Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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4670 results found
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Effect > Distort & transform > Stacking order
Sometimes you have a group of objects that are not in the correct stacking order, and you have to expand the effects that generate these objects to fix it.
I propose a new effect that offers a few options to change this:
- reverse stacking order
- stack left-to-right, right-to-left, up-to-down, down-to-up, or maybe just an angle dial for stacking order? that'd be super useful for "I drew three balls and blended them to make a necklace and I don't want to have to split it into two blends to make the right ball be the nearest one".
- smallest-to-largest, largest-to-smallest
3 votes -
Display names for character alternates
When a singular character is selected, Illustrator shows Character Alternates menu (if one has the option enabled in Preferences > Type).
But while some glyphs look distinct enough, some are obscure.
These have names, Unicode codes (these are displayed in Glyphs)...
What’s good seeing three similar spaces? How can I choose properly from two similar looking small 'a'-s, as shown in the screenshot attached?
Why can’t I see what these character alternates are when I hover over them?3 votes -
A way to access Window > Toolbars menu from any toolbar
I want to be able to swap toolbars directly from the Edit Toolbar drawer hidden under ellipsis button in each toolbar. Currently I’d have to close one I don’t need, then go to the menu and search it there.
At least they remember their positions...
I can’t use workspaces to swap tool panels, because reloading workspaces takes forever in Ai.3 votes -
Buttons in the script dialog UI lack rounding on macOS
I’m writing to report a bug in the macOS version of Adobe Illustrator 2024–2025. I’ve noticed that when running scripts with UI elements, the appearance of the UI does not match the default Illustrator UI style. Specifically, the buttons in the script dialogs lack the standard rounding that is consistent across the Illustrator interface.
3 votes -
Make fractal noise gradient
One of my favorite gradient types from the time of Xara was 'Fractal Nosie' and 'Fractal Plasma'. No fine-tuning, but pretty handy for adding quick perturbance, especially when used as a transparency mask.
It’s still there.
Today, VectorStyler app offers a similar gradient type: https://www.vectorstyler.com/documentation/gradients/We can do something similar using freeform gradient in Ai... but try to scale or rotate control points all at once, I dare you.
Also please take a look at this related request:
Make conical gradient
http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/360036163 votes -
Eliminate the 2 different size canvas modes
There are scaling issues in large size canvas mode. For instance, when creating a file in large size canvas mode and saving as PDF with trim marks, the trim marks will be scaled up 1000%. Instead of them remaining .375", they scale up to 3.75" (http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447/suggestions/44115801)
Additionally, several third party plug ins do not work properly in large size canvas mode because of this scaling issue.
Ideally, Illustrator should eliminate the 2 different canvas modes and simply allow any document to be scaled up to the same dimensions as "large size canvas" mode but leave all scaling as it is in the normal size canvas mode.
CorelDRAW does not have this limitation. Why does Illustrator?
There are scaling issues in large size canvas mode. For instance, when creating a file in large size canvas mode and saving as PDF with trim marks, the trim marks will be scaled up 1000%. Instead of them remaining .375", they scale up to 3.75" (http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447/suggestions/44115801)
Additionally, several third party plug ins do not work properly in large size canvas mode because of this scaling issue.
Ideally, Illustrator should eliminate the 2 different canvas modes and simply allow any document to be scaled up to the same dimensions as "large size canvas" mode but leave all scaling as…
3 votes -
An option to convert a line into a dimension line
Sometimes it’s so much easier to draw a line, using a familiar click-drag-release method, instead of click-click-click method Dimension Tool uses to Manual Dimensions!
I really with to be able to covert a viable line (an open straight line with no handles and two points only, being it a live shape or not) into a dimension, with zero offset and no extension lines.
It IS possible to do today, but using some shenanigans I show in a GIF attached. The way extensions can’t be set to zero is a problem though, and should be reported separately.
Some plugins and scripts allow this exact function, I don’t see why Ai can’t have it.
Sometimes it’s so much easier to draw a line, using a familiar click-drag-release method, instead of click-click-click method Dimension Tool uses to Manual Dimensions!
I really with to be able to covert a viable line (an open straight line with no handles and two points only, being it a live shape or not) into a dimension, with zero offset and no extension lines.
It IS possible to do today, but using some shenanigans I show in a GIF attached. The way extensions can’t be set to zero is a problem though, and should be reported separately.
Some plugins and scripts…
3 votes -
Show Appearance as a popup instead of a panel when clicking More button in Properties
Selecting the ellipsis button in the Properties panel for the different sections opens a simple popup panel for further actions and self-closes.
However, the Appearance section will pop out completely into it's own panel?
This is annoying as I have to close the Appearance panel each time.This should be consistent like the others.
THX3 votes -
Uniform dashes at end of paths
It would be great to have uniform dashes at the end of paths when
"Aligns dashes to corners and path ends, adjusting lengths to fit" is on.Currently we seem to get half sized dashes with this option on
3 votes -
Add Round Butt cap option for strokes
The original idea by Johan Perjus, from https://medium.com/design-bootcamp/things-i-wish-adobe-would-address-with-adobe-illustrator-4796a89e1bae
There are quite a few cases where I use rounded strokes as a starting point for building shapes and where this option would be useful, as in order to know the correct outer dimensions of a stroke, one has to deduct the stroke with from the end caps.
