The table below breaks down the primary versions, deployment dates, and technical focuses of the 2021 timeline:
A brand new feature that allowed overlapping objects to be "intertwined" without altering the layer structure. You could select two overlapping shapes and choose Object > Intertwine > Make , then click intersection points to send one shape in front of the other selectively. This replaced the need for "clipping masks" for simple overlaps.
Version 25.0 solidified Illustrator's place in the cloud ecosystem. adobe illustrator 2021 version history
Adobe Illustrator 2021 (v25.0) launched in October 2020 at Adobe MAX. This major release focused heavily on cloud-based collaboration, iPad integration, and intelligent automation powered by Adobe Sensei. Over its lifecycle, Adobe rolled out several point updates (v25.1 through v25.4) to address stability, enhance performance, and introduce minor features.
Adobe maintained a rapid update schedule throughout 2021 to patch bugs and build upon the core v25 architecture. Version 25.1 (January 2021) The table below breaks down the primary versions,
Complex effects like drop shadows and blurs calculated significantly faster. Enhanced Copy-Paste Capabilities
The 2021 release saw significant performance improvements, particularly for macOS users with the introduction of (M1 chips). Additionally, the 3D engine was completely overhauled, providing a high-performance, ray-traced preview for creating realistic 3D artwork directly in the vector environment. Version 25
Launched at Adobe MAX 2020, this major release focused on cloud connectivity, smarter canvas navigation, and precision typography tools. Recolor Artwork Powered by Adobe Sensei
Adobe Illustrator 2021 (version 25.0) was released on . It marked the first version to drop the "CC" (Creative Cloud) suffix from its public branding, simply being called Adobe Illustrator 2021 . However, internally and in documentation, it continued the version number sequence from its predecessors. This release focused heavily on cloud collaboration, performance improvements, and modernizing core workflows like vector manipulation and font management.
: Released native compatibility for Apple M1 chips. This brought a massive performance increase, making file loading and effects rendering up to 4 times faster than on older Intel Macs.