Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
When entering a new feature request, please provide:
- Description
- Why is this valuable to you?
169 results found
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Customize Transparency Grid Size and Color...
It would be nice to customize the transparency grid's color and relative size.
11 votesIt is possible to do in Illustrator as well — not in Preferences, but in File > Document Setup dialog (Cmd/Ctrl + Alt +P) — because these settings are local for a document and not global. Same exact controls.
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Show link image while resizing or moving
Instead of seeing just the bounding box when transforming linked files, why not show the content of the link? Transforming linked files, image or vector based, would be more intuitive. This currently requires a workaround.
4 votesThis is what Illustrator is capable of now with Preferences > GPU Performance options turned on.
It should work for both linked or embedded images, vector or raster, exactly as you described.
If it does not happen for you — please report it as a bug, and provide screenshots or screen recordings of the behavior, along with full OS and app specs.
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Pattern origin
Why is the pattern anchored to the art board and not the item? I often create shapes and apply a pattern (lets say a plaid) and I adjust the alignment of the pattern so that it is equal on all sides. If I then copy the shape containing the pattern so that I can then offer the client a different color combination of the pattern, I now have to nudge the pattern of the new shape to align properly again! Because the pattern is anchored to the art board not the shape.
2 votesThis behavior can be toggled in Preferences > General > Transform Pattern Tiles.
Once enabled, the pattern stays relative to the object it’s applied to, when you move or copy it between documents.
It also makes it deform if you stretch, resize, rotate, skew or transform the object, because it’s all a part of 'transformations' we can make.
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The ability trim or extend a line using another line. Like the one they have in Autocad
The ability trim or extend a line using another line. Like the one they have in Autocad
12 votesIllustrator allows this today with Shape Builder tool.
You need to hold Opt/Alt and either click or brush through the excessive portion of the path, and Ai will trim it to the next intersection or between intersections. Works with selected objects only.
The precision of the tool is limited and bound to internal grid of the document. There is a bug report about this you might want to upvote.
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Alignment Hierarchy and Auto Align to Artboard
Alignment should work (Like most other design software) where there is a Parent/Child hierarchical relationship. Currently only "Align to left, and top" behave this way. Align to Center causes the two objects to meet halfway between their artboard positions. This is has been a major issue for years.
- Touch Parent object (anchored in artboard position)
- Holding Shift, Touch Child object
- Selection alignment task
- Child moves to parent
In addition, the selection of "Align to Artboard" should be an automatic default state for single or grouped objects. There is no need to have a selection for "Align to Artboard".
3 votesAs per the comment, this can be done by clicking one of the selected objects to define it a key, to make all other object in the selection to align to this key.
Other apps rely on order of selection, and this is something users request to able to toggle here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/39711583
As for the Align to Artboard switch — it is useful when you have a selection of objects and want to align all of them to an artboard. In these cases the default mode Illustrator enables is Align to Selection, and you have to toggle it manually.
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Properties Panel, values are not selected by clicking on the symbol in front of their field
If I click on a symbol in a panel for a property like W or H or X or Y the current value gets selected. This does not work in the Properties panel, nothing gets selected and I have to double click inside the property field to select it.
It slows down and is not consistent with the way it has worked for years.4 votes -
Key command for scrolling thru blend modes
You know how Photoshop has a quick key command for scrolling thru blend modes? Why not one for Illustrator?
6 votesYou can assign your own custom hotkeys for these commands, using Keyboard Shortcuts dialog: select Tools from the drop-down menu (yes, that’s an unexpected place), and search for ‘blend’ — last two found commands are ‘Blend Mode – Next Mode’ and ‘’Blend Mode – Previous Mode’ — assign any keys you want or use Photoshop-like keys, Shift+Plus and Shift+Minus.
The only difference between Ai and Ps is that Illustrator does not loop the list like Photoshop does… There is another request for this: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/44406693 — please vote there if you believe this should be addressed. -
Warp Effect Not Working
I've noticed that ever since upgrading to Illustrator CC 2018 (22.0.1) that the Warp Effect doesn't seem to work properly. The Arc and Arch effects will work, but applying any of the Flag, Wave, Fish or Rise effects won't change the object at all.
9 votesThank you to all who shared their files. We do not support flag, fish effects on a straight line with just two anchor points. The feature is implemented to work on the line segment which is not straight.
Please refer to the attachment for supported and non supported scenarios. Should you have further query please email us on sharewithai@adobe.com -
Recolor multiple layers panel layers at the same time
In Photoshop, you can select multiple layers, and add a color marker at the same time to all of them. I often use the colors of layers in Illustrator for UI and packaging design to separate visually which layers are finished (green), and which ones I still need to work on (red). But I have to double click each layer one by one in order to change the color.
8 votesYep, there is a way to change the color of edges for a selection of layers — 'Options for Selection' command in the Layers panel’s flyout menu.
But perhaps the original poster meant colored backgrounds to mark layers? Like Photoshop allows to and like we can do with actions in button mode?
If yes — please make a separate request about this.
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Bring back spacebar 'move' functionality when 'alt/option' is pressed (to access Anchor Point tool) while using Pen Tool
I realize this is a very specific request for a small piece of functionality that was probably never very popular, but it's part of a workflow I got used to using for years, and since upgrading to CC, it no longer works.
