The workaround for this bug is to change the units in the "New Document" dialogue, then go back and change the Preferences > Units > General to Inches, then it will "stick". I wish they would fix this already.

The workaround for this bug is to change the units in the "New Document" dialogue, then go back and change the Preferences > Units > General to Inches, then it will "stick". I wish they would fix this already.

The workaround for this bug is to change the units in the "New Document" dialogue, then it will "stick". I wish they would fix this already.

I have had same issues driving me crazy. I believe the reason was that I haven't had the fully control over the Adobe folder (drive:\program files\adobe). So the Adobe Illustrator Prefs couldn't be updated. See attached screen shot and look on security tab for your (user) permissions

This has been a well documented bug for years. The fact it persists is testimony to how little the bank of Adobe cares about its customers.

If ever a corporation was eligible for investigation over pricing, quality of product and snuffing out the competition it is Adobe. A true clusterf*ck of broken parts.

Opening prefs...units... and changing from points to inches has no affect. Always reverts back to points. Quit app, relaunch change default to inches, quit app, relaunch...back to points. Change from points to inches, create new document, default is points.

I hadn't had this problem when I was working on my Mac @ work, but now I'm working on my PC from home, this has been driving me crazy.
I may have stumbled upon a fix, though.

Open Illustrator
Change unit preferences to required units
Create a new document, making sure you switch to required units before creating
Close document and Illustrator completely
Units should now stick (well they did for me)

Hope this is of some help.

Units refuse to display correctly.

Every time I open my document it defaults to millimetres and I work in pixels.

To remedy this I have to go into preferences, change to another unit type, quit prefs, relaunch prefs, choose pixels (my preference), close prefs. This is the only way I can get my preferred units to display as chosen and it's painful.

I notice below that this issue has persisted through versions with apparent fixes posted by Adobe staff.

It isn't fixed.

The same issue here.

AI 2020 unit preferences STILL don't save / hold / keep active
Mac Mojave & Catalina iMacs 27 in

NEVER will open an mm or cm document in inches. won't create/hold artboards in inches either!!!!!

this is so bizarre since our versions of illustrator 2020 on Mac/mojave & Catalina WILL NOT EVER keep and show unit preferences as INCHES which is what we need on every document we open or create in illustrator.

It NEVER opens a document in inches. what gives?

I am currently using the 2020 version and i would like to have inches as the default unit. It is not available on this version. I had to contact customer support and they only way is keep documents in inches is when i open a new doc and each time i have to change the unit. There should be a way to have all my docs set up as inches under Units. So general and type in inches and stroke in points is what i would like to see.

Dang! I was hoping to find a solution here. This is so tedious.

Adobe still hasnt fixed this problem, its been on all of my versions of illustrator and even happens on photoshop too. 2017 and on....customer service sucks cant get through to anyone who isn't beyond "level 1" training.

happening again in v24.1 on macos. three pages of complaints, will somebody in adobe react to this?

Yes. If there's an option in Preferences then the program needs to actually use it, not ignore it completely. NOBODY want pts as a default unit other than the programmers.

24.0.2 Unit preference reverts to from inches to points on launching. Must be reset every time.

This quirky unit preference issue along with the rulers are just ridiculous. I am in two threads and both are the simplest and most important user preference needs!!! Why can you not listen?????? When u open a doc, u want the measurements u want, not a different one that takes sometimes various clicks to take. I also want my rulers to show without having to click on them every time-a different thread going on just as long. Can you please fix these. This unit issue is unacceptable. And, I have the same problems discussed here with inches and pixels or points.. Thank u and hope we will see a result very soon!

2020 version Preferences - Units go back to "points".
Extremely annoying. Working with structural design files. When I have to open 20 files for an object, I always have to change the units back to mm. This is a major error of a very basic setting in my opinion.
I'm just saying, because I'm sure that no one will take any action in order to fix this.

I have been working with Units set to General: Centimeters, Stroke: Centimeters, Type: Points and Grid: every 1 cm, 5 subdivisions. Suddenly this morning all measurements are in Points. I cannot work with this. The ruler is in points: useless. I have reset preferences and restarted several times.

Mac OS 10.13.6, Illustrator 24.0.3