Illustrator (Desktop) Feature Requests
When entering a new feature request, please provide:
- Description
- Why is this valuable to you?
- or
4663 results found
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Create Tables
Create tables by anyway, it shouldn't have much options, such a simple table (simple borders), instead i have to draw lines to get a view of table.
50 votes -
You cannot add a Freeform Gradient to the Swatches Panel
FREEFORM GRADIENT, the new feature in Ai CC 2019. You can create amazing gradients, however, you cannot save any free form gradient created to the Swatches panel or the Cloud Library... why?
Its a great feature, however, it makes for so much extra work if you want to use any free form gradient you create in one file, in another file or project in the future... it would be logical to be able to save this new style of creating gradients to the CC Library and to one's Swatches Panel.
50 votes -
Live Corners should be more live
It's too easy to "break" a live corner in Illustrator.
Compare how resilient a live corner is in Sketch versus in Illustrator. In Sketch, the original anchor point is available for manipulation no matter the corner rounding value.
In Illustrator, translating a rounded corner in any way is highly likely to expand it to a raw bezier curve.
Thus in Illustrator, if you want to edit your path at all, the best practice is actually to reduce all corner rounds to zero before making any edits. Then edit the path, and then restore the rounding values. To accomplish this, I end up annotating my own corners so I remember what values to put back in the corner field.
This is a very tedious way to work. Illustrator team, this is probably my number one complaint about Illustrator right now.
It's too easy to "break" a live corner in Illustrator.
Compare how resilient a live corner is in Sketch versus in Illustrator. In Sketch, the original anchor point is available for manipulation no matter the corner rounding value.
In Illustrator, translating a rounded corner in any way is highly likely to expand it to a raw bezier curve.
Thus in Illustrator, if you want to edit your path at all, the best practice is actually to reduce all corner rounds to zero before making any edits. Then edit the path, and then restore the rounding values. To accomplish this, I…
50 votes -
An ability to resize all selected objects to a specific size
If you have multiple objects selected that range in size, say .5" to .75". they ability to select them all, then size them ALL to 2" and not just the first object to hit 2".
50 votes -
Visible keyboard shortcuts for actions
In photoshop you can see the keyboard shortcuts for a created action right behind the action in the action-window. Why isn't this possible in illustrator?
50 votesWorks as requested starting from the version 27.3
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Ability to change layer visibility of linked files with Object Layer Options
Using linked ai documents in an Illustrator file is a great way to reduce the file load on the system, and also to work collaboratively. It would be nice to be able to toggle layers in placed psd and ai files in the same way that InDesign does (accessed via import options on place, or by right-click context menu).
50 votes -
Add ability to hyperlink text (properly this time)
In June of 2023 the Illustrator team fixed a old bug with hyperlinks added through Attributes panel being dropped while exporting as PDF.
The team thought of it as a solution to this request: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/40418827 — and marked it as such.I do not agree.
The solution is nowhere final, done in the most basic way possible, merely a bug fixed, like if no-one in the team did try to make it useful at the level of today's standards.
— A partial text selection can't be made into a hyperlink.
— No widgets are given on the canvas to see if an object has a hyperlink assigned or not, and to open the link directly from the canvas (with or without a modifier).
— Attributes gives no way to jump to a previous/next hyperlink in the document.
— The 'browser' button uses the IE browser, not the assigned one at the OS level.
— If I cover an object which has a hyperlink assigned, with another object that has another hyperlink, the area they shared together is overtaken by the one which is below, and not according to their z-order.
— 'Polygon' image map option does not work, the object gets a rectangle area still. The sacred knowledge about creating polygonal image maps in Ai is long lost, and the only mention the official manual has about it is here (https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/slices-image-maps.html) — but it never actually tells how to create these. Surely not via rectangular-only slices. It should just happen automatically, and it does not.
— What about automation? To have the links to be auto-tagged, like this solution for InD does (https://www.id-extras.com/products/hyperlinkpro/)?
— What about auto styling, like InD provides?
— Will we be able to fine tune the look of the Character’s 'Underline' option? Nobody places lines this close to text anymore on web.So yes, this should be made BETTER.
