I have the same issue. Not using Safari. Sometimes it works then sometimes it doesn't. Has Anyone (I'm looking at you Adobe!) solved this permanently?

Hand tool issue for me too

Same thing has been happening to me since I updated my OS to Mojave. I tried restarting my computer, signing in and out of Adobe CC, closing my web browser, and resetting my preferences for Illustrator.

Finally found out what was causing the problem – Webroot SecureAnywhere.

If you look at your menu bar (the bar that runs across the top of your screen), you'll see a little green icon with a W inside of it. Click that icon and then click "Pause Secure Keyboard Entry". That should fix it right away. You'll have to click it again every time you shut down or restart your computer (I haven't figured out how to set it permanently yet). Hope that helps!

Had same problem. Saw a bunch of people say quitting safari worked.. I wasn't using safari but Chrome. Closed Chrome and my spacebar quick key worked again.

I must say since updating to Mojave, I have had NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS with my Adobe programs. Yall need to GET WITH THE PROGRAM AND FIX ALL THE BUGS. This is getting ridiculous that I have to troubleshoot DAILY due to Adobe/Mojave not meshing

Hi there.

Operating System - Windows 10 Enterprise
Illustrator version - CC
Expected Result - Hand tool function to work using the shortcut
Actual Result - Hand tool function does not work using the shortcut

The shortcut for the hand tool is causing me problems. holding the space bar is displaying the hand icon, but clicking the mouse as normal wont activate the 'grab' ie the tool doesnt work. Its as if the function isnt there even though the hand icon appears.

normal hand tool function works fine by the way.

thanks, Ross Hume

Greg Mote interesting. I'm beginning to think it occurs when I'm using too much RAM and it is in fact what looks like is happening when Illustrator is working exceedingly slowly. Maybe...

I've been having this problem for a week and going out of my mind!. I'm using CC 17 and Sierra.
Turns out it was the virus software Webroot SecureAnywhere what was blocking a few keyboard functions. Checking the "pause secure keyboard entry" worked like a charm!

I've been having this problem periodically. I've found that if I click my mouse outside of the program (onto the desktop or on my dual screen) and then click back. The hand tool disappears and I am able to use the other tools again. I hope this is helpful.

Same thing here : quit Safari

Quitting Safari worked for me. As soon as I did the hand tool immediately started working again in Illustrator, and at least for now, continues to work after relaunching Safari. Weird bug, I have no idea why they should be related.

I just had this issue it the problem only occurs when I turn on Dictation in Accessibility.

Yup, closed Safari (and later reopened) and everything works fine now.

I SOLVED THIS ISSUE 3 DIFFERENT TIMES ---------- BY DOING A SAFE RESTART:

Restart the Macintosh. Press and hold the Shift key immediately after you hear the startup tone.
Release the Shift key when the Apple logo appears.

Before this, I just limped along when the grabber function would go out, and then after a day, or an hour, or some other random amount of time and activity, the space bar as grabber function would return. But doing this safe restart worked for me 3 times now.

Not sure why adobe isn't listing a safe restart/reboot as a fix. But it worked for me 3 times now.
Good luck!

My problem resolved but I'm not sure what actually fixed it. Tried turning Siri on and off and finally installed an Apple security update I'd been ignoring (for 10.13.6) and restarted. Spacebar started working again.

I just fixed my problem. Apple OS shortcut for Siri is the spacebar. Go into preferences and turn off Siri or change the shortcut. Once one you will be able to use the spacebar in Illustrator for the hand tool.

When I press the spacebar the hand tool flickers back and forth super rapidly alternating with whatever the main current tool is. This then makes it a crapshoot if when I click it uses the hand tool or the main tool. More or less making Illustrator completely unusable. Also happening on Photoshop. Only happened after CC 2019 updates. 2018 was fine.

I do web design, this only happened recently, but I can't use illustrator and not have my browser open. I need it and Photoshop and Dreamweaver all running. It's been my work flow for over 8 years. Why now? (I physically can do it, but it'll make my productivity will go WAY down if I have to keep opening and closing the two.)

Govind Gupta, Your comments seemed to be directed to a specific individual. Yet many of us are having this issue. I, for one, am not on a Mac, so do not kn,ow how to respond to your system report comments. I am on an Alienware 17 r5. Thank you.

It has just started doing this too. I have CS6. Hope this can be fixed. you don't realize how valuable something is until its not there.

This was just happening to me as well. I don't recall updating anything at all over the last week and it still just happened. But some of the other commenters are right, I shut down Safari and the spacebar once again produced the hand. Weird.