Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
When entering a new feature request, please provide:
- Description
- Why is this valuable to you?
4804 results found
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Configurable Trim Marks
TL/DR: It would be incredibly helpful and relatively simple for AI's developers to let users configure the parameters of auto-generated trim marks.
I've been using AI for three decades and somehow, even though I have been doing this the hard way that entire time, it never dawned on me until today to request this: configurable Trim Marks, both in Object: Create Trim Marks and Effect: Trim Marks. This is similar to the following request except that that one doesn't include the why that I feel is important:
https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/41926273-set-the-size-and-offset-of-effect-crop-marks-whiAI specifically creates trim marks in one very specific way: .5" .3pt…
7 votes -
Allow to actually drag-n-drop swatches on canvas to create a Swatch Info object
Von Glitschka originally requested this here — http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/40192993 — but instead we got a buried menu command we can’t assign to a hotkey (here’s a request about this: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/49612313)
Please allow to create these with the actual drag-n-drop!
Make it so we can hold a modifier key while doing this to have a dialog (and do it silently by default instead).
Allow to add dragged swatches into the existing Swatch Info objects, highlight the exact positions these are going to be added, on canvas.7 votes -
Allow to create Swatch Info object using a hotkey
Currently to create a Swatch Info object you need to dive into the Swatches panel’s flyout menu and locate a command. We need a way to assign a hotkey to this.
Actually, we need a way to assign hotkeys to ALL commands hidden in the panel menus — here is a general request about this: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/46432486 (and even a larger request to hotkey everything at all: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/31609237)
More of it, we need to be able to create Swatch Info objects with drag-n-drop (as Von Glitschka originally requested: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/40192993).
There is now a separate request specifically about this, to…7 votes -
Allow to snap to middles of straight and curved segments in paths
We need middles to get detected with Smart Guides.
The latest Beta 29.5.0.15 got this report fixed — http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/39380149 — and now allows to detect these for straight two-point lines (as 'intersect', not 'middle') but it doesn’t work for straight segments within a larger path or curved segments at all.The team ignored the rest of the comments and did the bare minimum the report stated :( Hope this will get more votes to prove we need it still.
7 votes -
Stop covering the document tabs with expanded docked panels
If I dock panels to sides of the application frame, expanding the ones from the top panel groups will cover the document tabs, like the GIF shows.
In a situation when it’s important to know what is the current document (they can differ slightly) this is especially irritating.Please nudge them down a bit!
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 -
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…
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…
7 votes -
Find and Replace should immediately count occurrences of the Find field contents in a document, before hitting Find
Why not showing us how many occurrences of a searched text the document has as we type the text? Why every browser can do this, but a professional tool will smack you with the loud alert only after you hit Replace All? How can I count matches without replacing?!
7 votes -
Add a Recent section in the Find/Replace Font dialog
Sometimes we have to use the same font as a replacement font.
Find/Replace Font dialog remembers none of our previous replacement searches. And since Search / Filter is missing too (here is the request: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/45057382), we are doomed to scroll the list every time.
Just remember the choices at least!7 votes -
Make fractal noise gradient
One of my favorite gradient types from the time of Xara was 'Fractal Nosie' and 'Fractal Plasma'. No fine-tuning, but pretty handy for adding quick perturbance, especially when used as a transparency mask.
It’s still there.
Today, VectorStyler app offers a similar gradient type: https://www.vectorstyler.com/documentation/gradients/We can do something similar using freeform gradient in Ai... but try to scale or rotate control points all at once, I dare you.
Also please take a look at this related request:
Make conical gradient
http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/360036167 votes -
Make a way for Scale Artwork with Artboard mode to NOT scale strokes and effects
It’s good to finally have Scale Artwork with Artboard option (http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/31500847), but I really wish for it to respect Scale Strokes & Effects option.
For now Scale Artwork with Artboard behaves as if it’s always enabled... I realize scaling strokes is natural for this mode, but the current way means if we need to scale an artboard, but NOT scale the strokes — we can’t do that.
It almost feels like it should be a separate option specifically for it.7 votes -
Add Units Dropdown in Properties / Control / Transform panels
I constantly have to change units based on job parameters.
I would like to have a Units dropdown in the Properties panel itself.
Instead of going into Preferences or show rulers to change units, add a dropdown to the Transform section of the panel.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 -
Automatically pick a key object from a selection as a target path when using Object > Object on Path > Attach command
Illustrator allows us to set a key object by clicking one of selected objects, to perform align and distribute operations (sadly, a very underutilized method!)
But Objects on Path doesn’t use this method at all, technically being an align & distribute operation.
If I have a selection and marked one object as a key one already, after calling Object > Object on Path > Attach command I STILL have to click a target path! I already made my choice before running the command, why does it force me to make a choice twice and precisely click again?
A clear miss.…
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 -
Allow Download & Print feature for Share to Review
Allow Download & Print feature for Share to Review. Also including comments and titles.
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 -
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 -
Allow to zoom pattern swatches on right click hold, like we can do in Graphics Styles
Patterns can we very detailed, and we can have some pattern variants that don’t differ much from each other. Even when we choose to have Large Thumbnail View in Swatches, it doesn’t really help much to distinguish these.
It’d be useful if we could do the same thing as Graphic Styles panel does — to click and hold a right mouse button to view a giant thumbnail of the clicked pattern.
The only difference would be that styles are displayed applied to the selected objects, while there is no such need for patterns — a simple square thumbnail will do.
7 votes
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