Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator CS6 for Windows
Adobe

Adobe Illustrator CS6 is the 6th and final version of Creative Suite and the culmination of improvements throughout this series.

Download Adobe Illustrator CS6 for Windows

Are you a graphic design power user on the lookout for a well-rounded, versatile vector editing software? If so, get Adobe Illustrator CS6 and delve deep into the plethora of its unique features, tools, and functionalities.

This version enabled users with more substantial, faster devices to get the most out of the new Illustrator. With the introduction of the AMPS, Illustrator CS6 reshaped industry-leading standards. Grab Adobe Illustrator CS6 to see why so many professionals and graphic design vectors praise it as much as they use it.

Adobe Illustrator CS6 Download for Windows

You can download Adobe Illustrator CS6 for Windows XP, 7, and 8. The freshly reimagined user interface simplified most of its features. The Adobe Mercury Performance System streamlined its already smooth operation, empowering graphic designers to tackle more extensive operations and use Illustrator more efficiently.

With the AMPS coming into the picture, Adobe users running Illustrator on 64-bit Windows systems need 2 GB of RAM as opposed to 1 GB on 32-bit systems. You will also need 2 GB of storage space for the installation, and at least a gigabyte during the installation process.

In case you wish to use Adobe Bridge features in Illustrator, you’ll need to install a DirectX 9-enabled video adapter equipped with 64 megabytes of virtual RAM.

Adobe Illustrator CS6 Features

The core feature of CS6 is the AMPS (Adobe Mercury Performance System), which brought support for 64-bit systems, support for larger files, and one of the strongest Illustrator features used to this day – Image Trace.

The Image Trace feature allows users to vectorize raster images seamlessly, or in other words, convert JPEG, PNG, or PSD into SVG. Tracing options are fully customizable and easy to use. Before you learn how to use this feature properly, you can use any of the dozens of available preset configurations.

Adobe Illustrator CS6 introduced Bristle Brush, which was designed to mimic the aesthetics and feel of real-life paintbrushes. You can specify and customize your bristle brushes and use any of four available types, including Calligraphic brush, Scatter Brush, Art Brush, and Pattern Brush.

Numerous performance fixes and upgrades were a part of this update, including color panel improvements, Type panel boosts, Transform panel improvements, and Control panel improvements.

Aside from Image Trace, Gaussian blur was amplified, and Pattern Creation introduced for the first time.

Adobe Illustrator Versions

Download Illustrator 2022 - The most up-to-date version of Adobe's Illustrator is 26.0.2, launched for Mac and Windows in Oct 2021. With this update, Mac users received the Apple M1 Native support. Rotate View is the program's newest feature, along with the ability to delete hidden layers.

Download Illustrator 2021 - In February 2021, Adobe released the 25.2 update – a major patch that brought a multitude of performance improvements and the much-needed system compatibility report upon application launch. Additionally, Cloud files could be shared and edited online.

Download Illustrator 2020 - Illustrator 24.3 was last updated in August 2020. Snap-to-glyph was introduced for the first time, and objects placed on the canvas could be unlocked. Minor improvements were made to several text alignment features.

Download Illustrator 2019 – 23.0 - On the 15th of October 2019, Adobe launched the Illustrator Creative Cloud 23.0, bringing freeform gradients, trim view, content-aware cropping, global edit, and scalable user interface to the fold. This is the first Illustrator version that supported external graphics cards.

Download Illustrator CC 2018 - CC 2018 came in 2017 and introduced a thousand artboard presets and Properties panels for even more versatility. This was also the first time Illustrator supported MacBook touch bar devices.

Download Illustrator CC 2017 - Although the initial CC 2017 came off of a bumpy ride in 2016, it was patched twice in January 2017, allowing users to locate fonts faster, operate glyphs more intuitively, and access Adobe Stock presets more quickly. Typekit Marketplace was also introduced for the first time.

Download Illustrator CC 2015 - Introduced Adobe Stock preset integration and an array of performance upgrades. File recovery function paired with the new Safe mode helped preserve designer works more reliably while GPU performance boon was more than welcome.

Download Illustrator CC 2014 - In June 2014, Illustrator received the version 18 update, presenting a more comprehensive integration to the acclaimed Creative Cloud platform. Fonts, settings, and onboard color palettes could be synchronized with a click on a button. Brand-new typing functionalities were added, as well as the CSS extraction feature.

Download Illustrator CC - The first Illustrator without a nickname in 25 years, as well as the first subscription-based suite of software compatible with the Illustrator, CC 2013 gave designers a different type of pricing, a fresh set of typing functionalities, and extended range of file placement features. It was updated on the 16th of January 2014, introducing Typekit integration and a revamped pencil tool.

