Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
When entering a new feature request, please provide:
- Description
- Why is this valuable to you?
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4547 results found
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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 -
Select non-default eGPU for hardware acceleration
We use external GPUs as provided to us by Apple in the External Graphics Development Kit and want to use these eGPUs instead of default GPUs built into the MacBooks.
9 votesWe have the fix available in the latest release. Please update Illustrator using Adobe Creative Cloud application to the latest build for version Illustrator CC 23.0.
Please refer to our knowledge base FAQ – https://illustrator.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/1844590 if you face difficulty in update.
Or get in touch with us at any of the other support channels – https://helpx.adobe.com/support.htmlWarm Regards,
Ashutosh Chaturvedi | Sr. Quality Engineering Manager – Illustrator
Adobe. Make It an Experience. -
Illustrator - PDF Export Cropmarks
Illustrator really needs a usefull cropmark export option in the pdf export dialougue. just like InDesign. I mean it looks similar to InDesign but its simply not working! who needs cropmarks up to 15 mm long?? why cant i edit the length, width.. etc?. Please make this function usefull!! asap
9 votes -
CAD like selection
Click - Left drag: select everything INSIDE the marque.
Click - Right drag: select everything CROSSING the marque.Many CAD programs work this way. It makes selections much simpler.
8 votes -
Allow to color code attributes (fills, strokes, effects) in Appearance Panel
Sometimes we create very complex appearance stacks, and navigating the Appearance panel becomes rather hard (especially given the fact it tries to unfurl the items in it all the time — look at this bug report: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447/suggestions/49257335)
So with a lot of fills and strokes and effects given we would like to assign colors to the rows, the same way the Actions panel allows (for its button mode).
Another similar requests would be an ability to rename them (http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/34309852) and to make folders (http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/49257353)
8 votes -
Allow to show contents (unfurl) of compound paths in Layers
Illustrator treats a compound path as a single entity, no matter how many singular paths it has inside.
Layers panel does not display '>' next to the name of it, and does not allow to unfurl the item to see what it has inside.
It makes sense in a way, since the order of items does not matter (it is for a Compound Shapes, where it matters a lot, with e.g. 'Minus Front').
At the same time, we can still select a subpath of a compound path with the Group Selection tool, and use Object > Arrange commands (even though there is no visible result when we do that).
But having these in a Layers tree can help.
We can quickly evaluate the number of children objects, their own shapes with thumbnail previews rendered, quickly select one we need there and not on canvas... after all, it’s not something like a Dimension Object, which is a complex construct, not intended for direct editing, but a basic universal object, created to be edited!There are other limitations with subpaths of a compound path...
...like the inability to Allow to set key object inside compound path:
http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/34270678Illustrator treats a compound path as a single entity, no matter how many singular paths it has inside.
Layers panel does not display '>' next to the name of it, and does not allow to unfurl the item to see what it has inside.
It makes sense in a way, since the order of items does not matter (it is for a Compound Shapes, where it matters a lot, with e.g. 'Minus Front').
At the same time, we can still select a subpath of a compound path with the Group Selection tool, and use Object > Arrange commands (even though…
8 votes -
Increase number of recent files
Please increase the maximum number of recent files from 30 to 50 or 100 like Photoshop (both in Home Screen and File > Recent).
Original idea by Junior Rocha
8 votes -
Angular Smart Guides for everything, similar to those Snap to Glyph has
There is a lesser known Snap to Glyph command in context menu, which allow you to snap to any live glyph under cursor. It requires Smart Guides and Snap tp Glyph commands enabled (and Snap to Grid disabled).
Once you enter the mode, the chosen glyph is highlighted with a rectangle, and you are able to construct new art relative to points of this live glyph, as if it was outlined.
These guides are green, similar to normal Glyph Guides, but some guides are unique to this mode, like the 'angular' one — which allows us to build on a continuation of an existing straight line — similar to what 'Line Extension' smart guide does (when not broken).This guide is missing in a non-glyph world, and it’s rather cool, and we’d benefit from having it for everything else, for all other tools: Pen, Selection, Scale... Please make it happen and add it as a n option in Preferences > Smart Guides.
There is a lesser known Snap to Glyph command in context menu, which allow you to snap to any live glyph under cursor. It requires Smart Guides and Snap tp Glyph commands enabled (and Snap to Grid disabled).
