5 Reasons Why Minimalist Design is So Popular

5 Reasons Why Minimalist Design is So Popular

Over the past few years, the minimalist design aesthetic has taken the world by storm. From simpler website design to all-white kitchens and living rooms, people are beginning to appreciate a less cluttered, cleaner appearance in all aspects of their lives. But what is it about this design style that makes it so popular among such a large segment of the population?

Below, we’ll discuss five reasons minimalist design has become so popular. Keep reading to learn just what it is about this style that speaks to so many people!

Why is Minimalist Design So Popular?

Minimalism, whether in home decor or any other type of design, is all about cutting out the clutter to achieve a cleaner look. This type of design has become incredibly popular over the past few years, and evidence of this can be seen almost everywhere online. 

From simpler websites to more neutral colors in home design, minimalism has taken over the world. But, what exactly is it about minimalism that makes it so popular?

While everybody has a different reason for incorporating minimalism into their life, there are a few direct factors that have contributed to the aesthetic’s popularity. These include:

  1. Less clutter
  2. A cleaner look
  3. A timeless design
  4. Social media popularity
  5. Advances in technology

Below, we’ll discuss more information on how these five factors have contributed to minimalism’s popularity today. 

1. It’s Less Cluttered

One of the things people love the most about minimalist design is its signature clutter-free appearance. Our lives today are busier and more stressful than ever, and the amount of clutter we see daily may play a big role in that.

Some studies have shown that, the more clutter people have around them, the more stressed they are. Even if it’s subconsciously, we’re constantly trying to organize everything we see, and too many design elements can make this difficult.

A less cluttered design simplifies things. It may even help reduce some of the anxieties we feel on a daily basis!

2. It Has a Cleaner Look

Not only is minimalism less cluttered than other types of design, but it also has an overall cleaner look. Today, more and more people are moving towards designs that feature fewer elements, and a minimalist design is perfect for this. 

When there are less elements in a space, it allows your eyes to more easily focus on the most important or interesting thing around. Overall, it makes it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for.

When you remove all the excess information and items from a space, you draw more attention to the most interesting elements. This allows you to hold the viewer’s attention without overwhelming them. 

3. It’s a Timeless Aesthetic

Design trends are always changing and evolving. Sunken living rooms and macrame ruled the 1970s, while pastel colors and sequins were incredibly popular throughout the early 2000s. While all of these trends went out of style sooner or later, minimalism has remained on the scene since the 1960s.

Simplicity is always in style. While every decade did minimalism differently, the basic elements have remained the same. Minimalism is a great way to go if you’re looking for a design style that will stand the test of time. 

4. It’s Popular on Social Media

Whether we realize it or not, social media has a profound effect on how we live our lives these days. It’s where we turn to find our new favorite music, TV shows, restaurants, and more!

Social media is also where many people turn to for design advice. Since the minimalism trend has become so popular among social media influencers and bloggers, we’ve seen an increase in this design style in the real world.

When you think about it, minimalism isn’t just popular among the content people post on social media. It’s also ingrained in the overall design of social media websites. While flashy graphics and bright colors were popular on MySpace, more current websites, such as Facebook and Instagram, are much more minimalistic in nature.

5. It Keeps in Line with Advances in Technology

Like social media has adopted a more minimalistic design, so have the biggest tech companies. This is true not only for their programs and web browsers, but also for their products.

Think about companies like Google and Apple. Their websites, browsers, and user interfaces all include very few design elements, focusing solely on what’s most important. This creates a more streamlined appearance, making things much more responsive.

Users have responded positively to this sleeker, cleaner appearance, inspiring many to adopt the aesthetic into their everyday lives. Less complexity means fewer problems, both in technology and in your daily routine.

What Are the Main Elements of Minimalist Design?

If you’re considering implementing a minimalistic design into some of your work, you may be wondering what the main elements of this style include. While everyone does minimalism differently, there are a few staple elements to be aware of.

The first element to consider is neutral colors. Minimalistic designs use almost no color so as not to distract from the overall feel of the space. Some popular colors in minimalistic design include:

  • White
  • Black 
  • Gray

Uniformity is important when considering colors. While a couple of “statement” elements are fine, most of your design should utilize the same color. The same goes when you’re considering textures.

Another important factor in minimalism is symmetry. All areas within the space should be balanced as far as elements go, and no one area should have more than another.

Final Thoughts

While minimalism may not be everyone’s favorite design aesthetic, there’s no denying that it is one of the most popular styles today. This can be seen almost anywhere, from how we decorate our homes to how the top tech companies design their interfaces. 

Everybody appreciates minimalism for different reasons. But most of the time, people’s interest in the style stems from their desire for a cleaner, less cluttered look. There are no trendy pieces that will go out of style over the next couple of years, meaning your minimalist design will surely stand the test of time. 

Will Adobe Illustrator Work on Windows 7?