When creating a new path with the Pen tool, using the spacebar enables you to move the anchor point you've just created (before you release the click). Also, the Anchor Point tool allows you to do the same when you click on a point and drag the handles out.
My issue is that the Anchor Point tool doesn't…
4 votesAs per comment.
You have to release the Option/Alt key first after dragging out the handles, and then start holding Spacebar to reposition the point.
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Default input in Color Picker
Older versions of Illustrator used to default in "Hex" field of the Color Picker, but now the default is in "H" of HSB. This breaks up the workflow when copying a low of colors.
5 votes -
the ability to zoom in on the gradient panel for complex gradients
the ability to zoom in on the gradient panel for complex gradients. If I am creating a gradient some time I feel like I need to zoom into the panel so I can ensure I get the color pointers as accurate as possible
3 votesYou can grab the edge of the Gradient panel and resize it, making the gradient strip larger.
Please comment back if the solution is not sufficient for you.
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CANT RE-GROUP THE VECTORIZED TEXT WHY?
when the text is vectorized i cant Group after Un Grouping them ve to make a object in group so it workt the same way i Group the objects by Right click >Group
what i need is.
on Vectorizing the Text and ungrouping them .. gives me the availability to Group them back again.thanks
Awaiting for Repl1 voteAs far as I know, the Group command now is available in the context menu for a selection of multiple objects, after an Image Tracing object gets expanded, no difference from any other selection.
If you still have the issue, please comment back.
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Can't place the anchor point at the spot I want
Anchor point keeps on placing at the spot I do not want. If I click on the canvas to place an anchor point, it places distances away from where I wish to place.
1 voteMost probably caused by having the Snap to Grid option enabled (or other snapping options) in View menu
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Fix blending of strokes
As described in this discussion (from 4 years ago!) - https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1291256 - in most cases when you apply a blend to two strokes with any profile other than uniform, the intermediate stages of the blended strokes do not have any profile applied to them. I believe this has been a problem at least as far back as the introduction of variable width strokes, and has still not been resolved. This seriously hampers the usefulness of the blend tool and massively increases the amount of time required to produce the desired effect.
3 votesBlending paths with different stroke profiles, created with Width tool or picked from the panel, now works as expected — intermediate steps all have correctly blended profiles applied.
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Aligning to a certain object
The Align tools in all Adobe programs is a wonderful feature. However, in Illustrator when you Align objects it changes the position of ALL of them. In other programs, it tends to be the last object you select takes the dominant position - aligning all others to it. In Illustrator it doesn't seem to matter the order you select, it just aligns it to the nearest center point (thus moving ALL the objects). The Lock feature doesn't help as you cannot select a locked object to align with/to.
16 votesYou can align to an object you choose to be the key one.. Click the object you want to use as a key the second time and Ai will use a bolder edge to highlight it.
More details here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miVLI8rwO1o https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/moving-aligning-distributing-objects.html
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Copy the style of stroke when using eyedropper tool
When I use the eyedropper tool on a stroke with arrowhead, the full style does not get copied - only color and weight (not arrowhead). I think it is expected for the arrowhead to get copied too, just like the color AND font get copied when you use the eyedropper tool on text.
9 votesAs mentioned in comments, arrowheads are strangely the part of Appearance and not the basic stroke, and to get it copied you should tick 'Appearance' in Eyedropper tool settings (hit Enter when the tool is chosen). Then everything works. Please comment back if it does not for you. -
Position elements relative to artboards.
Since several improvements to artboards are in the pipeline, I think It would be worth considering positioning elements relative to the top left corner of the artboard. I haven't found a good use for keyboard entry of x and y positions. Positioning elements relatively would make it relatively easy to maintain padding / grids across multiple artboards by entering an exact value.
5 votesTo allow the artboard-relative positioning, you should switch rulers from global with View > Rulers > Change to Artboard Rulers command (or from the context menu for the zero point of the rulers on canvas).
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Replace objects with an object
example:
I have created a circle with text in it, and grouped it all together, however I have a pattern of Circles, and only want some of the circles in the pattern to look like the one I have created and grouped, so I can click the ones I want to replace, and then with a tool, select the group I've created, and it will replace the ones I've selected. Not too sure if this feature exists, though it would be a beneficial tool to have.2 votesThe intended solution for this is to use Global Edit feature.
Copy the object you want to replace with, then select one of many copies you want to replace and use Select > Start Global Edit command.
Using Shift, unmark those copies you don’t want to affect.
Isolate the targeted copy.
Paste the copied object and position it correctly relatively the old object.
Delete the old object.
Exit the isolation and end Global Edit.
It may sound convoluted at first, but once you master the method, you’d be able to easily replace almost anything.
Global Edit has its limitations: it doesn’t work for images, text objects, clipped masks, linked objects, and third-party plugins.
Read more about it here: https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/global-edit.html
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Delete hidden layers
Would it be great if add the option of deleting all hidden layers as in photoshop..
5 votesThere is a command in the Layers panel’s menu, called Delete Hidden Layers... Unfortunately, it deletes not only hidden layers, but also all hidden content. There is a separate request to rename the comment or add another, to distinct two operations: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/43634643-delete-hidden-layers-command-innapropriately-nam Please vote. Also, there is another request to delete unused/empty layers: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/40696027-delete-unused-layers
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