This tool is literally useless. I use to be able to use simplify and smooth to reduce the amount of points in my line, usually getting the line as close to it was before, but with drastically reduced points. Now, all it does is change the shape of my line a ridiculous amount, no amount of fiddling with the settings will get me a smooth line like I used to be able to get. SO FRUSTRATING! They took a very useful tool and changed it so much that it isn't even the same tool is was before. I now have to MANUALLY go in and reduce the amount of points I have which as you can expect is a nightmare. These changes to these tools are really starting to **** me off. Every new update the application causes MORE PROBLEMS than it fixes. I wish there was another app to use because Adobe is ruining Illustrator with these "updates".

Now it's 2023 and I'm still using Illustrator 2019 in order to simplify lines.

Years go by and Illustrator still freezes when I use the tool with complex lines. Any plans of fixing this?

Like some of the other commenters, I'm using Illustrator for cartography, and I constantly need to smooth jagged lines exported from GIS (now using the ArcGIS plugin). The old (pre-2019) Simplify tool worked very well, but the new one doesn't smooth the lines properly (it adds lots of non-smooth corners, i.e. where the anchor point handles are at two unrelated angles instead of being paired). I have tinkered with the Simplify Curve and Corner Point Angle Threshold sliders and there's no setting that gives the results I need. And the new tool changes the line shapes more than the old tool did.

This is a HUGE productivity-killer, as I now have to manually edit hundreds of lines so they look smooth.

PLEASE either add the option to use Simplify Classic™ instead of New Simplify™, or (as another commenter suggested) at the very least add a "force round corners" checkbox.

Now it's 2022 and we still have to use Illustrator 2019 to get anything done. This is sad.

This tool still doesn't work. Have to continue using Illustrator 2019.

It will be great if you improve even more of the simplified tool? like the example of vector first aid from astute graphics? or vectorscribe that can help us reduce the anchor points even much more. As this is already introduced a feature in the latest version still it needs enhancement.

Too bad for the old tool. I think it is useless now to ask for the return of the old tool from the time. Adobe has firmly decided to stop listening to its users and to make improvements on marginal elements regarding our productions. Fortunately, the competition is coming in force (Affinity, etc).

I agree. The new simplify tool stinks.

Thank you for improving the tool but as many other customers, we want the old tool back. even the new one improves we still have issue when we need to reduce the point done in GIS. the new tool is not efficient than the old one. Please give it back soon for our specific work.

Still wishing you would bring back the old Simplify tool. I have to keep an old version of Illustrator on my machine, just for that task. That's not a good solution. Improvements have been made since the "new" tool was first released, but it still doesn't work as well as the old tool. In fact, it just crashed Illustrator on me. :(

Please enable a way to use the legacy version of the tool, the updated version is unfortunately now useless for me as a designer.

I've tried it many ways and I can't see the use of that tool...
I can't stress enough how bad this new tool is, it is so far from what it use to be in the CS5-CS6 version. Even when choosing the least simplify option it moves details of an outline that is not efficient. Doing dielines for stickers from existing images use to be a piece of cake, now I have to do it all manually... unhappy customer...

Ok, I have tried the revised version of the simplify tool. I am quite happy, however ...

It would be awesome to have "force" options:

1. force round corners
Like you have an option to only use straight lines. Why not have one to have round corners only.

2. I might come up with some more....

Attached example of how poorly this tool works. Look at the leftover remnants after simplification. The rest of the path was simplified heavily. Doesn't make sense. You should never take control out of the hands of the designers.

i still find this tool woefully lacking

The new, "simplified" version of the Simplify Path tool either destroys my art or does absolutely nothing.

Make paths simple again

I had to have Adobe install it remotely. I tried the 23.1 version and it was bad. I just started a chat. Best of luck

@Anonymous, where did you find the 22 version, on CC online we can only go back to 23 and that one is with the bad simplify tool.