Fix: Adobe illustrator Not Responding Fix for Mac and Windows

The Adobe Illustrator program is a powerful tool graphic designers can use to create stunning designs, logos, and illustrations. However, just as with any other software, it can sometimes experience problems, such as freezing or not responding.

The good news is that there are several solutions you can try if Adobe Illustrator is not responding on Mac or Windows. We’ll examine some of the most common causes of this issue in this article and provide step-by-step instructions on resolving it.

Common causes of Adobe Illustrator not responding

Before diving into the solutions, let’s look at some of the most common causes of Adobe Illustrator not responding. You can troubleshoot the problem more effectively by understanding these causes.

Large file sizes: Illustrator can sometimes freeze or crash when working with large files.
Outdated software: Your computer’s operating system and other software may not be compatible with an outdated version of Adobe Illustrator.
Corrupted files: Adobe Illustrator may crash or freeze if you have corrupted files.
Conflicts with other software: Adobe Illustrator can occasionally become unresponsive if other software conflicts with it.
Insufficient system resources: Adobe Illustrator may not run smoothly if your computer is underpowered.

Troubleshooting Adobe Illustrator not responding on Mac

There are several ways to fix Adobe Illustrator not responding on a Mac.

Solution 1: Close other applications

If you have other applications open on your Mac, you might try closing them. You will have trouble running Adobe Illustrator smoothly on your computer when you run too many applications simultaneously. In order to close another application:

On your screen, click the Apple menu.
Click “Force Quit.”
Please select any applications that you are not currently using and click “Force Quit.”
Make sure Adobe Illustrator is running again to see if the issue is resolved.

Solution 2: Reset preferences

Next, try resetting your Adobe Illustrator preferences if closing other applications does not work. It is possible for Adobe Illustrator to stop responding when preferences become corrupted or damaged. Your preferences can be reset by following these steps:

You should close Adobe Illustrator if it is currently open.
Press the Option key, Command key, and Shift key simultaneously to launch Adobe Illustrator.
You will be asked if you want to delete the Adobe Illustrator settings folder. Click “Yes.”
Try running Adobe Illustrator again to see if the issue has been resolved.

Solution 3: Update Adobe Illustrator

It may not be compatible with your operating system or other Mac software if you have an outdated version of Adobe Illustrator. By updating Adobe Illustrator to its latest version, compatibility issues, and performance issues can be resolved. Here are the steps to update Adobe Illustrator:

You will need Adobe Illustrator open.
In the top menu bar, click “Help.”
Click on “Updates.”
Update Adobe Illustrator by following the on-screen instructions.

Solution 4: Use the Activity Monitor

The Activity Monitor can be used to check whether any other processes are causing Adobe Illustrator to stop responding if none of the above solutions work. To use the Activity Monitor:

Go to Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor or search for it in Spotlight.
In the list of processes, find Adobe Illustrator and click on it.
Make sure Adobe Illustrator is not using excessive amounts of CPU and memory.
In order to free up resources for Adobe Illustrator, you can close another process if it is using a lot of resources.
It may be necessary for you to upgrade your computer’s hardware or adjust the Adobe Illustrator settings if Adobe Illustrator itself is using a lot of resources.

Troubleshooting Adobe Illustrator not responding on Windows

You can try these solutions if Adobe Illustrator on Windows isn’t responding.

Solution 1: Update Windows and Adobe Illustrator

Updating your Windows operating system and Adobe Illustrator is a good idea. By updating, compatibility issues can be resolved, and performance can be improved. Here are the steps to update Windows:

Go to the Start button and select “Settings.”
Select “Update & Security.”
Then click “Check for updates” to check for updates.

To update Adobe Illustrator:

Open Adobe Illustrator.
Click on the “Help” menu in the top menu bar.
Select “Updates.”
Follow the on-screen instructions to update to the latest version of Adobe Illustrator.

Solution 2: Disable third-party plugins

In Adobe Illustrator, third-party plugins may cause conflicts and cause it to stop responding. Third-party plugins can be disabled by following these steps:

Open Adobe Illustrator.
In the top menu bar, click “Edit.”
Go to “Preferences” and then “Plugins & Scratch Disks.”
Click “OK” to uncheck any third-party plugins.
See if the problem has been resolved by running Adobe Illustrator again.

Solution 3: Delete the preferences file

In Windows, you may be able to resolve the issue by deleting the preferences file, similar to Mac. The preferences file can be deleted by following these steps:

You should close Adobe Illustrator if it is currently open.
To open the Run dialog box, press the Windows key + R on your keyboard.
Enter “%appdata%/Adobe/Adobe Illustrator [version]/Settings.”
Delete the folder “Adobe Illustrator [version] Settings.”
See if the problem has been resolved by running Adobe Illustrator again.

Solution 4: Adjust performance settings

By adjusting Adobe Illustrator’s performance settings, you can make it run more smoothly. Here are the steps to adjust performance settings:

Launch Adobe Illustrator.
In the top menu bar, click “Edit.”
Go to “Preferences” and then “Performance.”
If necessary, adjust your computer’s settings to optimize performance.
See if the problem has been resolved by running Adobe Illustrator again.

Solution 5: Reset the preferences to default

It is sometimes possible to fix the issue by resetting Adobe Illustrator preferences to default. Here are the steps to reset preferences:

You should close Adobe Illustrator if it is currently open.
Your keyboard should be set to Ctrl+Alt+Shift.
Hold down these keys while opening Adobe Illustrator.
There will be a dialog box asking if you want to delete the Adobe Illustrator settings folder. To confirm, click “Yes.”.
See if the problem has been resolved by running Adobe Illustrator again.

Solution 6: Check for conflicting software

There is a possibility that Adobe Illustrator will stop responding if it is in conflict with another program. Make sure you don’t have any programs conflicting with Adobe Illustrator, such as anti-virus software, firewalls, or any other security software. Check for conflicting software by:

Close Adobe Illustrator if it’s currently open.
Temporarily disable anti-virus software, firewalls, or other security software.
See if the issue has been resolved by running Adobe Illustrator again.
Try adding Adobe Illustrator to the security software’s exception list if the issue has been resolved.

Solution 7: Reinstall Adobe Illustrator

The best thing you can do if everything else fails is to reinstall Adobe Illustrator. In order to reinstall Adobe Illustrator, follow these steps:

Install Adobe Illustrator on your computer and uninstall it.
Your computer needs to be restarted.
Visit the Adobe website to download the latest version of Adobe Illustrator.
Install Adobe Illustrator on your computer.
Try running Adobe Illustrator again to see if the issue has been resolved.

Wrap Up

To conclude, there are several solutions you can try if Adobe Illustrator isn’t responding on Mac or Windows. Follow the steps outlined in this article to resolve the issue and get back to designing and illustrating stunning designs and illustrations. So, that’s it from our side. We hope that you find this article helpful. For more info, comment below and let us know.