What’s New / Major Features in Illustrator 2025
Adobe is pushing performance, AI integration, and workflow improvements. Some of the headline enhancements:
Generative / AI Features
• Generative Shape Fill (beta) — draw or select a shape and use a text prompt to generate vector detail inside that shape. Adobe Newsroom+2Adobe Blog+2
• Text to Pattern — from text prompts, generate pattern swatches / repeat patterns. Adobe Newsroom+2Adobe Blog+2Performance Improvements
• Effects like Drop Shadow, Blur, Inner Glow, Outer Glow, and Rasterize run up to 5× faster in many contexts. Adobe Blog+2Adobe Blog+2
• Converting linked images to embedded images, opening / placement / drag‑drop operations (JPEG, PNG, TIFF) are faster. Adobe Blog+2Adobe Help Center+2
• Menus, font navigation, context menus, and links panel are more responsive. Adobe Help Center+2Adobe Blog+2Tool & Workflow Enhancements
• Live preview in Pencil tool — as you draw, strokes and effects render live (you don’t have to wait until you release). Adobe Help Center+2Adobe Blog+2
• Repeat artboard actions — e.g. move, duplicate, scale last action with shortcuts (Ctrl/Cmd + D). Adobe Help Center
• Paste in front / back / place on selected artboards — more control when pasting across artboards. Adobe Help Center
• Modernized artboard & color workflows — better color reuse, gradient management, easier artboard handling. Adobe Help Center+1
• Search in Preferences — faster to locate settings you want. Adobe Help Center
• Accessibility improvements — better screen reader support, keyboard navigation, etc. Adobe Help CenterTypography / Font Tools
• Retype — identify fonts from images / outlined text and find matching font in Adobe Fonts + local library. Adobe Blog+2Adobe Newsroom+2
• COLR font support, improved variable font / East Asian typography capabilities. Adobe Blog+1
• More integration with Adobe Fonts — faster font menu, search, activation. Adobe Help Center+1
Known Issues / Community Feedback & Bugs to Watch
As with any major update, some users report problems:
Saving / File issues:
Some users say using Save / Ctrl+S sometimes fails completely (nothing happens, the UI blinks but doesn’t save). Reddit
Others mention Save As operations defaulting wrongly (e.g. saving as PDF instead of AI) or “Export for Screens” defaults flipping. RedditPerformance regressions / UI quirks:
Even though performance is a major focus, some users report instability with drag‑and‑drop image imports (images disappearing / corrupting) in certain cases. Reddit+1
Some menu or font list lag persists, especially when large font libraries are installed. Reddit+1Plugin / backward compatibility:
Older plugins, scripts, or extensions may not function properly or at all under the new architecture or version.Beta features stability:
Features labeled “beta” (e.g. Generative Shape Fill, Text to Pattern) may have bugs, limitations, or inconsistent behavior.
System Requirements & Hardware Considerations
Adobe doesn’t always clearly label “2025 version requirements” vs earlier, but general guidelines and published “latest version” requirements are good reference points. (Always check current Adobe docs for exact numbers.)
Typical / recommended specs:
| Component | Minimum | Recommended / ideal for heavy use |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 (64-bit) or newer; macOS latest supported version | Windows 11 / latest macOS |
| CPU | Multi-core processor, modern generation | High performance multi-core (e.g. recent Intel / AMD) |
| RAM | 8 GB (for small / simpler files) | 16 GB or more (32 GB+ better for complex projects) |
| GPU / Graphics | Dedicated GPU, 2 GB VRAM | GPU with 4 GB+ VRAM or more for smoother effects & rendering |
| Storage | SSD preferred, plus enough space for caches / assets | Fast NVMe SSDs for scratch / cache / file storage |
| Display | Standard HD resolution acceptable | High resolution (Full HD or 4K) with good color accuracy |
| Fonts / Resources | Use of system fonts / moderate libraries | If you have large font libraries or many assets, more RAM helps |
