Skip to content

Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests

When entering a new feature request, please provide:

  1. Description
  2. Why is this valuable to you?
  • or

886 results found

  1. Can you please add the text recognition (OCR) feature from Acrobat DC Into Illustrator

    Can you please add the text recognition (OCR) feature from Acrobat DC Into Illustrator, I have been producing Emergency Evacuation Diagrams using Illustrator for 10 years, I get supplied with scans and non editable PDF files that I have to recreate. The ability for Illustrator to recognise text would be a huge time saver and I know a lot of other people would also benefit from this function. It is available in Acrobat DC but getting the text from Acrobat into Illustrator is not easy. There is a third party organisation that offers this service but it is very expensive,…

    5 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  2. Convert gradient properly on SVG instead of rasterizing when saving file as SVG Tiny 1.2

    Currently, when you try to save an SVG containing gradients with SVG 1.2 Tiny profile, Illustrator rasterizes the gradient and embeds the rasterized image instead of properly converting it as a pure vector information. This reduces the qualify of the saved image a lot and it's no longer scalable with even further quality reduction.

    SVG 1.2 Tiny specification supports gradients and so it would be really helpful if Illustrator kept the vector information from gradient. This is also necessary for BIMI logos (https://bimigroup.org/) as it doesn't support images/links in the SVG.

    7 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  3. A sane way to assign a stroke to have a color not in the default palette

    If I want to assign a color from a Library to a Stroke, my only option is to make the object's background color the Library color, and then use the Swap Fill and Stroke button.

    The Stroke color menu has lots of weird buttons to import colors that I don't care about. Why not replace those buttons with like a Library Colors button, or a Recent Colors button, or heaven forbid a color dropper?

    My first impression of Illustrator was that assigning colors to things is harder than in any other program I have used in my entire life. This…

    3 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  4. Button to reveal a Layer on "Layer window"

    Is there a possibility to create a right-clic option to "reveal on Layer window" from any object? Sometimes when I receive some .ai files, everything is un-organized and must travel over layers and layers... This option is in After Effects and is very helpful.
    Thanks for reading!

    2 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    You can do this now with the Locate Object button in the bottom of the Layers panel.

    However, this is not an automatic thing. If you wish to have an option for it to be automatic, vote here: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-feature-requests/suggestions/39104935-automatic-locate-object

    If you want to be able to assign a hotkey to it without wrapping it into an action, vote here: https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-feature-requests/suggestions/34798945-add-keyboard-shortcut-for-locate-object-button-in

  5. Open Current File Location

    It would be amazing if you add Open Current File Location under the "File" dropdown.

    It is a really minor thing, but it would significantly impact productivity.

    2 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  6. Illustrator 2019 Freeform Gradient and compound paths not quite right

    When applying a freeform grad to a compound path, the effect struggles to jump a gap between paths, leaving odd results. If you create a path with a "hole" in the middle and create grad its OK. Move the whole fully out of the enclosing shape and its blank, move back into to cross border line and it works correctly with overlap creating hole.

    In the attached file, the four squares are a compound path. Top right shows standard linear gradient covering the whole shape. The top left fort squares are supposed to share a freeform grad copied from the…

    13 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    2 comments  ·  Gradients  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  7. Improve Library Panel UX with prefered behaviour options

    There are a number of small changes that would make getting things out of the library quicker and more convenient. The panel should have some preferences to set default behaviour. Options should include:

    • Toggle 'place copy' or 'place linked file', so it always behaves one way or the other. The way my team and I use the library, we ALWAYS want to place copies (never linked files). So having to hold down ALT to do this is a pain. In addition to this, holding down ALT behaves very badly. It misses the key press if you move too quickly,…

    6 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  8. Allow dragging multiple selected layers from one file to another

    Allow dragging multiple selected layers from one Illustrator file to another (as in Photoshop) w/o exporting them or needing to depend on Paste Remember Layers, but let the drag behavior drop the layered artwork into the other file with a Paste in Place feature.

    3 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  Other...  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  9. Save as dialog selects file name including extension

    macOS 11.5.1 / Adobe Illustrator 25.3.1

    [on macOS] when saving files only the filename is selecetd, not the extension. It used to be fine with Adobe apps until some versions back suddenly the whole file name including extension is selected in the Save as dialog.

    Adding some text used to be easy. With a tap on the right arrow key the cursor moved between de file name and the extension. When I do this now the cursor is placed after the extension so I have to use the mouse or left arrow key to move the cursor 3-4 positions back.…

    1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  10. automatic trapping plug-in would be a great step forward.

