Drop a comment below (or visit Adobe Community Help) with your exact Illustrator version and build number. Catalina troubleshooting is a dying art—but one worth preserving. Disclaimer: Information accurate as of 2025. Adobe and Apple product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Always back up your data before performing macOS or software updates.
If you are running—or are forced to run—, this guide is for you. We will cover which versions work, which fail, how to fix common crashes, and whether you should upgrade or stay put. Part 1: The Golden Rule – 64-Bit Only The single most important fact about macOS Catalina is that it does not run 32-bit applications . adobe illustrator macos catalina
| Illustrator Version | Compatible with Catalina? | Stability Rating | |---------------------|---------------------------|------------------| | CS6 or older | ❌ No | N/A (Won't open) | | CC 2019 (v23) | ⚠️ Partial (buggy) | 2/10 | | CC 2020 (v24.0–24.3)| ✅ Yes (with updates) | 7/10 | | CC 2021 (v25) | ✅ Yes | 8/10 | | CC 2022 (v26) | ✅ Yes | 9/10 | | CC 2023 (v27) | ✅ Yes (last for Catalina)| 9/10 | | CC 2024 (v28) | ⚠️ No (requires macOS 11+) | N/A | Drop a comment below (or visit Adobe Community
When Apple released macOS Catalina (version 10.15) in October 2019, it marked a seismic shift for creative professionals. By dropping support for 32-bit applications entirely and introducing strict new security protocols, Catalina turned the Mac ecosystem upside down. Adobe and Apple product names are trademarks of
For designers using Adobe Illustrator, this update was a major event. While Adobe has since moved on to newer macOS versions (Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia), millions of users remain on Catalina due to hardware limitations or legacy workflow requirements.
If you depend on Illustrator for professional income, the safest path is to upgrade your Mac to a model that supports macOS Monterey or Ventura, or to transition to a native Apple Silicon machine (M1/M2/M3). Catalina was a beautiful operating system, but for designers, the future—and the updates—wait on the other side.