In June of 2023 the Illustrator team fixed a old bug with hyperlinks added through Attributes panel being dropped while exporting as PDF.
The team thought of it as a solution to this request: http://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657/suggestions/40418827 — and marked it as such.I do not agree.
The solution is nowhere final, done in the most basic way possible, merely a bug fixed, like if no-one in the team did try to make it useful at the level of today's standards.
— A partial text selection can't be made into a hyperlink.
— No widgets are given on the canvas to see…49 votes -
Isometric (triangular) grid
Please give us the option to display an isometric grid. Currently you always have to build one from scratch wich can be very tiring ...
Given the fact that isometric drawings have gained quite some popularity and you see them rather often on websites, it would be nice to have better tools to create these graphics, among them a proper grid.
Gravit Designer already has such an option:
49 votes -
Make Asset Export settings Per-Project not Global
It doesn't make sense to have global settings for Asset Export, as the exporting requirements vary between projects. Each project should have its own Asset Export settings so this doesn't have to be set up every time when exporting from different projects with different settings.
Changing back and forward is time consuming and error prone.
49 votes -
Rearrange only Selected artboards
Currently I can only "Rearrange All Artboards".
But I just selected only some artboards in my document and I want to rearrange only selected items. For example, increase spacing between them.
49 votesBeta 29.8.0.43 now supports snapping when rearranging selected artboards: Smart Guides, Snap to Grid, Snap to Pixel.
Please try to update and test it.
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Find Font window panel - expandable/resizable and searchable
Please simply allow the Find Font window panel to be expandable/resizable. Difficult to tell between the different weights on long font names such as:
Helvetica Neue LT Extended Heavy
vs
Helvetica Neue LT Extended BlackThe panel needs more horizontal space or even a tooltip to pop-out the full font name.
49 votes -
Display copies of links' duplicates as instances, like in InDesign
It would be nice if Illustrator's link panel was more link InDesign's in that it collapsed instances of the same linked file into an accordion. The user can then update multiple instances of a file to the same new link or link them individually to separate new links.
49 votes -
Please revise the new tool to simplify paths once again
Hello, the new tool to simplify the paths will be great for many people. But I draw my lines deliberately blurred. With the old tool I always set the value to 98% or 99%. But even if I set everything to maximum in the new tool, the paths will be really smooth. But I don't want it to be that smooth. Please rework the settings again. The paths should look blurred, but have as few anchor points as possible. With the old tool it always worked great. Many thanks
Gabi
48 votesCompleted (Comments Open) ·
AdminSanjit Samanta
(Senior Product Manager, Adobe Illustrator)
responded
Dear Users,
We have taken the feedback provided and have released with improvements as a new update (24.0.2) to Illustrator. Please update to the new version and let us know your feedback on the current version that has been released.
We aim to do continuous improvements and your feedback helps us to get better. Keep sending them.
Thanks,
Sanjit -
I need an option to disable path segment reshape tool
Please! Let me disable path segment reshape tool, because the anchor tool is totally unusable because of it. It almost impossible to point on a vector, because every time the path segment reshaper gets in the way!
48 votes -
Allow to set font-size by setting x-height and cap height
I very often create designs where I should have certain x-height.
Now I have to achieve this using long workaround (I do it very quick now, but now quick enough, and its not actionable):
1. Create copy of typed text with Ctrl+C, Ctrl+F
2. Outlining copy
3. Finding symbol with flat top an bottom (x or X or similar)
4. Choose Direct selection tool
5. Shift+click chosen letter
6. Deleting unwanted symbols from copy
7. Scale outline of chosen letter 1000%
8. Going outline mode (enlarged letter will probably take whole screen)
9. Shift+click at live text behind letter
10. Set desired x/cap-height as height of selected art multiplied ten times
11. Shift+click live text
12. Delete outlined symbol
13. Exit outline mode
Thirteen steps!
While there could be expandable fields in Character palette only where users could type desired height and apply it, because both ratios are written within the font, as far as I informed.
There is WR-captialSize script by Wolfgang Reszel which can help with this, but the feature from the box would be better.I very often create designs where I should have certain x-height.