Adobe Illustrator is a very popular editing app among creators today, part of the suite of Adobe creative apps that includes Photoshop. Windows 7 is the version of the Microsoft operating system supported from 2009-2020. Both of these technological advances were well-loved, but does Illustrator work on Windows 7?

The current version of Illustrator does not work on Windows 7 anymore. Illustrator stopped working on Windows 7 in 2020. The only way you can get it to work on Windows 7 is if you download an older version of Illustrator from before October 2020.

As technology advances at a rapid pace, software developers work to update their programs and optimize them for the latest operating systems. Read on to learn more about why operating systems are updated over time.

Is Adobe Illustrator Compatible with Windows 7?

Incompatibility with older versions of software regularly occurs with software and technology as it gets updated. Developers focus their time and attention on the latest version of the software, so older versions become obsolete.

The most updated versions of  Adobe Creative Cloud products like Illustrator are no longer compatible with Windows 7, as Windows 7 stopped receiving support from Microsoft in 2020.

If every version of a software or operating system was available, computer professionals would have too large of a workload to manage.

What If You Still Want to Use Windows 7?

If you are someone who would still prefer using Windows 7 over another operating system, there is a way that you can still use Illustrator.

You just need to make sure you are running a version released before or during October 2019, because these versions of Creative Cloud still have the necessary technology to run on Windows 7.

Software developers do their best to meet the needs of their users however they can, and this is just one way they do that.

Where to Install Older Versions of Illustrator?

You can install older versions of all Creative Cloud software from within the Creative Cloud app on your computer.

To do so, follow the following steps:

  1. Open the Creative Cloud app
  2. Scroll down to the app you want and select the More Options button or the three dots next to it
  3. In the drop-down menu that appears, choose other versions
  4. Find the app version you want in the menu that appears, and press the Install button
  5. Follow the prompts to install the older version

To keep older versions of software rather than upgrading to the newest version whenever new updates are released, you have to go to the Apps menu in Creative Cloud, navigate to Advanced Options, and uncheck the box that says Remove Previous Versions.

With this, you will be able to keep the version of the app that is compatible with your current operating system, unless you manually turn it back on. You do not always have to upgrade to the latest version of the software and or operating system, but there are several reasons why it is a good idea to.

Why Do Software Updates Happen?

You may get frustrated when the software or operating system you love gets a new update and the older one gets phased out. It can be difficult to adjust to new versions, especially if icons or functions are:

  • Moved
  • Removed
  • Consolidated

However, there are several good reasons why updates to software and operating systems occur.

Correcting Flaws In Security

If software and operating system security are not enhanced regularly, this makes your computer vulnerable to hackers, viruses, and malware.

Malware is dangerous because it allows unauthorized users to take control of your computer and encrypt files and other parts of your computer with harmful data. Security patches ensure your computer stays in working order.

Once the software is updated, the plan that a hacker may have had to infiltrate your computer along with several others will no longer work, forcing them to come up with a new plan or give up trying

Improvements and Addition of New Content

Software and operating systems need to be updated to keep up with the constant advancement of technology. As time progresses since the launch of the software, the developers will come up with new ideas and seek to add them in, as well as remove old content as needed.

Software updates make room for the latest developments in technology to improve the user experience.

User Data Protection

If a hacker gets inside your computer, their goal is to steal and use your personal information, such as banking account info, to get access to your money and more.

Some hackers are so skilled that they will seek to steal your identity. Software and operating system updates keep personal data protected and safe.

Better Software and Operating System Performance

Updates allow software and operating systems to work better than they did previously. Developers will find bugs in the software and operating system that slow down performance, and updating the software can fix them. The better software or an operating system performs, the more likely people will be to use it.

Ensuring Compatibility with New Technology

Software and operating systems need to be updated to work with the latest technology. Whenever a new technology is made, there is at least one component of it that has never been seen before. So, companies of all kinds have to adapt to it, and making updates help with the transition and makes the new technology useful.

Software updates and operating system updates are necessary, even if they are frustrating or bring in features that users do not find helpful. Updates help software and operating system developers know what is working and what is not. Without updates, technology will not move forward at all.

These updates allow the software to work with operating systems as they come and take advantage of the innovations they bring with them

Conclusion

Unfortunately, the latest version of Illustrator no longer works with Windows 7, but you can download and install versions from 2019 that are compatible with it from the Creative Cloud App. Operating system and software updates are important because they improve security, bring new content, improve data protection, and more.

9 Best Placeit Alternatives for T-Shirt Designs

Placeit is known as one of the best t-shirt design tools out there. They have the largest library of templates, and have one of the most affordable prices. However, before committing to using Placeit as you’re t-shirt design tool, let’s have a look at the top 9 t-shirt designer alternatives.