    An automatic trapping feature, or a plug-in to that effect, would be of great convenience when submitting files for output.

    1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  Print  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  11. Adobe CC Library Dropdown Categories and Groups

    Adobe CC Library Dropdown Categories and Groups + Backup

    Categories - I work for a large company, and while I LOVE the libraries, I hate scrolling. I'd love to be able to categorize them; for example, "Branding," "Imagery," "Products," "Stock," "Case Studies," "Creative" to cut down on the mega scroll effect.

    Groups - Reiterating what another user said, group folders WITHIN the libraries would be very useful for one-off clients (or product launches) where you need to have lots of information in one library collection.

    Backup - We need to be able to backup these libraries or have history restore…

    12 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  12. preference option to set "Save as" default to a certain file type

    when you go to save a file, illustrator defaults to the same file that was previously opened. 9 times out of 10 after i open an eps, svg, pdf, etc... i'll make changes and go to "save as" but want to save it as an illustrator file. i'd love to be able to just open the dialogue box and have it default to a file type i can select via a preference option.

    3 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  13. Would like to be able to entries in the Appearance Panel and perform Pathfinder functions to them. .

    Example: Select 2 strokes in the appearance panel, one transformed some distance from the other, and apply the pathfinder Unite function (Fx) and have them become functionally one entry on one layer of the selected object.. This could eliminate some what are sometimes complicated procedures when outputting files to various RIP/machines/printers.

    2 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  14. Update links manually

    Illustrator is constantly reading linked files, checking for changes. This is normally not a problem, but when the network is slow for any reason (like if you're working remotely over VPN) AI becomes unusable. Simple text changes become an ordeal as every time you switch tools or click anywhere, you have to wait for a minute or two as the links do... whatever they're doing. A simple panel-level option to turn off automatic link updates would make working remotely (which some say is the way of the future) much less painful.

    3 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  15. Illustrator file not movable

    If i make an Illustrator file (cc 2019) , and say place it in the desktop folder, if i move that file to the documents folder, open it and change it, it saves the new version on the dekstop again.

    is this a bug or a feature i dont know of?

    2 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    It’s a common behavior for all files and all editors out there, not only Illustrator.

    When you 'open' a file, the editor reads it and 'hold in its mind', making a virtual copy basically. When you save it, it writes it back the disk, to the location where it was read from. Illustrator does not track what the OS does with the file, and OS never tells Illustrator that a user moved the file elsewhere, or deleted.

    An editor can lock the file, so nothing can move or delete or rename it, but this method causes more troubles and frustration. It’s safer to never let the data to get lost.

  16. Support for ARIA in SVG (accessibility)

    There are a couple of requests for improvements to SVG export, which is sorely needed. One important aspect of this is accessibility.

    SVG use is increasing, and accessibility requirements are being mandated in jurisdictions around the globe.

    There will be a growing need for people to produce accessible SVG files.

    This calls for supporting ARIA roles states and properties, and some way to indicate tabindex.

    A number of constraints can be imagined to prevent people doing the wrong thing (e.g. if you put tabindex=0 on a non-operable element), but the basic functionality is far more basic.

    Select object.
    Open…

    5 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  Other...  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  17. Export selected only

    Would like to see an "EXPORT SELECTED ONLY" option, so that you can export just a selection of items from a file with many elements. Really a pain to have to copy the items I want to export, and paste them into a new file in order to export them.

    8 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  18. artboard size fit

    It would be great if Illustrator created a new artboard to fit copy and paste elements - as done when you copy to clipboard and paste in photoshop. It would be helpful when need ing to create multiple illustrator files ( say logo variations, or icons etc) instead of having to manually resize the artboard/page size

    2 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  19. New Document dialog should not be so slow to appear or react to input

    Creating a new doc via the keyboard is so slow that several other commands can unwittingly be executed before the dialog/settings panel appears. The fact that this clunky panel was introduced relatively recently as a "feature" is even more irritating.

    Alternately provide an option to create a new document from default or current settings so that I can adjust it later when I need to.

    9 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    3 comments  ·  Other...  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  20. Dimension tool improvements

    The dimension tool is a really helpful thing but some improvements would be appreciated.

    • As stated in other posts, please include the possibility to add user defined scalings, including decimal numbers like 1:1.5 and other ones, like 1:15.

    • According to ISO standards, the dimension text should sit above the lines, as viewed from the right. This would be a great option, because at this moment I don't use this tool regularly because of this.

    • When dimensions are too small, there should be an option to move the text away, either to the right or the left. Of course this can…

    12 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    2 comments  ·  Tools  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  • Don't see your idea?

Feedback and Knowledge Base