How to open .ai files in Linearity Curve

Linearity Curve opens Adobe Illustrator .ai files directly, no conversion required. Drag the file onto the canvas, use File → Open, or import via the Gallery. Layers, paths, shapes, and text all transfer as editable vector elements. This guide covers every method for opening .ai files on Mac and iPad, what imports correctly, what to watch for, and how to take .ai files into Linearity Move for animation.

Part of the switching from Illustrator to Linearity Curve guide — covering the full migration process including shortcuts, file formats, and common task equivalents.

Supported file formats

Linearity Curve imports the following file formats on both Mac and iPad:

For switching from Illustrator, .ai is the recommended import format — it preserves the most structure. If you're working with a file that wasn't saved in .ai format, PDF is the next best option since Illustrator uses PDF as its underlying format.

How to open an .ai file on Mac

There are three methods on Mac — all work equally well. Choose whichever fits your current workflow.

Method 1 — Drag and drop (fastest)

1. Find the .ai file in Finder.
2. Drag it directly onto the Linearity Curve canvas or onto the Curve icon in the Dock.
3. Curve opens the file immediately as a new document.

This is the fastest method for one-off imports. Works with .ai, SVG, PDF, and image files.

Method 2 — File → Open

1. Open Linearity Curve.
2. Go to File → Open in the menu bar (or press Cmd + O).
3. Navigate to the .ai file in the file browser.
4. Click Open.

Method 3 — Import from the Gallery

1. Open Linearity Curve to the Gallery (Home screen).
2. Click the Import button in the top toolbar.
3. Navigate to the .ai file.
4. Click Import.

The file opens as a new document in the Gallery.

How to open an .ai file on iPad

Method 1 — Import from the Gallery

1. Open Linearity Curve on iPad.
2. Tap the + (Plus) icon in the top-right corner of the Gallery.
3. Select Import.
4. Navigate to the .ai file — from Files, iCloud Drive, or any connected storage.
5. Tap the file to import it.

Method 2 — Open from Files app

1. Open the Files app on iPad.
2. Navigate to the .ai file.
3. Long press the file and tap Share.
4. Select Linearity Curve from the share sheet.
5. The file opens in Curve as a new document.

Method 3 — AirDrop from Mac

If you're working across Mac and iPad:

1. On Mac, right-click the .ai file in Finder.
2. Select Share → AirDrop.
3. Choose your iPad.
4. On iPad, accept the file — tap Open in Linearity Curve in the notification that appears.

What imports correctly

Linearity Curve preserves the following elements from .ai files:

Fully supported:

• Vector paths and shapes — all Bézier paths import as fully editable paths with correct anchor points and handles
• Fill colours — solid fills, gradients
• Stroke colours and weights
• Layer structure — Illustrator layers become Curve layers, preserving the hierarchy
• Groups — grouped objects import as groups
• Text — imports as editable text, maintaining font, size, weight, and colour

Partially supported:

• Fonts — text imports as editable if the font is installed on your Mac or iPad. If the font isn't available, Curve flags it and offers substitution options. Install the font first for the cleanest import.
• Complex gradients — linear and radial gradients import correctly; mesh gradients may not transfer
• Opacity and blend modes — basic opacity transfers; some advanced blend modes may render differently
• Linked images — embedded images import as placed image layers; linked images (referenced externally) need to be embedded in Illustrator before importing

Not supported:

• Illustrator-specific effects (3D effects, perspective distortion, some stylise effects) — these may flatten or not appear
• Symbols and libraries — Illustrator symbols import as grouped objects, not as linked symbols
• Charts and graphs created with Illustrator's Graph Tool

What to check after importing

Run through this checklist after importing any .ai file:

Fonts. Open the Layers panel and scan for any text layers flagged with a warning icon — this indicates a missing font. Go to the text layer, select the text, and choose a substitute from the font picker or upload the correct font (TTF format supported).

Layer names. Illustrator layer names carry over — check that the naming matches what you expect, especially if the file has many sublayers.

Colours. If the original was set up in CMYK for print, colours may shift slightly on import since Curve works in RGB/sRGB for screen. If print accuracy matters, check key colour values against the original.

Effects. Any Illustrator effects applied to objects (drop shadows via Effect → Stylize, warps, etc.) may not transfer — check objects that had effects applied and reapply them using Curve's Effects panel if needed.

Linked images. If any placed images are missing, they were linked rather than embedded in the original Illustrator file. Re-embed them in Illustrator first (select the image → Embed in the Properties panel), then re-export and re-import.

Taking .ai files into Linearity Move

If your goal is to animate an Illustrator file, you have two routes:

Route 1 — Direct import to Move

Linearity Move also accepts .ai files directly:

1. Open Linearity Move.
2. Go to File → Open or use the Gallery import button.
3. Select the .ai file.
4. Move imports the file with layers and paths intact, ready to animate.

This is the fastest route if you don't need to edit the design in Curve first.

Route 2 — Edit in Curve first, then animate in Move

1. Import the .ai file into Linearity Curve.
2. Make any edits — adjust colours, fix layer naming, clean up paths.
3. The file is now a .curve file, automatically synced across your Linearity account.
4. Open Linearity Move — your Curve file appears in the Move Gallery.
5. Open it and animate directly.

Route 2 is recommended if the Illustrator file needs cleanup before animation — good layer naming in Curve makes the Move timeline significantly easier to work with.

Exporting back to .ai format

Curve exports to .ai format, so files can be sent back to Illustrator colleagues or used in other .ai-compatible tools.

On Mac:

1. Go to File → Export.
2. Select Adobe Illustrator (.ai) from the format dropdown.
3. Click Export.

On iPad:

1. Tap the Export button in the top toolbar.
2. In the Export popover, find the Continuity section.
3. Tap Adobe Illustrator to export as .ai.
4. Alternatively, tap Adobe Creative Cloud to save directly to your CC storage.

Exported .ai files open in Illustrator with layers, paths, and text intact. Note that any Curve-specific features (effects applied in Curve, for example) may not have a direct Illustrator equivalent and may render differently on re-import.