Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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4714 results found
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Force swatches when directly opening an image
When we drag-n-drop / open an image into Illustrator, a new document is created with an artboard created to fit the image (when possible), and the image is put there.
The Swatches panel in this case is empty (as well as Brushes, Symbols, Graphics Styles).
While it makes sense (image have no presets stored within), for some users it’s extremely irritating — they treat this workflow as a way to quickly create a new document based on an image, with the fitting document profile used (even though if they have no idea about document profiles — thanks to the modern New Document dialog, concealing this aspect pretty well).
Perhaps Ai should allow importing default swatches: RGB for an RGB image, and CMYK if it happens to be in CMYK.
I can assume people might need to prefer their own swatch sources also.I doubt it should apply to other presets (styles, symbols, etc.), but perhaps someone in comment could argue.
Finally, there is a similar request about native .ai files, generated with non-native applications:
Global Swatches for Imported Files
http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/33527599I’d advise to treat them togehter.
When we drag-n-drop / open an image into Illustrator, a new document is created with an artboard created to fit the image (when possible), and the image is put there.
The Swatches panel in this case is empty (as well as Brushes, Symbols, Graphics Styles).
While it makes sense (image have no presets stored within), for some users it’s extremely irritating — they treat this workflow as a way to quickly create a new document based on an image, with the fitting document profile used (even though if they have no idea about document profiles — thanks to the…
7 votes -
Copy and paste with drag and right click mouse like CorelDRAW
I hope to see in illustrator copy and paste with (drag and right click mouse) like CorelDRAW
7 votes -
Make USEFUL hover hints for ALL the options, fields, menu commands
Clearly the team doesn’t really care about making hover hints to be a learning tool.
Rarely these actually try to say what an option or a field does or controls: like 'Start editing similar shapes together' for the 'Global Edit' button in the Control panel, or 'Click to pick arrowhead to apply to start point of path' in Stroke panel...
But in most cases the hint is extremely rudimentary.
Try to hover the 'W' field in Transform panel — you’d get 'W value'. W?! Weight? Wand? Why not say 'Width Value', or even 'Set Width for the selected objects'?Then again — why do you caption only icons, but not something like menu commands? Why can’t a new user hover over Select > Start Global Edit and get a short explanation (especially with rich tooltips enabled)?
Why Scale Corners in Transform has a decent hint, but Scale Strokes & Effects — none at all?
Why can’t you make hover hints have several lines of text, if needed?
Take a look at how a carefully written hint for a plugin option suffers from being restricted to one line?OK, if you’re afraid of flashing with large cards (the main reason why people hate rich tooltips) — why can’t you make these hints display a shorter version, but give a detailed one after a pause, like the attached GIF shows (from a 3DS Max)? Two second delay is a bit too large, to my taste, but it’s there!
Why can’t every item in Preferences have a hover hint?
Actually I requested this here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/46268617I hope someone in the team just takes time to hover all the UI items in Ai and think a bit. Or scroll through a list you probably can generate... do something, please!
Clearly the team doesn’t really care about making hover hints to be a learning tool.
Rarely these actually try to say what an option or a field does or controls: like 'Start editing similar shapes together' for the 'Global Edit' button in the Control panel, or 'Click to pick arrowhead to apply to start point of path' in Stroke panel...
But in most cases the hint is extremely rudimentary.
Try to hover the 'W' field in Transform panel — you’d get 'W value'. W?! Weight? Wand? Why not say 'Width Value', or even 'Set Width for the selected objects'?Then…
7 votes -
Add a slider to the History panel to quickly review the states of the document
If we want to go back to a certain history state of the current document , we can scroll the History panel and click each step item, guessing the time, judging by the names of these, the scrollbar position (limited by the capped amount of steps)...
It’s a guesswork in most cases, since some steps still have generic names (like always 'Move' and not 'Move Point', 'Move Handle', 'Move Segment', 'Move Path', 'Move Group'...)Can I just grab a slider and scrub with it, seeing all the previous states rendered on canvas — and fast? Today Ai sometimes takes too much time to undo, and it won’t work with scrubbing.
And hey — look, Affinity Designer does this.
If we want to go back to a certain history state of the current document , we can scroll the History panel and click each step item, guessing the time, judging by the names of these, the scrollbar position (limited by the capped amount of steps)...
It’s a guesswork in most cases, since some steps still have generic names (like always 'Move' and not 'Move Point', 'Move Handle', 'Move Segment', 'Move Path', 'Move Group'...)Can I just grab a slider and scrub with it, seeing all the previous states rendered on canvas — and fast? Today Ai sometimes takes too…
7 votes -
Learn to link / place .ai files saved without PDF compatibility (PGF only)
I know, why would you. A PDF-layer is basically a composite flattened layer Ai writes into an .ai document, and just reads it when the file is placed: in Photoshop, in InDesign. Handy, yeah?
Not really. Saving a document without the compatibility is so much faster. The non-compatible files are so much lighter (especially with heavy raster links used within). OK, Ps and InD can’t read PGF (Progressive Graphics Format, the one that’s native for Ai)... but Ai can.
