Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
When entering a new feature request, please provide:
- Description
- Why is this valuable to you?
165 results found
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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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Copy/move artboards with the content
Why have you deleted the function "copy/move artboards with the content" in the last update? It was really gorgeous! Now I have to unlock and make visible all the layers again to create several version of my graphic design, and it is really annoying! I would like the possibility to copy/move one or more artboards with the content, even if it is on locked or hidden layers, and without the content when it is on locked or hidden layers.
Please, consider both functions, the copy/move with content was one of the best updates that you have ever made!!!
4 votesUsers have an option in Illustrator CC (22.1).
Preferences>Selection & Anchor Display>"Move Locked and Hidden Artwork with Artboard"
Please email us on sharewithai@adobe.com if it still does not solve your problem. -
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 -
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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Toggle Artwork Visibility Outside of Artboard
The function of the w key in InDesign switches between preview and normal view. Why doesn't Illustrator have this functionality? It would be so useful as I usually prefer to use Illustrator when I'm initially laying things out for a design project. I've seen multiple requests for this functionality in the forums. Please please please add this!
3 votesView > Trim View command does this. By default, it does not have a hotkey assigned to it, but you can map it to the one you prefer in Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts.
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Get rid of prompt window
i would love to be able to hide/get rid of that prompt window that says "generate, edit path, repeat, group, lock.." that pops up. its pretty annoying.
3 votesYou can disable this panel via Window > Contextual Task Bar menu command.
The current Beta 28.5.0.34 has a bug though, that enables it back after Ai is relaunched. If you are using normal build, it should just work.
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Invite to edit functionality
On a previous version of Adobe Illustrator, anyone with access to the aic file could invite new members to the document. There has since been an update where only the owner of the file can share the file to new people. Is it possible to implement an 'admin' or 'manger' to each file. Therefore the owner of the document can provide admin rights to other colloborates of the document. Anyone with admin access could then share the aic file.
3 votes -
Keep edit Intertwine editable after pressing Ctrl+z
When Ctrl+z is pressed to undo an intertwine, the whole object is unselected as an intertwine and cannot be edited as an intertwine, without pressing edit in the intertwine menu.
This does not occur in other tools like live paint, after pressing Ctrl+z, the object remains selected as a live paint object and remains editable.
If possible, please add this feature.
This is valuable to me, because it speeds up my workflow, as it makes Illustrator more consistent.
3 votesAn Intertwine object no longer gets deselected when you undo an operation, and now behaves more like Live Paint. Please reply if it does not match your expectations.
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artwork over canvas isolation toggle
Toggle function that changes the view between showing all artwork in a drawing, and only showing everything that is actually over the canvas. basically, a quick and easy toggle to see what an exported pdf would look like. Exactly like the toggle built into InDesign (toggled by "w").
3 votesThis can be done with View > Trim View command.
You can assign any hotkey you want to it.
There is also a Presentation mode, but it does a slightly different thing.
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Option to auto-sharp an anchor point when using the pen tool.
By default when making a anchor point with the pen tool it gives you a curve anchor(2 direction handles). I request that we have the option to make it a sharp anchor(1 direction handle).
Currently in order to make a sharp anchor you have to go back and select the anchor again. This is a slow method if you only draw in sharp anchors. By having this new option it will be lot faster and easier to draw in this style.
3 votesYou can do that by holding Alt right after you click the first point with the Pen tool and releasing it after you finish dragging the handle out. This creates legitimate corner point with one hadle.
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Send proof to customer
We proof every item to customers before printing. It would be great if there was a tool to send a proof that could be approved through all common design programs. Giving the customer the ability to submit for changes and do a final approval before the job goes to print.
3 votesRecent versions of Illustrator have an ability to Share for Review.
This command, accessible from the File menu, generates a link you can send to customer to proof the project. Read more about it here: https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/share-documents-for-review.html
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correct measurements
In the attached screen shot you can see that the height of each of these objects, when looking at the blue illustrator guidelines, is measured the same but in reality, as is clearly obvious from the stroke attached to one of them, they are not the same size. One of them is clearly bigger in size due to the stroke. This discrepancy is very and constantly confusing when trying to work in precision measurements. Please could you fix so the stoked object calculates the stroke outer edge as additional width, as that is what it is. Thanks James
3 votesThere's an option 'Used Preview Bounds' for that in Preferences, which toggles the behavior. When it’s on, Illustrator includes stroke weight into dimensions, and does not when it’s off.
