Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
When entering a new feature request, please provide:
- Description
- Why is this valuable to you?
- or
No existing idea results
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4702 results found
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Isolation navigator
The feature I’m looking is an isolation-mode navigator tool that requires minimal clicking and is fast to use. You’d summon it while holding down a hot key, point the mouse at a group and then use hot keys (or the mouse wheel) to go into and out of the group structure.
Isolation mode, as it is now, is essential but clunky. I spend an awful lot of time clicking into, around and back out of isolation mode. It’s enough to cause RSI. The group select tool is useful but doesn't replace isolation mode.
9 votes -
2D Extrude
I would like a 2D extrude feature. For example...
- Draw a box and add extra points to it.
- Select every other set of two points (i.e. segments) and pull them so they extrude out (instead of bend - or have the choice of bend OR extrude), perpendicular to the line they're on.
Currently I have to duplicate and rotate and then merge... I'd rather like to be able to pull out extruded segments without having to do it manually.
Boom! great idea, thanks for adding my name to the next release with this new tool. If you don't understand this idea I'd be happy to draw it out for you in a diagram...
Cheers, I'll be happy with only 1% of global sales... thanks :)
DougI would like a 2D extrude feature. For example...
- Draw a box and add extra points to it.
- Select every other set of two points (i.e. segments) and pull them so they extrude out (instead of bend - or have the choice of bend OR extrude), perpendicular to the line they're on.
Currently I have to duplicate and rotate and then merge... I'd rather like to be able to pull out extruded segments without having to do it manually.
Boom! great idea, thanks for adding my name to the next release with this new tool. If you don't understand this…
9 votes -
Warp Effect Not Working
I've noticed that ever since upgrading to Illustrator CC 2018 (22.0.1) that the Warp Effect doesn't seem to work properly. The Arc and Arch effects will work, but applying any of the Flag, Wave, Fish or Rise effects won't change the object at all.
9 votesThank you to all who shared their files. We do not support flag, fish effects on a straight line with just two anchor points. The feature is implemented to work on the line segment which is not straight.
Please refer to the attachment for supported and non supported scenarios. Should you have further query please email us on sharewithai@adobe.com -
Faux Italics
It would save time & Photoshop, InDesign, and rich text editors can skew a regular font that does not have an italic weight.
9 votes -
CC Libraries import - unnecessary extra clicks and groups.
In the previous version, to bring a library element in you simple alt-dragged it and, upon releasing it, it would be in. Now there's an extra click to place the thing, which is totally unnecessary and annoying.
Also, library items appear inside a group which isn't in the file itself. Also unnecessary and annoying. Please set these features back to how they were before (just a simple alt-drag-release to place a library item, and no extra grouping).
9 votes -
arabic typing
I can't type in arabic
9 votes -
Select Same / Larger / Smaller Size
The Select Same Color, Appearance, Opacity is quite helpful. Add a new option for Size. The area size of the current selected element would be calculated and then used to find other similar objects within the document that meet that same area size.
A tolerance up or down or range could be provided as well. It would also be helpful to offer a setting for "Select Anything this size and smaller/larger".
This kind of feature would be very helpful when attempting to clean up an illustration generated from a live traced sketch.
9 votes -
Copy the style of stroke when using eyedropper tool
When I use the eyedropper tool on a stroke with arrowhead, the full style does not get copied - only color and weight (not arrowhead). I think it is expected for the arrowhead to get copied too, just like the color AND font get copied when you use the eyedropper tool on text.
9 votesAs mentioned in comments, arrowheads are strangely the part of Appearance and not the basic stroke, and to get it copied you should tick 'Appearance' in Eyedropper tool settings (hit Enter when the tool is chosen). Then everything works. Please comment back if it does not for you. -
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 -
QuickLook Preview Support for EPS Files on macOS via Adobe own framework
As of macOS 15 (Sequoia), Apple has officially removed all system-level support for rendering Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) files in QuickLook. This change began in macOS 12 (Monterey), when Apple deprecated the internal PostScript conversion frameworks (notably PSNormalizer.framework), and culminated in macOS 14 (Sonoma) and 15 (Sequoia), where these frameworks were entirely removed.
Historically, Finder’s QuickLook preview for .eps files relied on these system frameworks to convert PostScript content into a previewable image. Many third-party applications (including Illustrator) used the same system calls to provide file previews. Even QuickLook plugins like Illustrator.qlgenerator or others that claimed .eps support were not rendering the content themselves—they merely invoked Apple’s system renderers under the hood.
Now, all such plugins are broken:
• .qlgenerator-style plugins are no longer supported or loaded at all in macOS Sequoia.
• System EPS rendering components (pstopdf, cgps, PSNormalizer.framework) are removed.