Why not reading linked .ai docs as they are and THEN keep it’s PDF representation within the destination file, if it makes the difference in performance? I don’t mean save this representation within it, just regenerate it on opening, no?
I mean, I’m so tired of seeing these 'This is an Ai® file that was saved without PDF...' stamps instead of actual content when I need to link something... instead of generating it right there and now, you force us to import/open the link, resave it and try anew. You can read these! Just read them, please.
I know, why would you. A PDF-layer is basically a composite flattened layer Ai writes into an .ai document, and just reads it when the file is placed: in Photoshop, in InDesign. Handy, yeah?
Not really. Saving a document without the compatibility is so much faster. The non-compatible files are so much lighter (especially with heavy raster links used within). OK, Ps and InD can’t read PGF (Progressive Graphics Format, the one that’s native for Ai)... but Ai can.
Why not reading linked .ai docs as they are and THEN keep it’s PDF representation within the destination file, if it…
7 votes -
Bring back Duplicate button in the Contextual Task Bar
It would be very useful to bring back the repeat / duplicate icon in the Contextual Task Bar -- specifically when selecting shapes. Illustrator 2024 had this feature when a shape was selected. The 2025 update removed this feature.
Please bring this back, or allow users to customize the Conceptual Task Bar in the settings.
7 votes -
Add a slider to Color Guide panel to change the number of steps
Color Guide panel allows to change the number of steps (4 by default), through Color Guide Options dialog, called through the panel’s flyout menu. Buried rather deeply!
Plus the value is reset every app relaunch, and there is a report about it here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447/suggestions/46283755
What if we could have a slider in this panel, to quickly change the number of steps, up to ~20?
Original idea by Tony Harmer
7 votes -
Leading / Line Height calculator (more Auto options)
Illustrator now offers 120% as the default leading value.
Changing it requires you to go to Justification dialog within the Character panel.
The setting is global for the document.
Changing the default value for all new documents requires editing [Normal Paragraph Style] in proper Document Profile (and default ones are reset every time Ai updates).Typography often requires more variety than just a value relative to font size.
In real projects we have to calculate leading / line height based on line width, x-height... and also background, color, the font itself.While Ai hardly can do it all on its own (and it shouldn’t even try), having a way to quickly calculate a suitable leading / line height of an area type based on container’s dimension and the font size.
Super wide lines (relative to font height) require more vertical space to help the eye to find the next line.
Ultra short lines can have 100% or even smaller values.
Obviously we don’t need these to be adjusted all the time we change the size of a container, and we don’t need it for each container in a document — unless we choose it. This should work as an option and a one-time operation.
Illustrator now offers 120% as the default leading value.
Changing it requires you to go to Justification dialog within the Character panel.
The setting is global for the document.
Changing the default value for all new documents requires editing [Normal Paragraph Style] in proper Document Profile (and default ones are reset every time Ai updates).Typography often requires more variety than just a value relative to font size.
In real projects we have to calculate leading / line height based on line width, x-height... and also background, color, the font itself.While Ai hardly can do it all on its…
7 votes -
Holding Control key and clicking on a New Layer icon should create a new layer below, as in Photoshop
Originally mentioned by Mohammed Amjed Khan Abro here: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/41107321
Layers Panel.
Holding or pressing the Control key and clicking on a new layer icon in Photoshop to creates a new layer below all the layers if no layer is selected, if a layer is selected then you do the same action will create a new layer below the selected layer which really makes sense.
The same thing would be very comfortable in Illustrator if that feature would be added in the Layers and Appearance Panel.7 votes -
Option to add dimensions to current / specified layer
I enjoy the new dimension tool but find it annoying that it creates a whole new separate layer. Maybe my workflow is unconventional, but it would be nice if the dimensions could just be added to my print instructions layer instead of a whole new layer just for the dimensions. I make a lot of diecuts and find myself still using old methods to create the dimension lines due to it always putting them on another layer.
7 votes -
Adobe Please Update Image Trace
Totally understand the business aspects of focusing on tools which have the most users. However Image Trace appears stuck in a time warp, and not moving forward. May be stretching but with the AI, ML tools Image Trace should be far more capable than the current form. The inability to distinguish lines in an image is of concern. You should be able to draw more interest to take raster drawings to the next level with Illustrator. Has been almost 24 years when this was released. Definitely time to take to the next level.
7 votes -
True customisable drawing 'angles' for all tools when using SHIFT key (pen, pencil, brush).
This is severely lacking in illustrator and has been developed by Affinity Designer with work arounds (that do not work in a suitably fluid way) by Astute Graphics for Illustrator.
Best case scenario something is implemented like Affinity Designer in which 'constraint angles' are replaced by ‘Grid and Snapping Axis’ you are able to set and save presets of angle settings.
These axis are set and then can be activated as a constraint on your current tool by holding shift.
Smart guides provides this in a VERY limited way right now, the UI is very rudimentary for a setting that is so important.
These settings need to be centralised in one place, not hidden!This is severely lacking in illustrator and has been developed by Affinity Designer with work arounds (that do not work in a suitably fluid way) by Astute Graphics for Illustrator.
