For designers who value speed over gimmicks, Illustrator 2021 (specifically v25.3) remains the gold standard of modern vector editing. It is the "Windows 7 of Illustrator"—polished, powerful, and respectful of your system resources. Looking for a specific version history for 2022 or 2023? Check back for our ongoing series covering every Adobe Illustrator release since 1987.
| Version | Build Number | Release Date | Primary Focus | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 25.0.0 | 80 | Oct 20, 2020 | Initial M1 support, Cloud Documents | | 25.0.1 | 91 | Nov 11, 2020 | Fixed PDF export crash (Intel) | | 25.1.0 | 122 | Dec 8, 2020 | Font menu & Touch Bar fixes | | 25.2.0 | 166 | Mar 9, 2021 | Share for Review, Vertical alignment | | 25.2.1 | 172 | Mar 25, 2021 | Security patch for .AI file parsing | | 25.3.0 | 234 | Jun 8, 2021 | GPU performance, Pencil smoothing | | 25.3.1 | 245 | Jul 20, 2021 | Fixed "Disappearing text" bug | | 25.4.0 | 288 | Oct 26, 2021 | 3D Beta, Intertwine, Final release | To understand the legacy of AI 2021, we must look at the user sentiment. adobe illustrator 2021 version history
The Image Trace panel received a "Color Fidelity" slider. Previously, the trace was either high fidelity (millions of paths) or low fidelity (blocky garbage). The new slider allowed a "Watercolor Trace" effect, reducing paths while preserving gradient shapes. Part 4: The Performance Summer – Illustrator 25.3 (June 2021) Release Date: June 8, 2021 For designers who value speed over gimmicks, Illustrator