How To Undo And Redo In Adobe Illustrator
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Adobe Illustrator is a powerful tool for creating digital art and designs, but sometimes mistakes happen. Fortunately, the program makes it easy to undo or redo your actions.
You may be wondering how many times you can undo an action in Illustrator. While there are technical limitations, in most cases you won’t need to worry about them as you are unlikely to undo or redo an action 100 times. So go ahead and experiment with your designs, knowing that you can always backtrack if needed.
By default, Illustrator saves up to 100 states for Undo and Redo. However, if you need more, you can adjust the limit up to 200 states by going to Preferences and selecting Performance.
Adobe Illustrator has a handy feature that allows you to show your actions up to 50, 100, or 200 times.
In this tutorial, we'll explore three methods for undoing or redoing actions in Illustrator. This makes correcting mistakes and streamlining your workflow easy.
3 Ways to Undo and Redo in Illustrator
If you're working on a project in Adobe Illustrator and need to undo or redo a recent action, there are three methods you can use. However, it's important to note that these methods only work within the current document you're working on. If you need to undo or redo something in a previously saved and closed file, you'll need to refer to the next section where reverting an .ai file is discussed.
First Method: File Menu
Simply select Edit > Undo from the overhead menu. If you change your mind and want to redo the action you just undid, select Edit > Redo. These simple commands can save you time and frustration when working on your designs.
It's important to note that to redo an action, you must first undo a previous action. If you find that the redo option is greyed out or not working, it may be because there is nothing to redo yet. Take advantage of the undo function to make changes to your design with ease.
If you accidentally delete something, you can simply “Undo” to bring it back. And if you change your mind and want to redo an action you just undid, you can “Redo” to restore it.
If you need to undo a recent action, go to the Edit menu and select Undo Clear. And if you change your mind and want to redo that action, the “Redo” option will now be available in the same menu.
Second Method: Keyboard Shortcuts
If you want to undo your last action on your computer, there's a handy keyboard shortcut you can use. The shortcut is Control + Z (PC) or Command + Z (Mac), which is a universal undo shortcut used in many software programs.
If you've made a mistake while typing or editing, don't worry! You can easily redo your last action with a simple keyboard shortcut. Simply press Shift + Control + Z (PC) or Shift + Command + Z (Mac) to redo your last action. It's a quick and easy way to fix any mistakes and get back on track.
Third Method: History Panel
The History Panel is a useful tool for reverting to a specific stage. Instead of relying on the Command + Z or Control + Z shortcut, which only allows you to go back one step at a time, the history panel lets you easily navigate through your project's history and undo multiple steps at once. This can save you time and make your workflow more efficient.
If you're familiar with using the history panel in Photoshop, you'll be happy to know that Adobe Illustrator also has this feature. To access the history panel, simply go to the Window menu and select History. From there, you can view and undo previous actions taken in your Illustrator project.
It allows you to easily navigate your design history and undo any unwanted changes. To go back to a specific step, click on it in the panel, and all actions after that step will be removed from your artboard.
Rest assured, deleting a step is not permanent. If you need to redo a step, just scroll down to the history panel and click on the specific step you want to redo. It's that easy!
How to Undo with a Closed Illustrator File
If you accidentally closed an Illustrator file without saving it, do not panic. There's a way to undo it. Keep in mind that these versions expire after 30 days.
To access this feature, simply open the Illustrator file that has been saved in Creative Cloud and go to the overhead menu. From there, select Window > Version History to see a list of previous file versions that you can restore.
This will show you a list of previous versions of the file that you can choose from and hopefully recover your work.
Example: If you need to return to a previous file version, it's easy to do so. Just locate the version you want to revert to and click on the options menu (represented by three dots). From there, select “Revert to this version,” and your file will be restored to its previous state.
Note: Any files saved directly to your computer will not display version history on the panel.
How to Save Your Adobe Illustrator File to Adobe Creative Cloud
Saving your Adobe Illustrator file to Adobe Creative Cloud has numerous advantages. Apart from reverting a file, you can access your Ai files from anywhere, even when you're not using your own computer. The process is also straightforward. All you need to do is go to File > Save As and select Save to Creative Cloud.
Simply give your file a name and click the “Save” button.
From there, you can easily access and edit your file from any device with an internet connection. Plus, with the detailed version history, you can easily undo or redo any changes made within the last 30 days. So do not forget to save and take advantage of the benefits of cloud storage!
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, while it may seem like a hassle to save your files in Creative Cloud, it can be a lifesaver if you ever need to revert to a previous version of your work. It's important to note that methods 1 to 3 for redoing or undoing actions will not work on a file that has been closed and reopened, so it's better to be safe than sorry and save your work in Creative Cloud.