Once you enter the mode, the chosen glyph is highlighted with a rectangle, and you are able to construct new art relative to points of this live glyph, as if it was outlined.
These guides are green, similar to normal Glyph Guides, but some guides are unique to this mode, like the 'angular' one — which allows us to build on a…8 votes -
Allow to use point-specific controls and functions when all points of a path are selected
There is a limitation in Adobe Illustrator with aligning anchor points.
When using the Direct Selection tool to highlight anchor points on a path the options to align anchor points disappears in the Align palette if all points on a path are selected.
That can be a problem if I'm trying to align two points on a simple two point path. I either have to add additional points or manually align the path using smart guides. It would be really nice if one anchor point could have key object like behavior and stay locked in place. Certain rival vector graphics applications make it pretty easy to align anchor points in this kind of controlled manner.There is a limitation in Adobe Illustrator with aligning anchor points.
When using the Direct Selection tool to highlight anchor points on a path the options to align anchor points disappears in the Align palette if all points on a path are selected.
That can be a problem if I'm trying to align two points on a simple two point path. I either have to add additional points or manually align the path using smart guides. It would be really nice if one anchor point could have key object like behavior and stay locked in place. Certain rival vector graphics…8 votes -
Clip to key object
Illustrator allows to set a key object in a selection with a click. The object gets thick edge and can be used for aligning and distributing operation, to stay in place.
This simple way of marking an object is used only for these, and it’s a waste.
We need to be able to use key objects for other operations as well.For example, why not allow users to clip into the key object, if it’s set? Currently we would have to move it above other objects in a selection, reselect them together, and hope we didn’t mess it up... or cut the objects we need to clip, select the one to be a mask, toggle Draw Inside mode, Paste in Place (works if we need to save the appearance of the clipping path).
Why just not
1. Select objects
2. Click one to make it a key
3. Run Object > Clipping Mask > Make command (Cmd/Ctrl+7)?
Zero extra steps. No problems with 'should it be at top or bottom'.Illustrator allows to set a key object in a selection with a click. The object gets thick edge and can be used for aligning and distributing operation, to stay in place.
This simple way of marking an object is used only for these, and it’s a waste.
We need to be able to use key objects for other operations as well.For example, why not allow users to clip into the key object, if it’s set? Currently we would have to move it above other objects in a selection, reselect them together, and hope we didn’t mess it up... or…
8 votes -
Highlight objects to unlock when choosing one from Unlock in context menu
Previously Illustrator introduced a way to unlock specific objects under cursor: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/34950421
See the screenshot for example.
However, when you have objects unnamed, this list doesn’t really help, and Ai does nothing to highlight the object in focus and help to distinguish from other locked ones.Ai should make the edge of the object to be unlocked with a thick line, similar to one we see on key objects, or a somewhat similar look it is used for Objects on Path picking mode (now in Beta).
Look how Figma highlights objects (see the attached video).
Why Ai can’t do the same?Previously Illustrator introduced a way to unlock specific objects under cursor: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/34950421
See the screenshot for example.
However, when you have objects unnamed, this list doesn’t really help, and Ai does nothing to highlight the object in focus and help to distinguish from other locked ones.Ai should make the edge of the object to be unlocked with a thick line, similar to one we see on key objects, or a somewhat similar look it is used for Objects on Path picking mode (now in Beta).
Look how Figma highlights objects (see the attached video).
Why Ai can’t do the…8 votes -
Make Illustrator inform users about the live shape nature of the path used for area type and provide associated controls for it
Currently, when we use a live rectangle as a path for an area type, it secretly stays live shape inside, and it allows us to scale the object with the round corners honored. If we round corners for a rectangle-looking path (not live shape), corners will get stretched.
However, there is no way to distinguish these two cases with UI, or to convert a rectangular path used for the area type into live rectangle shape, or to have shape-sepcific controls.
Please refer to the discussion in comments for the details.
This request is based on the original declined bug report below. Full text is given below.
Area type rounded corners distort when resizing.
Is it possible to make the corners remain live so they don't distort? See attached image.Currently, when we use a live rectangle as a path for an area type, it secretly stays live shape inside, and it allows us to scale the object with the round corners honored. If we round corners for a rectangle-looking path (not live shape), corners will get stretched.