1. Custom Ink

If you are looking for a Placeit alternative for t-shirt designs, Canva is one of the most popular options to try. This easy-to-use website allows you to create your own custom t-shirts in a similar format as Placeit. Plus, Canva has free and paid templates to choose from. What’s not to love?

Well, Canva has mixed messages in their terms of use stating that not all their design elements are commercially usable. This means you may run into copyright issues down the road by using their elements in your t-shirt designs. Placeit’s templates are 100% copyright-free and commercially usable.

2. Zazzle

Fans of Placeit t-shirt designs will find plenty of customization options when using an alternative choice like Zazzle. This leading online marketplace specializes in personalized designs and offers simple tools that allow in-depth customization.

Zazzle has over seventeen years of experience in offering great t-shirt designs. Student discounts are available, and Zazzle treats customers to five easy shipping options within the United States.

3. Designhill

Designhill is a highly popular alternative to Placeit for t-shirt designs. This hassle-free website allows you to easily convey your brand identity and personal style for any occasion. You simply fill out a design brief and post your project, then wait for competing designers to respond.

Once you choose your favorite design, you will get full ownership over it and access to high quality download files. You also have DIY tools available for further personalization.

4. CafePress

T-shirt design lovers will find everything they need on CafePress, a company specializing in quick turnaround and high-quality products. If you want to design a T-shirt on CafePress, you can use the straightforward and quick tool, with one-on-one assistance on hand during business hours.

Bulk pricing options are available, and you can also use your custom T-shirt designs to easily become a seller on CafePress. International shipping is available for select countries, which is handy if you have family, friends, or clients abroad.

5. Redbubble

Redbubble is a well-known print-on-demand marketplace favored by digital artists around the world. This is a great choice for those seeking t-shirt designs that represent their interests and their hobbies.

On Redbubble, you will have easy access to unique t-shirt designs created by independent artists from around the world. Each t-shirt you buy on Redbubble is custom printed, and there are various shipping options available.

6. Real Thread

The stylish Real Thread offers users a wide selection of custom printed t-shirt designs available in many styles, shapes, and color ranges. With in-depth personalization options, Real Thread simplifies the process of getting a t-shirt that represents you.

Real Thread uses super soft high-quality materials for each product. The company has low minimums and offers free standard shipping in the United States. You will be able to find a range of unique prints that send the message you want to convey.

7. Bonfire

The premium quality Bonfire allows you to create a top-quality t-shirt design printed on excellent material. This stand-out company allows you to upload your personal designs, or you can use their design tool with free fonts and graphics to create a memorable print.

T-shirt designs from Bonfire can be purchased in bulk at discounted rates, with attentive customer service there to guide you whenever needed. Shipping in the United States is free for orders containing over five items.

8. Design by Humans

Cool t-shirt designs are always available on Design by Humans, a company specializing in colorful graphic prints. You can choose from the many stand-out designs on the website, or you can apply for a store and upload your own artwork.

The company also organizes special contests where you can upload a design for a t-shirt. The most voted designs will get the chance to be printed without the need for a store on the website.

9. Threadless

Threadless is a well-known online marketplace offering a large selection of t-shirt designs. The materials used are popular for their softness, and the abundant choice of designs is a user favorite.

You can submit unique custom designs when contests are happening, or you can open an artist shop where you can share your t-shirt designs with the world. If you simply want to buy a fun t-shirt, you can browse the extensive options.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a t-shirt design tool, Placeit seems to have it all. When looking at the alternatives, most of them are t-shirt design features built into a t-shirt printing website. Placeit however is all about the designing process, and does not offer any actual printing. Also, Placeit also offers an additional 15% off any plan with this coupon.

Hopefully this article helps clear up any doubts about which t-shirt design tool to use!

Here’s Why Book Covers Sometimes Change

If you have a favorite book you’ve been reading for years but suddenly see it at the bookstore with a new cover, it can be confusing. That begs the question, “Why do book covers change?” There are actually five possible reasons for a book cover change.

Book covers can change for various reasons:

  • The author may create a “brand” across multiple books
  • The original is dated, visually unappealing, or confusing, requiring updates
  • The book may also be relaunched or re-released, which means changes to the book cover
  • It can be a necessary international change

Are you curious as to why book covers change? Then you’ve come to the right article. Here, you will discover the five most common reasons why book covers change and how they can benefit the author and potential reader.

Branding Purposes

When an author writes a book, they don’t always intend to write more or turn the original into a series. Yet, they may create more books down the road, whether they’re a continuation of a book or a new idea altogether.

Regardless, the author wants to create a “brand.” They want potential readers to know exactly who made the book. If it’s a series, they want readers to know that the books group together.

The best way to do this is by “branding,” which may result in changing all of the book covers, so they match. This helps readers in the long run, as they’ll be able to pinpoint a new book in their favorite series or pick out their favorite author – simply by looking at the cover style.