Download Illustrator CS5 - Ajanta was launched in May 2010, introducing strokes with variable width, the bristle brush, Perspective tools, and various minor tweaks to performance. Shape-builder tools were a massive hit and had almost completely replaced Pathfinder tools.

Download Illustrator CS4 - Sonnet was launched in October 2008 and introduced multi-artboards, transparent gradients, blob brush, and live gradient editing. Version 14 also came with support for separation previews and advanced in-palette appearance editing.

Download Illustrator CS3 - The CS3, or Illustrator 'Jason' version brought Flash integration, early versions of the Isolation mode, multiple document profiles, the crop area functionality, and the Live color feature.

Downlaod Illustrator CS2 - The heavily acclaimed Zodiac was one of the most groundbreaking improvements to Illustrator. Version 12 and 12.0.1 came with support for Photoshop layers, Adobe Bridge, and Wacom tablet. Live trace and colorized grayscale effects were also introduced.

Download Illustrator CS - The first Illustrator CS is actually the 11th iteration of the program. This version introduced compatibility of saves with Microsoft Office, support for OpenType functionality, columns, rows, and a variety of unique effects. 

The first version of Creative Studio - Released nearly two decades ago, the original Creative Studio brought an eclectic suite of software designed for professional editing of digital media. After Effects, Bridge, and Photoshop were its main highlights. 

Download Illustrator 10 - After Pavel, Simba, Elvis, Matisse, and Paloma versions, the Pangea Illustrator came and took the market by storm, offering 3D and scribble effects, Microsoft Office sync, optical kerning and margins, configurable columns and rows, dozens of character and paragraph styles, and OpenType support.

Adobe Illustrator Alternatives?

Some graphic designers find Illustrator to be too challenging to use while many beginners who are yet to learn how vector designing tools work typically look for free programs to learn the basics. While the best Adobe Illustrator alternatives may not be as versatile, their features are usually much simpler to use.

Illustrator vs Photoshop

Illustrator can do nearly everything Photoshop is capable of, but not the other way around. Although many enthusiasts may argue that Photoshop feels a bit easier to use, Adobe’s team worked diligently to simplify Illustrator without sacrificing its versatility. As a better-rounded program with drastically more robust features, Illustrator would clearly win.

Check out our in-depth Illustrator vs Photoshop comparison of the two leading graphics and design editing software packages on the market. Or consider downloading Adobe Photoshop CS6 for Windows and compare for yourself side by side.

And it's worth mentioning that you can still download Adobe Photoshop CS6 if your system lacks the resources to run the latest version.

Illustrator vs CorelDRAW

When it comes to two of the most renowned vector graphics editing programs on the market, picking the right one can be difficult.

For more information, check out this fantastic Adobe Illustrator vs. CorelDRAW 2022 break down. While both are amazing vector graphics editors, they offer vastly different and unique advantages.

Should I Upgrade to Adobe Illustrator 2022?

There are thousands of reasons for upgrading to the latest version of Adobe Illustrator and barely a handful against it. First and foremost, Illustrator has been the leading graphic design software for decades, and Adobe has consistently delivered upon the promise of quality with each new version, patch, and update.

Check out my in-depth article on Adobe Illustrator pricing or download the free Adobe Illustrator trial for 7-days and see what you think for yourself.

Download Illustrator CS6

Illustrator CS6’s robust features and the freshly introduced Adobe Mercury Performance System are some of the many reasons professional graphic designers still use it to this day.

If you are looking for a dependable solution for your vector designing needs, you can get Adobe Illustrator CS6 and create exquisite branded artwork, animations, or illustrations. Whether you are a rookie designer or a veteran animation artist, downloading Illustrator CS6 will empower your vector creations and designs.

Software Summary:

You can run Adobe Illustrator on Windows operating systems. Adobe Illustrator is a software product developed by Adobe and it is listed in the category. Adobe Illustrator is licensed as Adobe Illustrator.

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System Requirements

Windows - Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 processor - Microsoft Windows 7 with Service Pack 1, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 - 1 GB of RAM (3 GB recommended) for 32 bit; 2 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended) for 64 bit - 2 GB of available hard-disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on removable flash storage devices) - 1024 x 768 display (1280 x 800 recommended) - To view Illustrator in HiDPI mode, your monitor must support a resolution of 1920 x 1080 or more. For more information, see Enhanced Windows Support: HiDPI devices. OpenGL 4.x - To use the new Touch workspace in Illustrator, you must have a touch screen enabled tablet/monitor running Windows 8.1. (Microsoft Surface Pro 3 recommended). Optional: To use GPU Performance: (NVIDIA video adapter listed below (medium/high-end recommended); 1 GB of VRAM (2 GB recommended); and latest drivers for optimal performance

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