The most significant shift in macOS Catalina was the complete removal of support for 32-bit applications. While modern versions of Adobe Illustrator are 64-bit, this change caused chaos for users running older versions of the Creative Cloud.
If your business relies on Adobe Illustrator CS6 and you cannot upgrade to a Creative Cloud subscription, you cannot run the software directly on macOS Catalina. However, you can use technical workarounds to bridge the gap. Method 1: Create a Dual-Boot Drive
You must manually check the developer websites of your essential plugins to download 64-bit updates compatible with Catalina. 3. Graphics Processor (GPU) Glitches
: Catalina runs best on machines with at least 8GB of RAM ; if your piece gets complex with many effects, your MacBook may slow down. adobe illustrator macos catalina
You can split your Mac’s storage drive to run two separate operating systems.
: Draw a line across a shape, go to Object > Path > Divide Objects Below to slice the shape along that line. 3. Styling & Modern Effects
If your current setup is stable and you are midway through a massive project, wait until the project wraps to update your OS. Nothing ruins a deadline faster than a compatibility bug. The most significant shift in macOS Catalina was
Can't Install Illustrator on macOS Catalina - Adobe Community
Always ensure your printer drivers are updated. If crashes persist, try saving as a PDF and printing from Preview to isolate the issue to the printer driver.
With the release of Catalina, Apple ceased support for all 32-bit applications. While Adobe began transitioning its core code to 64-bit as early as 2008, many older versions—specifically the "perpetual license" series like Adobe Illustrator CS6 —relied on 32-bit installers and licensing components. However, you can use technical workarounds to bridge the gap
: macOS Catalina was the first version of macOS to officially drop support for 32-bit applications.
These are 32-bit (or contain 32-bit components) and will not launch on macOS Catalina.
Modern versions of Illustrator (2022 and later) are now optimized for Apple Silicon (M1/M2 chips). If you have a newer Mac, you shouldn't be running Catalina anyway. But if you are stuck on a trusty Intel Mac from 2013-2015, Catalina remains a stable, if slightly aging, workhorse for Adobe Illustrator.