Outdated Appearance

Just like fashion, book covers go through trend changes.

If an author notices their book cover appears outdated compared to similar texts, they may consider changing it.

Sometimes, the swap is relatively simple, such as is the case of changing the font. Other times, the book cover as a whole is updated to keep up with the times.

Visually Unappealing or Confusing

Usually, an author has an idea of what they want their book cover to look like. They know the importance of making an excellent first impression and want to nail it from the get-go. After all, plenty of people decide to read a book based on how the cover appears.

That said, if an author notices that the cover isn’t intriguing enough for readers to grab it and start reading, they may decide to change the appearance entirely in hopes of boosting sales. Some authors even decide to create multiple book covers for a single book to cater to different audiences.

For example, the bulk of the cover may remain the same, but the colors change drastically. This is especially true if the author decides the cover doesn’t match the genre. Let’s say the cover appears ominous, emitting a horror theme when it’s meant to be a thriller.

The author knows this will confuse readers and put off certain potential viewers, requiring a change in the appearance ASAP.

Relaunched/Rereleased

In some cases, a cover is changed because the book is being relaunched or re-released. This can occur at the author’s request, although sometimes other factors are at play. For instance, the publisher has gone out of business, or the author wants to republish under a new imprint.

It’s also not uncommon for book covers to change when books are relaunched as an “anniversary edition.” Namely, when a book has been out for an extended period, and the author wants to release a limited, special edition.

They may create a new cover for a select portion of books to entice readers to purchase (yes, it can be labeled a marketing ploy).

International Changes

Sometimes, the cover of a book changes due to international circumstances. That is why some books have a different cover in the United States compared to the United Kingdom, for example, and this may or may not include a change in the title, too.

There’s not much an author can do to stop their book cover and/or title from changing across country lines. It depends on what the publisher in that country desires for the cover.

Conclusion

Don’t be alarmed if you see that a book cover has suddenly changed. It likely occurred at the author’s request, as they are trying to create a brand, update their cover’s aesthetic, or create a more visually appealing cover. You may also be glancing at a particular re-released version or discovering your favorite book in another country.

Why Is Placeit Not Working [5 Quick Fixes]

PlaceIt is a great platform for assisting with branding and marketing as well as multitudes of other graphic design needs except when it isn’t working. You may be wondering why PlaceIt isn’t working if you are the only one experiencing technical issues and how they can be solved.

There are several reasons why PlaceIt may not be working, some of which are listed below:

  1. Login credentials are wrong
  2. Issues with your internet browser
  3. PlaceIt server is experiencing issues or performing maintenance
  4. Poor internet connection
  5. Your device is outdated

For a more extended explanation of the possible reasons why PlaceIt isn’t working and possible solutions continue reading.

Common Reasons Why PlaceIt  Isn’t Working

There are multiple reasons why PlaceIt may not be working for you and some are more obvious than others. Below are the most common reasons why PlaceIt isn’t working.

1. Wrong Information Never Works

Believe it or not many people experience logging into PlaceIt due to using the wrong information.

It’s not difficult in this day and age to get confused and use the wrong login credentials. This may seem like an obvious detail, but it is more common than you might think.

Be sure to write your username and password down somewhere safe so you use the right information each time you log in.

2. Browser Issues More Common Than You Think

Internet browsers can be more of an issue than you may realize for a few reasons which are listed below with some possible solutions.

Extension Add-On Blocking

A common issue that people experience is that internet browser extension add-ons are blocking or restricting them from proceeding.

To solve you can simply right-click on the blocked pop-up symbol at the top of your address bar then click to allow access/permission to perform the desired actions.

Incompatible Browser

Certain internet browsers work better with particular software and programs. It is not uncommon for people to use a browser that does not jive as well with PlaceIt as others. If you find that your browser is continuously experiencing issues while trying to use PlaceIt you may need to try an alternative browser.

Examples of different internet browsers are listed below:

  • Google Chrome
  • Internet Explorer
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Safari

This list is not all-inclusive but gives the most popular browsers for you to try before having to search further.

Clean Up Your Junk

Sometimes the easiest way to solve your connectivity issues with PlaceIt is to clear your cookies and cache on whichever internet browser you are using. When too much useless information gets saved up it can cause things to run slowly or not at all.

Private Network Blocking PlaceIt

To protect ourselves many of us are using VPNs to ensure we are working on a secure network. This is a great thing to do, however, sometimes it can cause stability and connectivity issues when trying to use PlaceIt.

3. It’s Not You, It’s Them – Server Issues And Maintenance

Sometimes no matter what you do there will be issues with PlaceIt not working and there is nothing you can do except be patient and wait for the problem(s) to be rectified.

PlaceIt tries to keep its server running as efficiently as possible however as with anything maintenance is required to ensure it is running at its finest.

From time to time PlaceIt will intentionally shut the site down to ensure things are running as they should.

