Adobe Illustrator Versions By Year May 2026

The Great Unification. After the 6.0 fiasco, Adobe rebuilt Illustrator from the ground up using the same code base as Photoshop. This was the version that migrated the UI to a standard floating palette system.

This period marks the most beloved era, where Adobe bundled Illustrator with Photoshop and InDesign.

Illustrator 9.0 (2000) & 10.0 (2001): These transitional versions added transparency, drop shadows, and live distortion envelopes. Version 10 introduced the Symbol Sprayer and vector-based slicing for web design.

Illustrator CS (11.0) (2003): The "Creative Suite" branding arrived. Key features included 3D effects (extrude, revolve) and optical kerning (auto-spacing between letters). It was a stability-focused release. adobe illustrator versions by year

Illustrator CS2 (12.0) (2005): A fan-favorite. It introduced Live Trace (converting bitmap images to vectors) and Live Paint (coloring complex overlapping shapes without pathfinding). The Control Palette also debuted, contextually showing relevant tools.

Illustrator CS3 (13.0) (2007): Optimized for Intel Macs, CS3 brought Live Color (global color harmony editing) and the Eraser tool. The interface turned a darker gray, reducing eye strain.

Illustrator CS4 (14.0) (2008): Focused on multi-artboard workflows with multiple artboards per document, blob brush (drawing like a marker but creating editable shapes), and a smoother gradient tool. The Great Unification

Illustrator CS5 (15.0) (2010): A technical marvel. It introduced the Perspective Grid tool and the Bristle Brush (simulating natural media). The Stroke Width Tool allowed variable stroke widths along a single path, and a 64-bit version arrived for Windows.

Illustrator CS6 (16.0) (2012): The final perpetual license version. It added a new modern interface, gradient on strokes, and pattern creation tools. Many designers still use CS6 today as the last “buy-once” version.

This era saw Illustrator embrace web graphics and stabilize its interface. 1998: Illustrator 8

| Year | Version | Platform / Codename | Notable Features | |------|---------|---------------------|-------------------| | 1987 | 1.0 | Mac only | Bezier curves, PostScript | | 1988 | 1.5 | Mac | Improved memory management | | 1989 | 2.0 | Mac | Text handling, layers (precursor) | | 1991 | 3.0 | Mac / first Windows | Windows 3.0 support, TrueType | | 1992 | 3.5 | Mac / Windows | Improved drawing tools | | 1993 | 4.0 | Windows only | (Windows exclusive version) | | 1994 | 5.0 | Mac | Live editing, multiple undo | | 1996 | 6.0 | Mac | Gradients, eyedropper tool | | 1997 | 7.0 | Mac / Windows | Common UI with Photoshop | | 1998 | 8.0 | Mac / Windows | “FreeHand killer” – smart guides, actions palette | | 2000 | 9.0 | Mac / Windows | Transparency, PDF support, SVG | | 2001 | 10.0 | Mac / Windows | Live effects, symbols, warp tools | | 2003 | CS (11.0) | Mac / Windows | 3D effects, multi-page printing | | 2005 | CS2 (12.0) | Mac / Windows | Live Trace, Live Paint, color management | | 2007 | CS3 (13.0) | Mac / Windows | Eraser tool, document profiles, improved UI | | 2008 | CS4 (14.0) | Mac / Windows | Multi-artboards, gradient on strokes, blobs | | 2010 | CS5 (15.0) | Mac / Windows | Perspective drawing, variable-width strokes | | 2012 | CS6 (16.0) | Mac / Windows | 64-bit only, new UI, image tracing | | 2013 | CC (17.0) | Subscription only | Cloud sync, touch support, fonts | | 2014 | CC 2014 (18.0) | CC | Linked assets, curve smoothing | | 2015 | CC 2015 (19.0) | CC | Shaper tool, live shapes | | 2016 | CC 2017 (21.0) | CC | Stock integration, team libraries | | 2017 | CC 2018 (22.0) | CC | Puppet warp, variable fonts | | 2018 | CC 2019 (23.0) | CC | Freeform gradients, global editing | | 2019 | CC 2020 (24.0) | CC | Auto-trace improvements, cloud docs | | 2020 | CC 2021 (25.0) | CC | Large canvas (100x), 3D effects (beta) | | 2021 | CC 2022 (26.0) | CC | 3D and materials, inter-app sharing | | 2022 | CC 2023 (27.0) | CC | Intertwine tool, share for review | | 2023 | CC 2024 (28.0) | CC | Mockup, Retype, improved text to vector | | 2024 | CC 2025 (29.0) | CC | Generative AI (Firefly), enhanced 3D | | 2025 | CC 2026 (30.0) | CC | AI-powered vector editing, performance |

Note: After CS6 (2012), Adobe switched to a subscription-based Creative Cloud model. Version numbers from 2013 onward are iterative with monthly/quarterly updates.

Adobe Illustrator was originally developed by Adobe Inc. and released in 1987. It began as a companion product to Adobe Photoshop, focusing on vector graphics (lines and curves) rather than raster images (pixels). Over 35+ years, it has evolved from a basic path-editing tool into a complex, AI-driven design ecosystem used globally for logo design, typography, and illustration.