This covers Windows, macOS, iPad, minimum vs. recommended specs, and key notes for performance. | Component | Minimum | Recommended (for smooth work) | |-----------|---------|-------------------------------| | OS | Windows 10 (64-bit) v21H2 or later | Windows 11 (64-bit) | | Processor | Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 (2.5 GHz+) | Intel Core i7/i9 or AMD Ryzen 7/9 (3.5 GHz+) | | RAM | 8 GB | 16–32 GB (complex vectors/multitasking) | | GPU | DirectX 12, WDDM 2.0, 1 GB VRAM | NVIDIA GTX 1060+ / RTX series or AMD equivalent (2+ GB VRAM) | | Storage | 5 GB free SSD (HDD works but slower) | SSD with 20+ GB free (NVMe ideal) | | Display | 1024 x 768 | 1920 x 1080+ (HiDPI/4K preferred) | | Internet | Required for activation & cloud features | Required for updates & AI tools | Note for Windows on ARM : Illustrator runs in emulation; native ARM version is in beta (2025). 2. macOS System Requirements | Component | Minimum | Recommended | |-----------|---------|--------------| | OS | macOS 12 (Monterey) or later | macOS 14 (Sonoma) / 15 (Sequoia) | | Processor | Intel Core i5 (2.5 GHz+) or Apple Silicon M1 | Apple M2/M3 Pro/Max or M4 | | RAM | 8 GB | 16–32 GB | | GPU | OpenGL 3.3, 1 GB VRAM (Intel) | Apple Silicon integrated GPU or discrete Radeon | | Storage | 5 GB free SSD | 20+ GB free SSD | | Display | 1024 x 768 | Retina / 5K | | Internet | Required | Required | Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) : Illustrator runs natively — much faster and more efficient than Intel. 3. iPad System Requirements Illustrator on iPad is a separate app but shares file compatibility.