Now I have to achieve this using long workaround (I do it very quick now, but now quick enough, and its not actionable):
1. Create copy of typed text with Ctrl+C, Ctrl+F
2. Outlining copy
3. Finding symbol with flat top an bottom (x or X or similar)
4. Choose Direct selection tool
5. Shift+click chosen letter
6. Deleting unwanted symbols from copy
7. Scale outline of chosen letter 1000%
8. Going outline mode (enlarged letter will probably take whole screen)
9. Shift+click at live text behind letter
10.…48 votesI am glad to remind all who voted for this feature that it is now possible to set a font size as x-height or cap height with Show Font Height Options toggle enabled in Character panel menu.
Some issues still remain, yes, like, wrong size calculation if a font has rounded stems that end below baseline (https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-desktop-bugs/suggestions/44639661-font-height-options-misbehave-with-rounded-fonts), or inability to focus the dropdown with Tab (https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-desktop-bugs/suggestions/41836618-font-height-options-tab-order), or calculating font height by measuring glyphs instead of reading the actual value within the font (https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/601447-illustrator-desktop-bugs/suggestions/41615035-cap-height-setting-not-using-font-cap-height), but overall this is done, works, and super cool, don’t you think?
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Have a search bar at the top that searches all menu items.
Ok, the Adobe menus have a LOT of menu items and features. You guys should create a search bar that searches all the menu items and features to make it easier to find things.
Microsoft has this feature in it's Office Suite and it is SUPER useful.
For example have a bar that asks the user "What are you looking for" They can type anything, for example "Alignment" and it would bring up the alignment menu. Or "pathfinder" will bring up a button for the pathfinder menu.
Think about it guys, would save EVERYONE who isn't a pro SO much time.
Ok, the Adobe menus have a LOT of menu items and features. You guys should create a search bar that searches all the menu items and features to make it easier to find things.
Microsoft has this feature in it's Office Suite and it is SUPER useful.
For example have a bar that asks the user "What are you looking for" They can type anything, for example "Alignment" and it would bring up the alignment menu. Or "pathfinder" will bring up a button for the pathfinder menu.
Think about it guys, would save EVERYONE who isn't a pro SO much…
48 votesThe latest 2022 release has the Discover window that you can quickly call using F1 by default, which searches most if the commands available.
Have you tried it? Please tell us how it differs from what you expect from the global search you have in mind? What is missing or can be improved? -
47 votes
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Make Free Distort tool work with images
Free distort doesn't support many object types.
Please make it work with images, both linked or embedded.
I have to use envelope distortion (with embedded only, breaking link with image) each time I need to distort an image within AI.47 votes -
Opening old Freehand files in Illustrator?
Can you guys bring this "feature" to Illustrator?
There are a lot of old Freehand users still having TONS of Freehand files (illustrations, assets, icons, etc.) in their archives waiting for the day when Illustrator will open old Freehand files so we can reuse them once more!
I know this is a lot to ask, but can you guys give it a try?
Ty!
47 votes -
Add ability to apply gradient to text without using new fill
AI allows to make live text colored with gradient only by applying new fill to a text. This knowledge often comes occasionally, when users finally got into Appearance. AI just doesn't says it't wrong, shows no hint, does nothing when people try to apply gradient as they do for everything else.
Meantime, each symbol within text can have their own fill.
And when you apply gradient with a drag to an ungrouped set of path objects, AI applies gradient to all of them, placing each gradient into right position.Thus I just don't understand, why AI still doesn't allow to apply gradient to each symbol within text the same way? So each one of them will have copy of applied gradient, automatically placed in correct position.
Continuing, when two symbols with same gradient are adjacent, their will share center and edge of this gradient.Just imagine how cool it would be to select three letters inside text and make them gradient when other letters will be colored differently, while text is still live?
AI allows to make live text colored with gradient only by applying new fill to a text. This knowledge often comes occasionally, when users finally got into Appearance. AI just doesn't says it't wrong, shows no hint, does nothing when people try to apply gradient as they do for everything else.
Meantime, each symbol within text can have their own fill.
And when you apply gradient with a drag to an ungrouped set of path objects, AI applies gradient to all of them, placing each gradient into right position.Thus I just don't understand, why AI still doesn't allow to…
47 votes
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