Skip to content

Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests

← Adobe Illustrator

When entering a new feature request, please provide:

  1. Description
  2. Why is this valuable to you?

How can we improve Illustrator (desktop)? Vote or share a new idea — one request per entry, please.

(thinking…)

Enter your idea and we'll search to see if someone has already suggested it.

If a similar idea already exists, you can support and comment on it.

If it doesn't exist, you can post your idea so others can support it.

Enter your idea and we'll search to see if someone has already suggested it.

  • Hot ideas
  • Top ideas
  • New ideas
  • My feedback

4689 results found

  1. 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” preset

    Result: The exported PDF will appear corrupted, just like the attached example. Furthermore, when attempting to open the PDF in Acrobat Pro, the…

    1 vote
    2 comments  ·  File Save, Import and Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  2. 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
    2 comments  ·  User Interface  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  3. 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
    2 comments  ·  User Interface  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  4. 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
    1 comment  ·  User Interface  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  5. 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-function

    3 votes
    0 comments  ·  Type, Fonts, Text  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  6. 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 vote
    2 comments  ·  Other...  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  7. Configurable Trim Marks

    TL/DR: It would be incredibly helpful and relatively simple for AI's developers to let users configure the parameters of auto-generated trim marks.

    I've been using AI for three decades and somehow, even though I have been doing this the hard way that entire time, it never dawned on me until today to request this: configurable Trim Marks, both in Object: Create Trim Marks and Effect: Trim Marks. This is similar to the following request except that that one doesn't include the why that I feel is important:
    https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/41926273-set-the-size-and-offset-of-effect-crop-marks-whi

    AI specifically creates trim marks in one very specific way: .5" .3pt…

    6 votes
    2 comments  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  8. One-Click Unit Preset Switching (Print/Web)

    As a designer working across both print and web media, I’d like to propose a feature that would greatly improve workflow efficiency in applications like Illustrator and Photoshop.

    A one-click unit preset switcher that allows users to toggle between unit/dpi settings optimized for different use cases.

    For example:
    Print preset: mm, 300dpi
    Web preset: px, 72dpi

    This could be a simple toggle in the toolbar or a quick-access dropdown in the settings panel.

    2 votes
    2 comments  ·  User Interface  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  9. 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
    1 comment  ·  Selection  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  10. Allow to set custom default layer colors, with options

    In 2017 we asked to allow to customize colors for layers, so that edges drawn for object didn’t burn our eyes out: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/31535431

    In 2020 Illustrator team removed yellow color from the default 5th color for new layers, shifting the order, but never did anything with cyan, gray, black...

    We need an ability to set up our own order for these colors.

    We need to be able to store these as presets, so we can switch these.

    We need a way to make a certain order preferred in a template or a document profile.

    We need an ability to remap…

    39 votes
    9 comments  ·  Layers  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  11. Please allow currentColor for SVG export

    Using SVG in web development frequently requires manual editing of the svg code, to use currentColor instead of a fixed fill or stroke colour.

    3 votes
    5 comments  ·  File Save, Import and Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  12. 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
    1 comment  ·  Type, Fonts, Text  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  13. 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
    3 comments  ·  File Save, Import and Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  14. Objects on Path needs a way to control spacing / gaps precisely, with a value

    At the moment we can’t control spacing (gaps) between objects on path ion the new Objects on Path type of object (what a beautiful sentence).

    We can only eyeball it with a slider, which is incrementing by points (despite me having set millimeters as my ruler units).

    There is no field I can type something like 0.125 mm, or at least a modifier key (like Cmd/Ctrl) to make the slider go slower ×10 (or any other value I choose somewhere in Preferences or at least in Adobe Prefs file, buried in Ai’s folders).

    Perhaps yo should also allow us to…

    15 votes
    5 comments  ·  Align, Distribute  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  15. Ability to turn off all tips/tours

    I have seen the same blue warning message about discontinuing PMS colors over and over no matter how many times I dismiss. I've been using this software for 20 years. I don't need tips. I especially don't need tips multiple times. Can we have a one stop shop to turn off all of this stuff? They seem to get more intrusive with every update.

    3 votes
    0 comments  ·  User Interface  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  16. 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
    2 comments  ·  File Save, Import and Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  17. Allow export file name to be customized

    Currently, if I try to export all artboards separately, the export function automatically adds "{ArtBoardName}". For example, if the filename is ABC, and the artboards are 01 and 02, then I get two files: ABC01 and ABC_02. As far as I know, we cannot customize how the file name output format is. So if I want to have the filename to be using "ABC - 01" and "ABC - 02", t hen I would have export everything and then rename them. I think it would be useful to have a way to customize how the name should be…

    2 votes
    0 comments  ·  File Save, Import and Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  18. Always Scale Proportionally when Shift Constraint is held using the Scale tool

    Holding SHIFT to constrain scaling proportionally should always constrain as long as shift is held.

    Using the Scale tool (s) if you hold shift and scale, you need to stay close to a 45 degree path when dragging in order to keep the proportions locked. Illustrator EASILY unlocks the proportionate scaling when the users deviates a small amount from 45 degrees. It's very easy to do as a user and the amounts can be small depending on the degree the user moves. So it's very very easy to accidentally scale something to almost proportional size such as w:100% h: 92%…

    2 votes
    1 comment  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  19. Add advanced toolbar customization – icon direction, shape, and layout

    I’m a long-time Illustrator user, and I’d love to see more customization options for the toolbar.

    Specifically, please consider allowing:
    1. Icon direction control (e.g., flipping the Pen Tool from "/" to "\")
    2. Alternate icon shapes (simple, minimal, or text-based modes)
    3. Full customization of toolbar layout, size, and colors
    4. Save/load toolbar presets for different workflows

    This would help users with visual sensitivities or those who prefer ergonomic workspaces. It can also enhance accessibility for neurodivergent users. Thank you!

    2 votes
    1 comment  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

  20. Please show that a document is loading, on the Home Screen

    When double clicking on a recent file, to open it, from the Home Screen, there is a very noticeable multi-second delay - where nothing changes or indicates that the load operation is happening.

    Like, when I double click too slow to actually trigger the file open function, there's no way to know that my double click failed, without just waiting a few seconds to see if the Home Screen goes away and the file begins obviously loading, so I land up wasting extra time, just to realize I still need to double click to open my file.

    It's only slightly…

    3 votes
    0 comments  ·  User Interface  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?
1 2 3 5 7 … 234 235
  • Don't see your idea?

Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests

Categories

Feedback and Knowledge Base

(thinking…)