration has more colors, especially when individual colors' small circles overlap with the bigger selection's circle.
Being able to rescale the Recolor Window or the color wheels would help users better tweak their illustrations (especially…
2 votes -
Add 'bold/heavy' and 'italic/oblique' and similar features to the Font filter options.
I'm sitting here designing a character for my current comic, and part of this task involves deciding which font works best for their dialogue. Or which font family; I need to have at least one option for emphasis. Maybe two, bold and italic kind of imply different tones of voice.
I have a lot of fonts that are parts of families and have italic/oblique/bold/heavy/black variants. I also have variable fonts that include weight and angle/*****/etc sliders. And I also have a lot of fonts that have none of these options.
It would be very helpful if I could tell Illustrator…
3 votes -
Fill/Outline Color Palettes
My suggestion is to add an option of separate color palette view for the fill and outline color control menus.
When I select a shape to view or to spec its color fill or outline, it shows the RGB/CMYK slider menu for one but not the other.
I then have to select the opposite to view or spec its color or to no color. I would like to have the option of viewing the color slider menus that shows fill and outline color simultaneously. This would speed up creating and be more efficient to me. Thank you.2 votes -
Please revert to data recovery files being saved as .ai files instead of .aishm files that can't be opened.
Have the data recovery files save as .ai files that you can actually open and work on, rather than .aishm files that are unopenable.
What's the use of data recovery files that you can't open?
4 votes -
Add Option to Save Both Editable and Outlined Text PDFs Simultaneously
As a graphic designer, I often need to provide clients with both editable and outlined text versions of my work. Currently, this requires manually saving two separate files: one with editable text and another with text converted to outlines.
I propose adding a feature in Adobe Illustrator's "Save As PDF" dialog that allows users to check an option like:
"Would you like to save two versions of this file? (Editable text and Outlined text)"
Upon selection, Illustrator would automatically generate:
filename_editable.pdf
filename_outlined.pdf
This enhancement would streamline the workflow, reduce the risk of errors, and save valuable time for designers.
Thank…
3 votes -
Allow to customize color of text used by Distance Guides
Recently Illustrator received Distance Guides (can be disabled in Preferences > Smart Guides > Invoke Distance Guides), thanks to this request: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/34302196 (it uses Opt/Alt, not Cmd/Ctrl)
For some reason the color of text in these is black — while the lines use the one set for object guides (magenta by default today). It makes it very hard to see when working with dark designs.
Dimension Tool uses magenta color for the same text... I think it should be either magenta as well, or a separate option should be used to set the color.
7 votes -
Align By and Align To separate per object aligned — a new tool and mode (with preview)
Current alignment in Illustrator is barely sufficient. I should be able to align any object or path by any point to any object or path by any point.
Perhaps if you created an alignment tool that allows us to select not only the alignment objects, but the points for each object to align by then your alignment methods would be so much more robust.
Using the align tool would create a list of alignment participants on a slide-out panel. When selecting an element to align, you would pick from one of the 9 reference points or click anywhere on the…
2 votes -
Add Image Trace presets for QR codes and other barcodes
One of the most common issues I have is receiving QR codes or barcodes from a customer as low-resolution JPEGs or PNGs. Asking customers to understand which formats from online generators are vector formats is always an issue.
While I know I can technically regenerate the QR code with an online generator, it feels like a natural extension of the existing Image Trace function to be able to recognise QR codes or barcodes and to snap the vector artwork to a proper grid.
This could be implemented with something like "snap points to 90° angles" or something, but I think…
4 votes
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