PlaceIt does its best to notify users of scheduled maintenance times so they can plan accordingly however there may be times when unexpected errors occur and they need to shut down to correct the issue with little to no warning.

4. Poor Connectivity Speed Or Poor Signal

Like it or not, our world relies on a good internet connection. If your internet connection is not strong or experiencing a bad signal you can have issues with PlaceIt not loading correctly.

Be sure your wifi or whatever internet connection you are using is strong and shows that it is connected.

One workaround is to use an incognito browser window to prevent your VPN from blocking PlaceIt from communicating with your device.

5. Get With The Times

Sometimes the reason PlaceIt is not working is that your computer or device is out of date. There comes a time when we have to accept the fact that it is time to upgrade our devices or software to be compatible with the ever-changing technology.

Staying Up To Date Reduces Number Of Issues

Now that you have a better understanding of why PlaceIt may not be working you can take the necessary steps to ensure everything is as it should be on your end. PlaceIt does its best to keep its server up and running as efficiently as possible so if you do find that there is an issue be patient and the services should be available within a short amount of time.

Placeit Discount: Placeit offers an additional 15% off any plan with this coupon.

What to Do When Illustrator Keeps Scrolling

Adobe Illustrator is one of the top production software programs for graphic designers and non-specialists worldwide. There are many options and features to using Illustrator; nothing is more frustrating than when Illustrator keeps scrolling. However, the fix is quite simple if one knows what to do when Illustrator keeps scrolling.

Resetting the settings inside the Artificial Intelligence menu is the most common solution to solving the endless scrolling issue with Adobe Illustrator. The second option is disconnecting and reconnecting the mouse and keyboard to the computer. 

An alternative software may be the most viable solution if one is not too keen on using Adobe Illustrator. However, if a person chooses to use Illustrator over one of these alternatives, the answer to fixing endless scrolling is two-fold. Two primary reasons cause Adobe Illustrator to scroll endlessly; the solution might be surprising.

Is Illustrator Getting Stuck When Scrolling Through the Font Selections?

Finding the perfect font for an illustration project is an art in itself. However, with various options available in Illustrator, the Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) that Adobe uses to power the illustrator engine can get stuck in infinite scrolling mode when selecting fonts. According to Reddit user dAKirby309 the solution is as simple as unchecking a selection in the edit menu.

To Fix the Infinite Scrolling Issue for font selection in Adobe Illustrator, do the following:

  1. Find and select the edit menu (Control or Command K for a shortcut)
  2. Select the type option
  3. Then uncheck the setting that says Missing Glyph Protection.

The solution still works today, even though it was posted to Reddit over six years ago. Two Reddit users named, BackToTheStation and IamTheOneWithTheCure, agree that this solution still works for them in twenty-twenty-two. However, most people accept the problem without recourse as it is a complex problem to solve.

Reaching out for support or self-misdiagnosis leads to accepting the issue. After six years, if Adobe has not fixed the problem, chances are that Adobe software engineers have the matter set as a low priority, or they figure it will fix itself over time with updates. Unfortunately, the endless scrolling experience can be caused by several problems too vast for a company to eliminate all possibilities of the root cause.

Adobe Illustrator is Prone to the Automatic Endless Scrolling Nightmare

Some users experience Adobe illustrator endlessly scrolling horizontally as soon as they open a file. This solution is sometimes as simple as unplugging a keyboard and mouse or switching them out. Unfortunately, the hardware may be causing the problem with the software. At least by eliminating the possibility of faulty hardware, a user can narrow down the root cause of the endless scrolling nightmare.

Adobe support forums suggest that replacing the hardware or moving the mouse and keyboard from one U.S.B. port to another solves the problem. However, beforehand, one wants to be sure that the issue is not occurring in other places on the machine and in Illustrator. This determination is the difference between a hardware problem and a software problem.

The Problem Could be the Hardware, but Most Likely, it is the Connection.

First, however, let us look at what is actually happening at this point inside the computer. Adobe is receiving a signal from the computer telling it to scroll, which is most likely controlled by the mouse or keyboard. Using a web-based application such as placeit.net can also help alleviate some of the tediousness of using Adobe Illustrator.

Disconnecting the mouse and keyboard breaks the electrical connection between the computer and Adobe, possibly resetting the connection between the hardware and the software. Several different things could be occurring here, and Adobe is working on a solution currently. As an alternative, Web-based software programs such as placeit.net tend to run smoother when receiving signals from the computer.

Since Illustrator has a feature that enables scrolling using the control or command buttons with the mouse, Adobe Illustrator may be reading these keys being pushed together, which is why this solution works by resetting the connection between the hardware and the software.  One might also have to clear the cache and memory on the computer when working with Adobe Illustrator to reset the connection between the hardware and software.

