Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
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4701 results found
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Change the layer an object is located on
If you have a large artboard with multiple objects and layers it is really time consuming to organize your layers when all you can do is drag and drop. I think it would be useful if you could right click on an object and "move to layer" like you can in muse.
4 votesThere is a way – let us know if this works for you.
- Select the object(s).
- Highlight the layer you want the selection to go to.
- Object menu or right-click > Arrange > Send to Current Layer -
Make permanent artboard captions displayed on top when using Artboard Tool / mode
In Ai 2026 (build 30) a new option was presented, 'Show Artboard name on canvas', in Preferences > Selection & Anchor Display, enabled by default, following this request:
Provide an option for making artboard names / numbers visible on the artboard (like when editing artboards), https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/40405873While it’s great and all, these new subtle captions replace the old 'label' ones we used to get when enabling Artboard tool / mode... and these new captions are rendered BELOW the artwork, even when I specifically want to deal with artboards, not artwork.
These should appear on top when using Artboard Tool, and I’d say these should be old-style labels with clear distinct backgrounds. Gray text of new-style labels is barely seen on gray backgrounds I use a lot.Why do we need to see the numbers and labels above art?
For this — Display artboard captions when exporting artboards, http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/48094511In Ai 2026 (build 30) a new option was presented, 'Show Artboard name on canvas', in Preferences > Selection & Anchor Display, enabled by default, following this request:
Provide an option for making artboard names / numbers visible on the artboard (like when editing artboards), https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/40405873While it’s great and all, these new subtle captions replace the old 'label' ones we used to get when enabling Artboard tool / mode... and these new captions are rendered BELOW the artwork, even when I specifically want to deal with artboards, not artwork.
These should appear on top when using Artboard Tool, and…3 votes -
Turn off artboard names / labels when using Artboard Tool
When using the Artboard tool, the artboard label can interfere with the artboard content. Can there be an option to turn the artboard name off or move it to be above the artboard and not within the boundary?
3 votesTo hide the permanent captions for artboards, go to Preferences > Selection & Anchor Display and disable the new 'Show Artboard name on canvas' option.
This would restore the previous behavior with labels being displayed only when Artboard Tool / mode is active, and shown above the artwork.
This feature was added because of this request
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Select > Object > Select All Symbols
Please? It would be handy to be able to select all symbols in one grab instead of doing them one symbol type at a time.
3 votes -
Absolute mode for Scale tool
Speaking of Transform Each new absolute mode, presented in one of Beta builds (removed for now).
While having it is great (especially in the finished state), Transform still relies on one of 9 reference points.
To set a custom transformation pivot/origin we need to use interactive tools... and they don’t offer absolute lengths.Here, take a look, a real example.
I need to scale this > shape to be exactly 20mm height — and I need it to be scaled exactly from the position I marked with guides — the bottom right corner of it.
Transform panel can’t offer me anything but three fixed positions. Sure, I can use one and move the artwork, using Snap to Grid. But sometimes it's just a very procedure — a selection is more complex than a single path, accidentally deselecting is quite easy, and reselecting with Undo is untrustworthy.
So I grab Scale tool, hold Opt/Alt and click the point.
In an ideal world I’d be able to toggle absolute mode and set 20 mm for my desired height...
In the world we are in I paste the current height (I copied in a previous step), type 20 (the desired height), multiply in instantly by 100 by adding two more zeroes (since inputs don’t support more than one arithmetic operation) and divide it by the current height value I copied beforehand (which is not always the case).This gives me the result I wanted... but it could have been faster with the absolute mode, don’t you think?
Speaking of Transform Each new absolute mode, presented in one of Beta builds (removed for now).
While having it is great (especially in the finished state), Transform still relies on one of 9 reference points.
To set a custom transformation pivot/origin we need to use interactive tools... and they don’t offer absolute lengths.Here, take a look, a real example.
I need to scale this > shape to be exactly 20mm height — and I need it to be scaled exactly from the position I marked with guides — the bottom right corner of it.
Transform panel can’t offer me…
3 votes -
'Reveal in finder' right-click images
Can basic image functions please get added to right-click menus. Both when right-clicking images, and when right-clicking images in the Links panel...
- Re-link image
- Update link
- Link File Info...
- Embed/Unembed image
- Reveal in Finder
- Reveal in Bridge
- Edit in Photoshop
I also made a single “Full Image & Link Overhaul” request that pulled all the smaller image issues together, but it seems to have been deleted. Can an admin explain why?
3 votes -
Paste in Front / Back should be disabled while actively editing text
Ctrl+B and Ctrl+F are still available to paste objects while user is actively editing text. This should not be allowed.
