Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
When entering a new feature request, please provide:
- Description
- Why is this valuable to you?
577 results found
-
Install brushes to Illustrator
Install custom brushes to Illustrator
With photoshop, you can install custom brushes. With Illustrator, you have to make any custom brush yourself which can be tedious and very difficult.4 votesIllustrator for desktop allows to save and import brushes with an ease.
To save brushes, just save a document with your brushes as an .ai file. You don’t have to have them on canvas for this, just in Brushes panel.
To load brushes, click the Brush Libraries Menu button in the bottom left corner of the Brushes panel (looks like a bookshelf). Choose Other Library, locate the brush library .ai file.
If you want to create, save and import brushes in Illustrator for iPad — you have to vote for this feature here: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/931888-illustrator-ipad-feature-requests/suggestions/41682511-import-or-create-brushes
-
Scale and Reflect using selected reference point
Add the ability to scale and reflect objects using the reference point specified in the Control / Transform panel
4 votes -
Shortcut for the SMOOTH tool please.
N brings the pencil... I need something for the SMOOTH tool.
4 votesYou can assign your own hotkeys to different tools with Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts dialog.
Also, you can pick Pencil, hit Enter )or double-click the tool’s button) to open the Pencil Tool Options dialog and check 'Alt key toggles to Smooth Tool' — this will allow to quickly temporarily access Smooth on the go while you are working with Pencil.
Same applies to the Brush and Blob Brush stools by default.
-
Drawing custom perspective grids
Most projects don't start in Illustrator or need at least some kind of reference to draw around - for example a product picture or rough sketch. So in most cases Adobe's perspective tool in Ai is absolutely useless. There is simply no way to always find the right perspective in your reference with that tool!
Many professionals draw custom grids with the help of an odd star with very long and thin end points. They draw one, two or three stars depending on how many vanishing points they have. This is a super old and powerful technique of illustrators and…4 votes -
Put the Rectangle tool back into the standard and advanced toolbars
Put the Rectangle tool back into the standard and advanced toolbars
4 votesThere was a bug which allowed to accidentally drag-n-drop tools and insert them into other tools’ subgroups.
It was fixed by introducing a special mode to enable this. No accidents with lost tools should happen. Please comment back if it happens for you in latest versions.
-
Provide ability to use polygon tool from the corner of the bounding box
Most shapes in Illustrator (e.g. the ellipse and rectangle tools) draw from the corner by default or from the centre when holding Option/Alt, but the polygon tool doesn't provide this option.
When using the polygon tool, holding the Option/Alt key should switch to dragging from the corner of the bounding box, which would make it much easier to draw a polygon of a specific height (allowing the user to lean on features like Smart Guides for alignment).
4 votes -
Changeing force of Bezier handles without changeing their orientation
Case study:
- click Direct Selection Tool (white arrow)
- click a curve segment (not vertex) of any shape
- drag
See how the orientation of Bezier tangents at both ends of the segment change orientation? This is most unhelpful. If, instead of dragging the mouse, you use keyboard increments (arrows), then the tool acts the correct way -- changeing the Bezier handles length, or "force", while retaining their direction, or "azimuth".
I understand the interest of the present behavior, but I believe it would be great if there was a modifier key to activate the "keyboard" behavior when using the mouse drag.
4 votes -
When you draw a rope knot using the pen tool it will keep track of first to last click. Using appearance pallet apply 2 strokes
ability to draw a rope knot using the pen tool it will keep track first to last click not allowing inner color overlapping when using appearance pallet and applying 2 strokes to the path.
4 votesSean, the new Beta release have an option to Intertwine objects, giving you a way to make knots like this. It won’t work exactly the way you described, especially for multiple strokes, but it’s going there.
Please try it and give your feedback.
-
Aligned "Dashed Line": PLEASE enable for "Rounded Rectangle".
The "Dashed Line" has an optional button that "Aligns dashes to corners and path ends, adjusting lengths to fit." for the "Rectangle Tool" (and the Star Tool, and the Polygon tool), but it doesn't work on the "Rounded Rectangle"! Why?
Please make the "Aligns dashes to corners and path ends, adjusting lengths to fit." work for Rounded Rectangles, PLEASE.
Thank you!
4 votes -
Measurment Switch Toggle Button
You know what would be awesome? When you click on any of the marque tools (for the square, cirlce, rounded rectangle, or polygon) if you could switch the measurements that you type in.
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.
-
Rotate tool - centering bullseye needs to be larger
So it's easier to grab, if you don't get your mouse exactly, directly on it to move it, everything rotates where you don't want it
4 votes -
Double Click last point to close a shape with the pen tool.
When making a shape with the pen tool, double clicking the last point made should close the shape, instead of having to go to the first point manually.
4 votes -
Randomizer
We've all come across a time when we needed to repeat an element, but it needs to be transformed slightly different in each instance, whether that be position, rotation, reflection, scale or shearing. So, I propose a randomizing tool/function that you could use to make that happen. First you draw the elements you wanted to be randomly affected, then draw a shape to enclose them all. Select "Randomize" and they become something like a group.. You select one, and they're all selected. You could transform one, and the amount that you transformed it would be the limit any of them…
4 votes -
Absolute mode for Scale tool
Speaking of Transform Each new absolute mode, presented in one of Beta builds (removed for now).
While having it is great (especially in the finished state), Transform still relies on one of 9 reference points.
To set a custom transformation pivot/origin we need to use interactive tools... and they don’t offer absolute lengths.Here, take a look, a real example.
I need to scale this > shape to be exactly 20mm height — and I need it to be scaled exactly from the position I marked with guides — the bottom right corner of it.
Transform panel can’t offer me…
3 votes -
Allow to select Dimension Text
The numbers displayed by the new Dimension Line Tool should be copyable and editable. Thus we will be able to easily use them in calculations of the golden ratio and edit the length of the line when needed.
3 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 -
A 'scale object' switch next to 'scale corners' and 'scale strokes & effects'.
Sometimes I want to scale just an object's strokes and effects without scaling the object - for example, if I've got an 'iris' graphic style that combines multiple fills and strokes to create a stylized iris of an eye, that I created for one size of eye, and would like to use for a closeup drawing.
Currently I would have to do something like this:
- draw a path with the 'iris' style, realize it's designed for a very different scale
- turn on scale strokes & effects
- rescale the path to be larger
- turn off scale strokes & effects
- rescale the…
3 votes -
Add Biology & Scientific Diagram Tools for Easy Cell and Medical Illustrations
As an illustrator specializing in biology, microbiology, and scientific educational diagrams, I often find it time-consuming and challenging to create natural-looking cells, organelles, biological textures, and clean labels within Adobe Illustrator. To improve workflow and accuracy, I propose that Adobe adds a dedicated set of toolbar tools designed specifically for biological and scientific illustrations, focusing on ease of use, organic shapes, and diagramming features.
Suggested Tools Include:
Organic Blob Tool: Create irregular, smooth cell shapes with adjustable wobble and roundness.
Cell Chain Tool: Draw linked cells or bacteria chains with customizable spacing and size.
Pseudopod Tool: Add flowing, arm-like extensions…
3 votes -
Editable text in dimensions
Please let designer edit the text inside the dimensions. Sometimes for mockup purpose is not possible to set a proper scale and if you place a dimension obviously the size has to be changed. Now you need to expand the aspect to let the text be editable. It would be great if the text can be editable by default.
There is no worries for people with right scales since the value will be correct, but it will be a smart edit for others who have to change it.3 votes
- Don't see your idea?