3 votes -
Restore a way to copy the value from another filed with a click on the input’s caption in dialogs
Please bring back the one-click way to duplicate a value from one input field into another for dialogs.
This was available from version 8 through CS5.
Make it a toggle in Preferences.For example, if i wanted to make a square 100mm x 100mm I would select the rectangle tool (M) and then click once in the work area... the dialogue box would come up... I would then only have to enter 100mm into the Width,
then click on the Height descriptor (not the white entry portion) and my dimension would be automatically duplicated in the entry portion of the height dimension.Please bring back the one-click way to duplicate a value from one input field into another for dialogs.
This was available from version 8 through CS5.
Make it a toggle in Preferences.For example, if i wanted to make a square 100mm x 100mm I would select the rectangle tool (M) and then click once in the work area... the dialogue box would come up... I would then only have to enter 100mm into the Width,
then click on the Height descriptor (not the white entry portion) and my dimension would be automatically duplicated in the entry portion of the…3 votes -
Add "Embed Images" to Menu/Actions
Working with multiple print files requires manual embedding of each linked image, which is time-consuming. Please add "Embed Images" to either:
- The Actions panel for batch processing, or
- The menu system to allow keyboard shortcut assignment
This would significantly improve workflow efficiency in print production environments.
3 votes -
Automatically describe sizes in units in file names when exporting
I dream of having many working areas of different sizes, and exporting them to JPG or whatever as separate working areas, that the file name would automatically include the file size depending on the size set in the working file, for example in cm, mm, px... i.e. when I export many areas, in addition to the numbering, they have the current size given in the file name
3 votes -
Make custom layers outside of artboards visible in Trim View
Sometimes when using Trim view I do want to see other items shown. Like Notes or measurements that are outside of the artboard, But I still want the preview of Trim View to hide bleed and artwork that extends beyond. I wish that inside the layer Options Settings. there was a checkbox to show in Trim View, so items on that layer are still visible when trim view is active
3 votes -
Rename updated Move locked and hidden artwork with artboard
CC 2025 v29.0 introduces the long-awaited "Scale Artwork with Artboard" option.
The checkbox in Preferences > Selection and Anchor Display > Move Locked and Hidden Artwork with Artboard now also affects whether locked or hidden objects are scaled with the artboard or not.
I didn't realize this right away. When I tried to scale an artboard with a locked object, I got a warning and thought that the new feature just doesn't know how to scale such objects with an artboard. Only then did I realize that the existing option in the settings affects the function.
Perhaps the naming of the option should be made clearer: Preferences > Selection and Anchor Display > Move or Scale Locked and Hidden Artwork with Artboard
CC 2025 v29.0 introduces the long-awaited "Scale Artwork with Artboard" option.
The checkbox in Preferences > Selection and Anchor Display > Move Locked and Hidden Artwork with Artboard now also affects whether locked or hidden objects are scaled with the artboard or not.
I didn't realize this right away. When I tried to scale an artboard with a locked object, I got a warning and thought that the new feature just doesn't know how to scale such objects with an artboard. Only then did I realize that the existing option in the settings affects the function.
Perhaps the naming of…
3 votes -
Copy layer from one document to another with effects / appearance
Wouldn't it be nice to be able to copy-paste a layer from one file to another, including the layer’s effects / appearance?
Or to have an option to Duplicate a Layer into another file (like in Photoshop).
3 votes -
Dimensions layer should stay locked
Since you decided to force the creation of a specialized Dimensions layer on us when a dimensions is created (and here is a feature request to make this optional: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/48236954), we now have a problem with accidental creation of art directly in this dedicated layer, since every time a dimension is selected, this layer gets active and unlocked (reported here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/939477/suggestions/47570813)
Since you probably don’t really care, and won’t solve both issues, perhaps you should keep this layer locked and not unlock until we choose to.
Perhaps you should make the Dimension tool lock-agnostic then, and allow it to edit and created dimensions in this locked layer (which will prevent every other tool accessing it).Do something already.
Since you decided to force the creation of a specialized Dimensions layer on us when a dimensions is created (and here is a feature request to make this optional: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/48236954), we now have a problem with accidental creation of art directly in this dedicated layer, since every time a dimension is selected, this layer gets active and unlocked (reported here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/939477/suggestions/47570813)
Since you probably don’t really care, and won’t solve both issues, perhaps you should keep this layer locked and not unlock until we choose to.
Perhaps you should make the Dimension tool lock-agnostic then, and allow it…3 votes -
The Flip buttons in the Properties panel should copy objects
In the Transform section of the Properties panel there are Flip vertical and Flip horizontal buttons.
When holding down Alt while pressing the buttons it would be convenient if they could copy the object, like InDesign does.
3 votes -
Allow to change Line Weights for Dimension and Extension Line with one value
Add a lock option for Dimension tool to change Line Weights for both Dimension and Extension Line at the same time with one value
.希望增加“尺寸线”和“延伸线”可以同时调整粗细选项。
3 votes -
Make 3D and Materials effect work with raster images
3D and Materials effect doesn't work with raster images. It gives me a strange unrelated message (see attached) when I try. I use Classic 3D, it works, but unfortunately Classic 3D is not really precise and sometimes gives strange results, but better than nothing.
3 votes
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