Ctrl+V does some kind of text only paste in the active text edit field (this makes sense) but hitting Ctrl+B or Ctrl+F (by default, paste in back/front) these will ACTUALLY paste artwork whatever it may be in the location copied from, WHILE the user is in the text edit field. This could mean unexpected behavior and user may not realize they pasted something as it may not even have drawn on screen.
Editing text should be single threaded, and focused on editing text, or you're just going to limit the keyboard shortcut possibilities or confuse users.Ctrl+B and Ctrl+F are still available to paste objects while user is actively editing text. This should not be allowed.
Ctrl+V does some kind of text only paste in the active text edit field (this makes sense) but hitting Ctrl+B or Ctrl+F (by default, paste in back/front) these will ACTUALLY paste artwork whatever it may be in the location copied from, WHILE the user is in the text edit field. This could mean unexpected behavior and user may not realize they pasted something as it may not even have drawn on screen.
Editing text should be single threaded, and focused…3 votes -
Allow to reset the position of a single panel, not the full workspace
Reset Workspace for me is mostly used to get all the panels I torn out from docks to get back in their stables.
But sometimes it’s just one panel, and waiting for Ai to creak and choke just to get one panel back is an overkill.
And putting it back manually is not as simple as sounds — my memory remembers where it should BE, not where it should be PUT in!
So can we get a way to force one chosen panel to be reset? 'You — go home'! I’d use it rather often.3 votes -
Allow us to choose between groups and sublayers when expanding symbols
Why dynamic symbols always turn into groups when expanded (Break Link), but all static ones become sublayers?
Why can’t we decide what we want these expanded results be?
I’d use groups all the time, but I know some others would prefer sublayers... Is it a technical difficulty?Also — why does an extra wrapper group appear for an expanded dynamic symbol?
3 votes -
Add a way to set a custom resolution for Raster Effects when creating a document
Why can’t I set 'other' value for resolution while creating a new document using classic UI, but can do later using the dedicated dialog? Not fair (plus Ai doesn’t know about PPCM and fractional values)
Another related request:
Fractional resolution value in Document Raster Effects Settings
http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/456546613 votes -
On Export to PDF, for "Page information" - Include the Artboard Name, not just the page number. Also let us edit the label placement. Basic
On Export to PDF, for "Page information" - Include the Artboard Name, not just the page number. Also let us edit the label placement.
Basically, I want to be able to call my artboards something like "Pane A1" - "Panel A2" - etc...
Right now, if I have a multi panel project, I have to manually place panel labels in all corners of a layout. But where bleeds overlap, I can't place labels, because that label would appear in the print field of the other panel...
Also, the offset of the "page information" should be editable, or default to the edge of the bleed area, definitely NOT at the edge of the visual / trim area.
On Export to PDF, for "Page information" - Include the Artboard Name, not just the page number. Also let us edit the label placement.
Basically, I want to be able to call my artboards something like "Pane A1" - "Panel A2" - etc...
Right now, if I have a multi panel project, I have to manually place panel labels in all corners of a layout. But where bleeds overlap, I can't place labels, because that label would appear in the print field of the other panel...
Also, the offset of the "page information" should be editable, or default to the…
3 votes -
Edge Effects on Line Segment instead of Full Shape Border
It would be nice to be able to create a shape that has different edges between different points. At the moment, the closest that you can get with this is the width tool or by deleting a segment (which causes a host of issues, since it would no longer be a shape).
More broadly, by isolating line segments as editable aspects of a shape, it would be great to be able to apply edge effects (feathering, roughen, blur, etc.) only to a select number of segments on a shape.
This would give finer control over shapes in Adobe Illustrator and make it possible to create more dynamic, detailed illustrations.
It would be nice to be able to create a shape that has different edges between different points. At the moment, the closest that you can get with this is the width tool or by deleting a segment (which causes a host of issues, since it would no longer be a shape).
More broadly, by isolating line segments as editable aspects of a shape, it would be great to be able to apply edge effects (feathering, roughen, blur, etc.) only to a select number of segments on a shape.
This would give finer control over shapes in Adobe Illustrator and…
3 votes -
Active artboard should correspond to the focus of the mouse or object(s) last placed on it.
The active artboard should either be activated by the position of the mouse, or from the placement of the last object. For example, using the mouse, I move an object from one artboard to an adjacent one. Therefore, the active artboard should be the adjacent one since I just placed an object on it. The reason this important for me is when I want to place this object on a new artboard and immediately center it to the page. However unless, I click on this new artboard first to activate it, Illustrator still has the previous artboard as active, and the object gets centered on it instead of the new one.