Best case scenario something is implemented like Affinity Designer in which 'constraint angles' are replaced by ‘Grid and Snapping Axis’ you are able to set and save presets of angle settings.
These axis are set and then can be activated as a constraint on your current tool by holding shift.
Smart guides provides this in a VERY limited way right now, the UI is very rudimentary for a setting that…7 votes -
Add a 'Select More' menu option
When working with a very busy file, it's often much easier to select an anchor or line segment than an object.
My idea is to have a menu option that selects the object or objects which currently have anchors or line segments selected.
A user could select an object by first selecting one of its anchors, and then using this menu option.
If the user hits this feature multiple times, it could continue to 'select more' by, for example, selecting all siblings within the current group, and then the group itself, and then the group's siblings etc.
7 votes -
Pencil and Brush Tools 'Pulled String' Smoothing / Stabilization
I've been using Illustrator for a long time now and one of the things that have bugged me over the years is the fact that there's no brush stroke stabilization like the Pulled String Mode in Photoshop or the Rope Brush in Affinity Designer. Ai has evolved so much over the years and it's been used to create freehand vector art since day one, so I cannot understand why this function hasn't been developed yet as of 2024.
Path Smooth or Fidelity are definitely two options to smooth out lines, but that's done once the path has been created. Stabilization, on the contrary, can give you very smooth lines while you're drawing them and with live feedback. I understand there's a plugin out there called DynamicSketch, but I would like to have this feature integrated directly into Illustrator instead of having to look for it elsewhere.
I must say that I'm beyond impressed at how fluid and accurate the Rope Brush in Affinity Designer is, but unfortunately, I can't say the same thing about Photoshop's Pulled String Mode. Will we see this feature in Ai soon? I hope so.
I've been using Illustrator for a long time now and one of the things that have bugged me over the years is the fact that there's no brush stroke stabilization like the Pulled String Mode in Photoshop or the Rope Brush in Affinity Designer. Ai has evolved so much over the years and it's been used to create freehand vector art since day one, so I cannot understand why this function hasn't been developed yet as of 2024.
Path Smooth or Fidelity are definitely two options to smooth out lines, but that's done once the path has been created. Stabilization,…
7 votes -
An ability to create custom bevel profiles for 3D and Materials Extrude
We can create our own profiles for now Classic Extrude, by modifying the Bevels.ai — located here:
Mac: /Applications/Adobe Illustrator [version]/Support Files/Resources/[locale]
Win: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator [version]\Support Files\Required\Resources[locale]But changing the file does nothing to customize bevels for the modern 3D!
They seem to be hardcoded.
Please, make the same file to be recognized by the modern 3D, or perhaps come up with some better way, that does not require to modify a red-only file and restarting Ai — for both 3D methods.7 votes -
Guided tracing brush (Snap to trace), similar to Photoshop’s Content aware image trace
The automatic full image tracing in illustrator often does not create useful results. The set of lines is too busy or doesn't line up with where a human would consider the edges to be.
As an alternative, a brush tool tool that snaps the lines to the underlying image layers would be more helpful. Human input shows the general location of a line, and illustrator can then snap the line to the nearest set of pixels that appears to be an edge, helping make smooth an accurate traces without excess lines.
While it would be a slower process, the creative control plus accuracy would really help me in my practice.
There could be some AI training opportunities here too, with illustrator learning my tracing style over time to produce faster results, or letting me use the style of another artist as a starting point.
The automatic full image tracing in illustrator often does not create useful results. The set of lines is too busy or doesn't line up with where a human would consider the edges to be.
As an alternative, a brush tool tool that snaps the lines to the underlying image layers would be more helpful. Human input shows the general location of a line, and illustrator can then snap the line to the nearest set of pixels that appears to be an edge, helping make smooth an accurate traces without excess lines.
While it would be a slower process, the creative…
7 votes -
An option to hide units in dimensions made with the Dimension Tool
Can you add an option so that the units are not displayed for dimensions and only the number is displayed? Thank you.
7 votesLatest Beta Builds now allow to hide units for dimensions.
Toggle the option in the tool’s options dialog to force it for new objects, or disable it in the Properties panel for existing and selected dimensions.
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Allow Shape Builder to close edited path, but keep the one below opened
Hi there!
So, the thing is that - when I have 2 intersecting open filled paths, I really want to remove the outside path of one path using Shape Builder tool. But I want the second path to stay open. and the first path to become closed.It may sound as a picky request. But I struggle with this issue everyday, like, 20+ times.
7 votes -
External arrowheads for small dimensions
The current Beta version is showing the new Dimensions tool, but as you can see in my screen shot, where I am working actual size, for the small dimensions it would help if there was an option to have the arrows outside the lines going toward the inside of the dimension rather than the outside. Thus leaving the small gap empty and making it visually clearer.
7 votes -
Creating several symbols at once (Multi-Add symbols)
An option when adding Symbols to the Symbols panel for a multi-add option, similar to the Asset Export panel.
7 votes
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