Using Alternative Software for Designs is a Good Solution

Many software is available for logo creation, such as placeit.net or Canva. Each software has its own unique features and benefits to use. For example, Placeit.net is excellent for starting with logo creation or even social media videos. In addition, most of the templates available are easy to use and fix up without worrying about endless scrolling.

Placeit.net vs Adobe Illustrator Logo Creation Steps

Placeit.net is really easy to use compared to Adobe Illustrator. Illustrator requires the designer to place each line in the specific spot that the designer wants for the logo. This allows for more control and customization of logos; however, most small businesses are perfectly okay with customizing a template.

Placeit.net has templates available for almost all industries. The steps are easy to follow.

  1. Follow the instructions on the screen and enter the Brand name and industry.
  2. Select the template desired to customize based on the industry.
  3. Change the colors, size, shape, and items in the logo.
  4. Download the logo design to use it.

Adobe Illustrator is a much more complex process built for graphic designers. With Illustrator, a person must select the page size, then customize using all of the available tools inside Illustrator to create the perfect logo. In addition, Placeit.net can be used for logo creation, social media, or digital video creation. Programs such as placeit.net are for the do-it-yourself entrepreneur and the graphic designer with a client base.

One Does Not Need to Subject Themselves to Endless Scrolling Frustrations

There is nothing more frustrating when Adobe Illustrator will not stop scrolling. After changing the settings or filing a complaint with Adobe Support, one must wonder if a more straightforward solution is afoot from Adobe. Companies such as Placeit.net are perfect for creating logos and other things faster and easier than Adobe Illustrator. 

Why Is Adobe XD Not Opening? [5 Quick Fixes]

Adobe XD is a powerful program that can be used for designing things from apps to websites. However, it does have the occasional hiccup that may prevent you from using it. Today we’ll cover 5 simple fixes to get it to open.

Some of these steps are tedious, but none of them should be overly complicated and usually only take a handful of minutes to complete. There are 5 fixes and step-by-step instructions on how to fix it. If one doesn’t work you can move on to the next one.

1. Sign Out

The easiest way to troubleshoot something is often to simply try ending all the processes and logging back into the program:

  1. Sign out of Adobe XD
  2. Close Adobe XD
  3. Make sure all processes associated with Adobe XD
  4. Launch Adobe XD from the desktop app
  5. Sign back in

This is by far the most simple way to try and get the program to work. If you can’t sign out because it won’t open completely, skip those steps and just make sure it’s closed completely in the task manager, including anything associated with it.

You will be looking for the Adobe XD process itself and another one called CoreSync. Close those in your task manager, if that doesn’t work, don’t fret. There are a few more ways to troubleshoot the problem.

2. File Permissions

Sometimes programs won’t open because of file permissions on the computer itself. If it worked before, it’s possible something got messed up during an update from Windows or Adobe XD. To check file permissions do the following:

  1. Go to “C:\Windows\System32”.
  2. Look for “msvcp140.dll” and right-click it to open up the properties.
  3. Click on “Security” and then select “Edit”.
  4. Select the “Add” option.
  5. Enter “All Application Packages”.
  6. Select “Check Names”.
  7. Choose “Locations” and click on the name of the PC and then hit “OK”.
  8. Choose “All Application Packages” once more.
  9. Check the box that says “Allow” for read and execute.
  10. Select “Apply” and then “Ok” and close it.
  11. Follow the steps again for “vcruntime140.dll”.

If you need more information on how to change permissions this link from a University has more steps if the above does not seem to be working for you. This is not the easiest of all the options, but it can sometimes be the reason why Adobe XD does not want to launch properly.

3. Update Windows

Sometimes Windows can be out of date and that can cause issues with programs. If force closing the program didn’t work, this may be the next best option: 

  1. Click the magnifying glass on your taskbar at the bottom of your screen.
  2. Search for “Updates”.
  3. Select “Check for updates” and Windows will check if you need an update.
  4. Download and install any updates it says you need.

If a program updates and your Windows is out of date, this can cause a lot of issues with certain programs from time to time. This is especially true if you put them off frequently and haven’t updated them in a while. It’s best to keep Windows up to date as much as possible.

There are some times when new windows updates may seem to break certain programs, so if you haven’t updated but Adobe XD has, it could also just be an issue with an Adobe XD.

4. Update Video Drivers

Your display drivers may be the reason Adobe XD won’t open and these usually don’t auto-update so it’s good to check for new drivers from time to time.

  1. Click the magnifying glass on your taskbar.
  2. Search for “Device Manager” and open that.
  3. Look for “Display Adapters”.
  4. Right-click on whatever is listed under this and select “Update Driver”.

This is the best path if you have an integrated graphics card. However, if you have a NVIDIA or AMD card, there are other steps you will have to take.

NVIDIA

This is pretty easy because NVIDIA has the GeForce Experience that comes with all newish cards.