The active artboard should either be activated by the position of the mouse, or from the placement of the last object. For example, using the mouse, I move an object from one artboard to an adjacent one. Therefore, the active artboard should be the adjacent one since I just placed an object on it. The reason this important for me is when I want to place this object on a new artboard and immediately center it to the page. However unless, I click on this new artboard first to activate it, Illustrator still has the previous artboard as active, and…
3 votes -
Schriftanzeigeaktualisierungen beim Nachladen von fehlenden Schriften inclusive Aktualisierung bei Texten mit Silbentrennung.
Wenn Schriften nachgeladen werden, sei es manuell oder durch PlugIns, wird die Anzeige in Textfeldern mit Silbentrennung bezüglich der nachgeladenen Schrift NICHT aktualisiert.
Für die Anzeige ist die aktive Schrift + die eingestellte Sprache + das Wörterbuch von Bedeutung. Bei Änderung der aktiven Schrift durch nachladen, wird die Silbentrennung nicht automatisch aktualisiert.
Was zu falschen Umbrüchen im Dokument führen kann, welche nicht immer sofort bemerkt werden.
Eine Aktualisieren auch der Silbentrennung nach Laden einer Schrift bei einem geöffneten Dokument ist daher wünschenswert.3 votes -
Ruler & Grids, Guides, Snap options as separate panel
There are already UI elements for changing these settings, but they're only available in the properties panel with the selection tool selected and no object selection – which is very inconvenient.
Make them a separate panel instead.
3 votes -
Allow use of an incrementing variable in naming schema for asset export tab.
if you include a switch variable with symbols like ### I used in screen shot "###_24k♡3D"
makr the actual file names have Suffix
00124k♡3D
00224k♡3D
003_24k♡3D3 votes -
Show a progress bar for 'export for screens' when it's taking a little while
Maybe it's just me making absolutely pathological files (7k paths that expand to 72k paths and 6k images) but sometimes 'export for screens' can take a while. And I just wanna close the file and get on with my life but I can't until it's done, and I'd like to know how long it's gonna take.
Maybe pop up a progress bar at the top of the screen along with the "this is saving in the background and will close when it's done" grey box? Or maybe just, well, pop up a traditional window with a progress bar that's not blocking the rest of Illustrator?
Maybe it's just me making absolutely pathological files (7k paths that expand to 72k paths and 6k images) but sometimes 'export for screens' can take a while. And I just wanna close the file and get on with my life but I can't until it's done, and I'd like to know how long it's gonna take.
Maybe pop up a progress bar at the top of the screen along with the "this is saving in the background and will close when it's done" grey box? Or maybe just, well, pop up a traditional window with a progress bar that's not…
3 votes -
Scale Strokes Only
When Scaling numerically, the have choice whether to scale Strokes (and) effects as well.
What I am looking for, is a way to scale stroke widths, without scaling the objects. In that way, it is easy to change several stroke widths, while keeping the ratio between the stroke widths. (I know the work around, to scale back the objects without scaling the strokes - but that comes with some risks and limitations)
3 votes -
Eyedropper tool breaks Chinese/English mixed text after recent update
Title: Eyedropper tool breaks Chinese/English mixed text after recent update
Description:
In previous versions of Illustrator, when working with sentences containing both English and Chinese text, the Eyedropper tool worked correctly:If I applied a new font with Eyedropper, only the English letters would switch to the sampled font.
The Chinese characters would remain in their original font, preventing missing glyphs or “tofu” boxes.
After the recent update, this behavior has changed:
When I select the entire sentence and use Eyedropper, Illustrator now forces the entire string (including Chinese) into the sampled font.
Since the sampled font usually does not support Chinese characters, all Chinese text turns into blank squares/garbled characters.
This change breaks the previous workflow and causes major problems for designers working with multilingual text (especially in Asia).
Request:
Please restore the previous Eyedropper behavior, or at least provide an option such as “Apply only to supported characters” so that unsupported glyphs (like Chinese) will remain in their original font.This functionality is critical for mixed Chinese-English typography, and removing it significantly reduces efficiency.
Title: Eyedropper tool breaks Chinese/English mixed text after recent update
Description:
In previous versions of Illustrator, when working with sentences containing both English and Chinese text, the Eyedropper tool worked correctly:If I applied a new font with Eyedropper, only the English letters would switch to the sampled font.
The Chinese characters would remain in their original font, preventing missing glyphs or “tofu” boxes.
After the recent update, this behavior has changed:
When I select the entire sentence and use Eyedropper, Illustrator now forces the entire string (including Chinese) into the sampled font.
Since the sampled font usually does not…
3 votes -
Improve Save a Copy as PDF workflow
Description:
When saving a copy as PDF, artboards must be chosen in the first step — before seeing any PDF settings. This is awkward and less flexible.Suggestion:
• Allow artboard selection in the PDF settings step.
• Add a preview (like in Print or artboards/screens in export) so users can easily see and pick the artboards they want.This would make saving PDFs faster, clearer, and more user-friendly.
3 votes
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