Fix crash issues

DLL errors

You can also fix the DLL errors when launching Illustrator on Windows.

File-related issues

If the crash is due to file-related issues :

• Free up computer memory or disk space.
• Ensure that you have the correct file permissions.
• Ensure that you safely disconnect the removable device after a read or write operation.
• If the file is corrupt and auto-recovery doesn't work, save it as a PDF file and convert it back to the .ai file format.
• Identify and troubleshoot file issues.

Damaged fonts

If the crash is due to a damaged font:

• Check for third-party font management plugins in the Illustrator plugins folder and remove them.
• Delete system font cache.
• (macOS) Identify and isolate the font causing the problem.

File read and write interruptions

If the crash is due to file read or write interruptions:

• Ensure that you safely disconnect removable devices such as USB flash memory after a read or write operation.
• Ensure that you have the latest drivers for your tablet.
• If your file is in a shared folder, check your network connectivity and ensure that the folder is accessible.
• Check the Illustrator support for networks and removable media.

Memory issues

If the crash is due to memory issues:

• Quit some apps to free up the memory.
• Clean up your drive. Ensure that your Windows temporary folder is empty.
• Expand the computer RAM, if possible.
• Learn more about the memory-related crash issues and fix it.

Plugin issues

If Illustrator crashes and shows a missing plugin error or CAN'T error:

• Re-create the Illustrator preferences files.
• Run Illustrator in a new administrator user account.

Illustrator can crash due to plugin compatibility issues. The following are some plugins that may cause an Illustrator crash:

• GraphicPDFDirect
• Antidote
• SAAICutPlot2020

Follow the solutions to fix the crash issue due to missing plugins or other plugin issues.

Update the plugin

Update your plugin to its latest version and relaunch Illustrator. For more guidance, you can contact your plugin developer.

Repair Visual C++ DLL (Windows)

Reset preferences

Reset your Illustrator preferences and restart Illustrator.

Re-create preferences

Before you delete preferences, you must save a copy of the preferences.

Launch Illustrator as Administrator

Launch Illustrator in Safe Mode

Launch Illustrator in Safe Mode to diagnose the problem-causing elements for the crash, like fonts or file loading issues. Follow the steps in the Safe Mode dialog box and fix the issues. 

Remove the plugin

Do one of the following:

• If your plugin developer has provided you with an uninstaller, use the uninstaller to remove the plugin.
• If there is no uninstaller, navigate to the following location and delete the plugin file:
  • macOS: /Applications/Adobe Illustrator 2025/Plugins.localized
  • Windows: C:/Program Files/Adobe/Adobe Illustrator 2025/Plug-ins

Printer-related issues

If the crash is due to printer-related issues:

• Ensure that your computer has a default printer set up. If you don’t have a printer, set up Adobe PDF as your default printer.
• Ensure that your printer isn't running out of ink.
• Ensure that there are no errors with network printer queues.

Tablet driver issues

If the crash is due to a tablet driver, install the latest tablet driver.

Hancom office version issues

If you have Hancom Office installed on your system, sometimes Illustrator crashes when opening or saving files. This generally happens with the old versions of the Hancom Office.

Uninstall Hancom Office and install the latest version from the Hancom Office website.

Need more help?

Share the crash report or crash log with us.