  1. Open GeForce Experience.
  2. Select “Drivers” in the top left.
  3. Select the “Download” button.

If you don’t have the GeForce Experience on your computer, you can search for your drivers on NVIDIA’s website and do a manual install from there. That is simple and you will simply select the download button on the newest driver for your card and it will go through a simple installation process. Navigate to this link to find the page where to install your drivers.

AMD

AMD has an equivalent to the GeForce Experience called AMD Radeon Settings. This program will allow you to easily download new updates and configure your video settings. However, you do not have to do this and you can manually install the drivers as well.

  1. This is where you can find AMD’s drivers for installation. It’s a simple process.
  2. Click on “Graphics”.
  3. Select your series.
  4. Select the specific number in the series.
  5. Select the video card you have.
  6. Hit submit.

It will bring you to a page where you can choose drivers for whatever version of Windows you have and Ubuntu. Once you download the one you have you just open it up and follow the steps it gives you for the installation process.

5. Clean Install

This process is a bit tedious but not complicated and should take only a few minutes to finish:

  1. Search for %temp% in the windows search.
  2. Delete the temp folder.
  3. Search for “Control Panel”.
  4. Select “Uninstall a program”.
  5. Search for Adobe XD and right-click on it to uninstall.
  6. Close all Adobe XD or Creative Cloud processes in the task manager.
  7. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe and delete the Adobe XD folder.
  8. Uninstall all Microsoft C++ Redistributables in the control panel.
  9. Restart your PC
  10. Reinstall Adobe XD

This should have worked. If this, along with all the other options didn’t work, you can go to the Adobe support page and submit a ticket to get them to look into why your Adobe XD isn’t working.

Sometimes it seems like certain updates just break the program and if that’s the case you may have to wait for them to patch it because there is no way to go roll back the version.

Conclusion

The process for fixing Adobe XD not working is a little bit of a pain, but one of these options should fix it and hopefully, it will let you open it. There are also numerous forum posts for others who have had issues with it not opening or launching.

Remember, if all else fails you may have to reach out to Adobe support for more assistance in how to potentially fix these issues. They may just redirect you back to the page that contains basic troubleshooting problems.

Why Is Every Company Changing Their Logo?

Companies often run into the stressors of trying to continue gaining an audience’s attention and increasing their product sales. Typically, companies will resort to rebranding by changing their logos. This is a phenomenon that every company does, and people often wonder why.

Some companies change their logo because they want their logo to stay up to date with the current trends, which makes the company more marketable. However, companies often wonder and can become stumped as to when is the appropriate time to change their company logo.

Throughout this article, we will learn why every company changes its logo when a company should change its logo, the various benefits of changing a logo, and how to create one.

Why Is Every Company Changing Their Logo?

Companies are changing their logo to stay up-to-date on the current trends and prevent your logo from becoming, and looking, outdated. This helps increase audience traction and interest marketability. However, those who have companies often wonder when it is the proper time to change their logo. Continuing to read further, we will read to know when a company should change its logo.

When Should a Company Change Their Logo?

When you should change your company logo is entirely dependent on you and anyone else overseeing the company. However, it is typically recommended that a shift in company logos be done every couple of years. Too many changes to your logo every few years will make your audience feel discombobulated and perceive your company as inconsistent and lacking self-identity.

Looking at well-known companies’ logos, you will notice that the logos styles have dramatically changed while still maintaining the companies’ identities. Let’s continue to read more about the benefits of a company changing its logo.

Benefits of a Company Changing Their Logo

Rebranding is essential for every company that wants to continue to have an audience attraction. Many benefits come with a company changing its logo. Let’s continue to read to learn about the five benefits of a company changing its logo.

Stay Up-To-Date

You can stay up-to-date on the latest trends. People thrive off of the newest trends and what piques their interest. Implementing the current trends within your new logo shows loyal and new audiences that you are paying attention to what is current and the most exciting trends.

Stand Out From the Competition

It would help if you stood out from the competition to have a successful brand. To successfully rebrand your company via a new logo, it is essential to make sure that it stays true to who your company is and is eye-appealing for the audience.

Become More Profitable

Your brand becomes more profitable when you change your company’s logo. When a company changes its logo, it is often well-received positively and boosts sales. You can increase the price of your products, and your company becomes more profitable in the long run.

Network with New, Talented, and Reputable Graphic Designers

You’ll be able to network with new and reputable graphic designers to help you create a new logo. New talent will have a great, open-minded concept of what the people want and feel they will be attracted to when viewing a logo. You will allow these talents to express their creativity into a product fitting for you and your brand.

Attract a New Audience

You will likely garner traffic from new audiences and consumers when you change your logo. In this day in age, there are many ways to market your business through various platforms. Once you’ve rebranded with a new logo through various promotions, you will attract a new wave of audiences who are impressed and interested in your business.