However, there is no way to distinguish these two cases with UI, or to convert a rectangular path used for the area type into live rectangle shape, or to have shape-sepcific controls.
Please refer to the discussion in comments for the details.
This request is based on the original declined bug report…
8 votes -
Please add an ability to align points using the Align panel
Please add an ability to align individual points using the Align panel. This has always been an option, but it seems to have been removed.
8 votes -
Add an option to allow to snap to and by linked art, a similar one to Snap to Glyphs option
Could it be possible to get some help to align to a graphic imported? Something like "Snap to Glyph"?
It could help a lot to work precisely, without "embedding" the placed artwork...Originally by Jean-Michel Le Goff
8 votes -
Make Shadow bounds for 3D and Materials to auto-match the actual shadow bounds
Please eliminate the shadow bounds for 3D objects, or make it infinite, or at least something more generous than 400%: 4000% perhaps? 40,000%
8 votes -
Dimension Tool Ungroup to edit
To be able to ungroup the dimension, created with the dimension tool so it can be edited. The only way I have found how to edit it is expand appearance. And that duplicates it a number of times so you need to delete the duplicates first.
8 votesRecent builds offer a native way to hide units in live dimensions, so there is no need to expand these to hide them manually or use the Find and Replace hack anymore
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Allow new Smooth command (not the tool) to be a live effect also
New Smooth is quite handy to deal with rugged shapes. But it is also introduces the new 'dialog-less' approach, when we are basically given a dialog that auto-commits on dropping a selection. Once it is dropped, the change is applied. We will get accustomed to that.
But imagine I smoothed something, then get distracted, and returned to the smoothed path a while after. To undo and reapply this I’d have to go back in History (at least we finally have it).
What if we can apply this as an effect to an object, rather than a immediate filter? It means we can later go back to settings and change the value, and Expand Appearance of it when needed.
Both approaches are usable, so please add it as an effect also.
New Smooth is quite handy to deal with rugged shapes. But it is also introduces the new 'dialog-less' approach, when we are basically given a dialog that auto-commits on dropping a selection. Once it is dropped, the change is applied. We will get accustomed to that.
But imagine I smoothed something, then get distracted, and returned to the smoothed path a while after. To undo and reapply this I’d have to go back in History (at least we finally have it).
What if we can apply this as an effect to an object, rather than a immediate filter? It means…
8 votes -
Generate Proper Filenames and Layer Names Instead of Untitled-1 and Layer-1
We need Generate Name button for saving a file depending on its content, format and target project folder. Also layers could be named properly.
Also it seems obvious that, besides generating a new name, the system could also use information from the document's presets, such as the document type (e.g., web, phone, book, etc.), document size (e.g., A4, 291x210mm, 1920x1080px, etc.), and colour and bit depth (e.g., CMYK, RGB, LAB, 8-bit, 16-bit, etc.).
8 votes -
Don’t drop the current character selection in text when I switch between documents
If you select a portion of a text in Illustrator and switch to a different app and back — the selection stays in place.
But if I switch between Illustrator documents/tabs — the selection gets lost. This makes editing of two or more documents at the same time very inconvenient, effectively loosing my data about the selection made.8 votes -
Change the cursor for Artboard Tool when a click is going to create a new object-sized artboard
When using Artboard Tool, you can do several things with a simple click.
1. Select an artboard under the cursor
2. Deselect an artboard if there is no artboards under the cursor
3. Create an artboard which size is the same as the object you click — but ONLY if the object is inside of the already selected artboard OR if the place you click is not inside of any artboard.This #3 case prevents deselecting artboards efficiently in cases when you don’t have 'naked canvas' inside of the viewport. And clicking is the only way to deselect artboards, since Deselect All command does not conform the mode — you can see details and upvote the problem here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447/suggestions/47070349
And because of that (and not only that), we need Ai to signal a click is going to create an artboard. Ai should modify the cursor to indicate this — and now it does not, AT ALL.
When using Artboard Tool, you can do several things with a simple click.
1. Select an artboard under the cursor
2. Deselect an artboard if there is no artboards under the cursor
3. Create an artboard which size is the same as the object you click — but ONLY if the object is inside of the already selected artboard OR if the place you click is not inside of any artboard.This #3 case prevents deselecting artboards efficiently in cases when you don’t have 'naked canvas' inside of the viewport. And clicking is the only way to deselect artboards, since…
8 votes
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