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Where has Export > DXF Gone?
Export as DXF has been removed since the latest update.
This option is essential at our workplace.Is there a reason why it was removed?
3 votesBoth DXF and DWG export options are there now in the 'Save as type' dropdown list in the Export As dialog, in recent versions of Illustrator.
Please comment if these are missing for you.
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Ignore Groups and Clipping Masks
I lost about a Year of My Life double-clicking on objects within a group, inside of clipping masks. A less repetitive and MUCH faster way would be an option to "Ignore Groups and Clipping Masks" (i.e holding some key while clicking).
The option would temporarily (select-wise) treat grouped and clipped objects as normal objects, allowing direct click on an object through a clipping mask and ignoring groups. An "If you can see it, you can click on it!" approach for instant color and other adjustments.
This alone would speed up the workflow and, combined with wireframe view, it would be…
3 votes -
Make Document Color Mode menu available to set up as an action
Make Document Color Mode a recordable action. I have to edit lots of files and they all have to be CMYK. If I forget one, it will look horrible on our website and we might never notice it. It would help a lot if color mode could be set up as an action.
3 votesYou can insert the 'Document Color Mode: CMYK' command into an action using the 'Insert Menu Item' from the Actions panel’s flyout menu
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Find approximate/closest Pantone from a process color
If you choose a color from the color picker in Photoshop, it will show you the nearest equivalent in the Pantone library.
3 votesYou can do it for a single color. Open the Recolor Artwork dialog (full one), then limit the color to a desired Pantone palette, by pressing the button at the bottom that says ‘None’ and choosing the book you need.
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Keyboard Command for Expanding Objects
Please. It's so much more intuitive to press ctrl/cmd+a and expand using the keyboard. I work with other peoples files all the time so being able to easily expand their files to make them work is critical.
3 votesYou can assign your own hotkeys via Edit > Keyboard shortcuts, including Object > Expand, Expand Appearance, and object-specific Expand commands (Blend, Shape, Envelope, etc.)
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Zoom Tool Controls (Fit to Screen)
Can we make the Zoom Tool have the same Control settings as the Zoom Tool in Photoshop? I design in Large Scale Canvas Files. I like to design Art for Shirt Prints/Broadcasting Graphics for Entertainment Usage/Graphics for Sports Teams.
This means a lot of Re-Scaling Images after put into the documents. When I Re-Scale the images and go to position them. I need to Zoom In onto the destination of the image's positioning.
After I position that image. I can go back to Full-Size Image. But, I have to go to my Magnifier % at the bottom of my program…3 votesIndeed, Illustrator does not have 'Fit to Screen' option in the context menu for the Zoom tool.
But it provides other ways to do that:
View > Fit Artboard in Window (Cmd/Ctrl + 0)
View > Fit All in Window (Opt/Alt + Cmd/Ctrl + 0)
If you are interested in Zoom to Selection command, please vote here: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/31427962-zoom-to-selection-fit-selection-on-screen-with
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Eyedropper needs to sample the flattened color, not the object that I click on
Many many times, when I use the eyedropper, I wish that it was sample the actual color of what I am seeing on the screen, rather than whatever the top object is that I have clicked on. For example I might have a number of layers of transparency, or I might want to click a particular value in a gradient, but the result only gives me the color of the object that I clicked on. Is there a way that you could hold down a modifier key and the eyedropper would instead select the color of the displayed pixel that…
3 votesYou can hold Shift to to sample the flattened color. -
Disable Snap to Path
Can someone please explain to me why you can turn off "snap to grid", "snap to pixel", and "snap to point" off, but you can't turn "snap to path" off. It used to be you could just easily turn off "snap", which would turn all forms of snap off. Now, when I'm trying to adjust points on a path, the anchor handles still snap to path. The only way to get it to not snap to path is to zoom very close in. This is problematic when you can't see your entire curve, because you're zoomed in, and you can't…
3 votesDo you have Smart Guides turned on?
Just turn it off and Ai won’t snap handles to paths.
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