How To Easily Check The Version Of An Illustrator (.ai) File
In the design industry, you may sometimes encounter .ai files that won’t open or display layout issues after opening. This is usually caused by version incompatibility in Adobe Illustrator. As Illustrator is continuously updated, certain features used in newer versions may not be fully supported by older versions of the software.
Therefore, knowing how to check the version of an .ai file is essential. Identifying the file version helps determine compatibility and reduces the need for back-and-forth communication or repeated revisions. This article introduces several common methods to help you quickly identify the version information of an .ai file.
Why is it important to identify the version of an .ai file?
Before diving into the specific methods, let’s first understand why identifying the version of an .ai file is essential:
Avoiding Compatibility Issues:
Illustrator file formats are not always fully backward compatible. Opening a file created in a newer version with older software may lead to issues such as the file failing to open, text reflowing (layout shifts), or missing effects.Meeting Printing Requirements:
Certain printing or publishing workflows require specific Illustrator versions (such as CS6 or earlier) to avoid printing errors caused by unsupported features or effects from newer versions.Ensuring Smooth Team Collaboration:
In a team environment, standardizing file versions ensures that all members can open and edit files without issues, reducing communication overhead and the need for repeated revisions.
How to Check the Version of an .ai File
Here are several methods to identify the version of an Adobe Illustrator (.ai) file:
Method 1: Using IllustKit
If you have the IllustKit plugin installed, you can check the file version directly within Illustrator.
Open the .ai file you want to check in Adobe Illustrator.
Go to the top menu and click File.
Select Document Version from the dropdown menu.
An IllustKit dialog box will appear, displaying the current document’s version information.
⚠️Important Note:
When you use Save As... to save an .ai file as a different version, IllustKit (or other tools) may still display the original version information if the file has not been closed.To ensure the version data is accurate, close the file and reopen the newly saved version before checking.
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Method 2 : Using a Text Editor
This method allows you to inspect the internal version metadata of an .ai file. It is especially useful when the file cannot be opened in Illustrator.
🔹Steps for Windows Users:
Locate the .ai file you want to check.
Right-click the file and select Open with.
Choose Notepad from the list. If Notepad is not visible, click Choose another app and find it under More apps.
Once the file is open, press Ctrl + F to open the search tool.
Enter %%Creator (case-sensitive) in the search box and click Find Next.
The search results will display a line similar to the following:
%%Creator: Adobe Illustrator(R) 17.0, which indicates Illustrator CC (Legacy).
The number 17.0 represents the specific version of Illustrator used to create the file. You can determine the file’s version by cross-referencing this number with the corresponding Adobe Illustrator release:
▪︎ 10.0：Illustrator 10
▪︎ 11.0：Illustrator CS
▪︎ 12.0：Illustrator CS2
▪︎ 13.0：Illustrator CS3
▪︎ 14.0：Illustrator CS4
▪︎ 15.0：Illustrator CS5
▪︎ 16.0：Illustrator CS6
▪︎ 17.0: Illustrator CC (Legacy)*
▪︎ 24.0：Illustrator 2020*
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🔹Steps for macOS Users:
Locate the .ai file on your Mac.
Right-click (or Cmd + Click) the file and select Open With.
Choose TextEdit or another text editor (such as VS Code or Sublime Text) to open the file.
Press Cmd + F to open the search bar.
Enter %%Creator in the search field.
The results will look similar to the following:
%%Creator: Adobe Illustrator(R) 16.0
In this example, 16.0 is the version used to create the file. You can determine the exact version by cross-referencing this number with the corresponding Illustrator release.
⚠️Important Note:
To avoid damaging the file, please do not make any changes while using the text editor. Simply close the window after you find the version number.
How to Resolve Version Incompatibility?
If you encounter a version mismatch with an .ai file, try the following solutions:
Request a Downsaved Version:
If the sender is using a newer version of Illustrator, ask them to save the file as a legacy version (such as CS6) to ensure it can be opened without issues.◽How to do it:
Go to File > Save As.... In the Illustrator Options dialog box that appears, select an older version from the Version dropdown menu.Update Your Software:
If your hardware and subscription allow, updating Illustrator to the latest version via Adobe Creative Cloud is the most direct way to improve file compatibility.Request a PDF or EPS Export:
If you only need to view the content or perform basic edits, ask the sender to export the file as a PDF or EPS. These formats generally offer better cross-version compatibility, although they may have limited editing flexibility compared to a native .ai file.
Conclusion
Understanding how to check the version of an .ai file is an essential skill for quickly troubleshooting compatibility issues in design workflows. By using the methods outlined above, you can easily identify a file’s version and determine the best way to handle it.
Additionally, establishing good file management practices—such as including version numbers in filenames (e.g., design_v1.ai) — can significantly reduce communication overhead and the need for repeated revisions.