• Even if an EPS file contains an embedded preview (e.g. a TIFF or low-res PDF), macOS does not expose this to QuickLook.
• Applications like Illustrator or Affinity can still open EPS files, but no longer expose any preview capability in Finder.Some unofficial third-party utilities have begun to implement their own QuickLook Preview Extensions (using the modern App Extension architecture), embedding their own PostScript interpreters (such as Ghostscript). While this restores basic EPS preview functionality, these solutions may rely on reverse-engineered methods or contain licensing gray areas due to the proprietary nature of PostScript.
This leaves professionals—designers, publishers, illustrators—without a reliable, secure, and officially supported method to preview legacy assets in EPS format, which are still common in stock vector libraries, archival graphics, and prepress workflows.
⸻
We propose the following feature request:
Please consider developing an official Apple QuickLook Preview Extension for .eps files, bundled either with Adobe Illustrator or the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop app.Such an extension would:
• Support QuickLook previews in Finder and column view (via QuickLookPreviewingExtension)
• Use Adobe’s own EPS rendering engine internally
• Require no user interaction or app launch — just press spacebar on an .eps file
• Work on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs
• Respect the EPS file’s embedded previews when available
• Safely handle untrusted EPS content in a sandboxed, non-executable rendering contextThis would solve a real and growing pain point in modern macOS workflows. Currently, users are forced to open files manually in Illustrator or rely on potentially unsafe tools—hardly an ideal user experience in professional environments.
We believe Adobe, as the originator of the EPS format and the leader in professional design software, is best positioned to provide a secure, performant, and standards-compliant solution.
As of macOS 15 (Sequoia), Apple has officially removed all system-level support for rendering Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) files in QuickLook. This change began in macOS 12 (Monterey), when Apple deprecated the internal PostScript conversion frameworks (notably PSNormalizer.framework), and culminated in macOS 14 (Sonoma) and 15 (Sequoia), where these frameworks were entirely removed.
Historically, Finder’s QuickLook preview for .eps files relied on these system frameworks to convert PostScript content into a previewable image. Many third-party applications (including Illustrator) used the same system calls to provide file previews. Even QuickLook plugins like Illustrator.qlgenerator or others that claimed .eps support were not rendering…
8 votes -
Text accessibility checker
It would be great if adobe design tools provided a built in checker or warning system for type that does not meet the 4:5:1 standard for contrast. Currently I have to use third party tools to verify that the colors have enough contrast. Would be great if I could do that right in that app or if a warning popped up similar to overset text.
8 votes -
True vector blur / feather, similar to one Rive has
Quite recently Rive introduced Vector Feathering: https://rive.app/blog/introducing-vector-feathering
Illustrator uses raster-based Feather and Gaussian Blur, and — let’s admit it — we need them better: resolution-independent, infinitely scalable.
Instead we got just 'faster blur'...And while you are here — there are many more blur-realted requests:
– Motion blur: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/32403883
– Background blur: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/36614008
– Gradient Feather: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/31911052
and more.Stop toying with text-to-raster-then-trace toys!
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 -
Make objects in Objects on Path to reposition relative to one set as a key object
Align and Distribute operations in Illustrator support picking a key object, by clicking on of the objects in a selection, so it get a thicker edge. This object stays in place, while every other in a selection aligns or distributes relative to it.
Sadly, this 'key object' paradigm is largely unloved in other areas, but it's also neglect in new Objects on Paths construct.
While it does not support setting a target path with it (requested here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/48988013), it also does not allow to 'fix' one object on path as adjust gaps relative to this fixated object.What we have now is an ability to hold Opt/Alt, to scale gaps relative to the center of the array... but with key object support it would be even cooler!
Original idea by Ton Frederiks
Align and Distribute operations in Illustrator support picking a key object, by clicking on of the objects in a selection, so it get a thicker edge. This object stays in place, while every other in a selection aligns or distributes relative to it.
Sadly, this 'key object' paradigm is largely unloved in other areas, but it's also neglect in new Objects on Paths construct.
While it does not support setting a target path with it (requested here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/48988013), it also does not allow to 'fix' one object on path as adjust gaps relative to this fixated object.What we…
8 votes -
An option to Remove Share Button completely
Glad you can take the blue color off the Share button (based on this request: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/44391642)
Would LOVE to have the option of taking the share button off altogether.
It's still large and distracting. Thanks!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 -
Display Move Locked and Hidden Artwork with Artboard option in Control panel and Properties while using Artboard tool / mode
The Move Locked and Hidden Artwork with Artboard option should be displayed when the user is actually in the "Edit Artboard" mode, using the Artboard tool. It is common problem when you want to duplicate an artboard and you have locked background. In most cases, I want to move my artwork with the background.
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
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