Rebranding your company’s logo is good to ensure that you reach out to your audience. This is an important aspect of having a successful business. As we continue to read further, we will learn why reaching out to your audience is important.

Why Is It Important to Reach Out to Your Audience?

The most important aspect of having a successful company is forming an honest and interactive connection with your audience. Especially when you are first starting as a company, having a target audience that you are communicating with is essential.

Other reasons why reaching out to your audience is important can include the following:

  1. Helps you to determine, and narrow down, your target audience.
  2. Allows for honesty and transparency, increasing the likelihood of your company gaining further traction.
  3. Ability to determine your audience’s likes and dislikes, and if and when you were to change your logo, you’ll have an idea of how they will perceive it.
  4. Knowing what your audience wants and needs will spark creativity within you when rebranding your company’s logo, inadvertently allowing them to have input on its finality.
  5. Having an understanding between you and your audience will make transitions of rebranding easier for both of you.

Creating or recreating a logo for your company can seem overwhelming because a lot goes into it. So, as we continue to read further, we will learn about various tips you can implement when creating a logo.

How to Create a New Logo

While having your products and an overall successful business is essential, standing out from the competition with a branded logo helps boost your business. However, understandably, creating a logo can become stressful and often quite challenging to develop ideas. As we continue to read further, we will learn about five tips on creating a logo for your company.

Determine What Your Brand is About

What is your brand about? Determine what your brand’s personality is and what it stands for. Giving your brand identity will make it easier to determine how you want your logo to be designed. You’ll know, outright, if you want it to be flashy, simple, or somewhere in the middle.

Draw Inspiration From Others

Every artistic idea is drawn from inspiration, whether big or small. Do not be afraid to implement various inspirations to create your logo, but do not outright copy from it. Formulate a logo that incorporates what you would like to see as someone who would be interested in your brand. Use logo templates for inspiration, or as your design vehicle entirely.

Determine Your Font, Typography, and Color Scheme

Once you’ve determined your brand, determine your logo’s font and typography, write your brand’s name and have a specific color scheme in mind. Imagine your audience’s first impressions if they saw your logo for the first time to have an idea of the font, typography, and color scheme. Because they do not react the same, choose carefully.

Brain Dump Your Ideas

Brain dump your ideas without thinking about them. Go on websites like placeit.net and play around, experimenting with various ideas that you have for your logo without giving it a second thought. Often mindlessly sketching and creating logos online will give you the artistic freedom to not feel overwhelmed with determining the look of something as crucial as your logo.

Ask for Outside Opinions

Anyone that you know asks for their opinions and feedback. You will not have your final iteration of the logo on the first try, as it usually takes several drafts before you have your logo set in stone. Asking for feedback will provide you with consumer first impressions and, in the end, help you determine how your logo will look and have an idea of how well the audience will perceive it.

Closing

Now that you know why every company changes its logo, you will have the tools to understand when it may be time for you and your company to change its logo. You have also learned about the benefits of changing your company logo, how to create a logo, and why it is important to reach out to your audience.

Why Is Placeit.net So Expensive? [Here’s Why It’s Worth It]

If you are in the market for a company that can help you bring your brand, designs, or streaming site to the next level you may be considering PlaceIt. You may be concerned about the cost of their services and wondering if PlaceIt is worth the price they are asking.

PlaceIt is definitely worth the money you spend for their services and here’s why:

  • They provide top-notch marketing and branding tools
  • They offer unlimited access to thousands of templates and content
  • It is simple to use even if inexperienced
  • They accommodate the gaming and streaming industry

For a more expanded explanation of the above-mentioned reasons why PlaceIt is worth the price continue reading.

Reasons Why PlaceIt Is Worth the Money

There are some who feel the services that PlaceIt provides are overpriced however, by the end of this article you will see why they charge what they charge and why it’s worth it.

Top-Notch Marketing and Branding Tools

For businesses or associations who need to draw attention and bring awareness to their brand or mission, PlaceIt provides the tools you need to build your brand and attract the attention you need.

Examples of marketing and branding tools PlaceIt provides are:

  • Design templates
  • Apparel design layout and printing
  • Graphic design services
  • High-quality videos with seamless looping and streaming
  • Logo makers and other marketing/branding tools
  • The ability to download and edit content to a certain extent for some customization

Two Convenient Payment Options

We all know how valuable our pennies are these days which is why it is important to ensure you are getting the best bang for your buck when paying for services such as the ones PlaceIt provides. The next section describes the details of how PlaceIt payment options work and what comes with the price.

Month to Month

If you prefer to pay a little bit at a time or are afraid of committing to a full year of services, PlaceIt offers a monthly plan that can be canceled at any time.

The monthly plan runs around $15.00 and includes the same access and perks as the annual membership plan.

Pro Tip: Placeit also offers an additional 15% off any plan with this coupon.

Annual Membership

If you have a tough time remembering to pay your bills or don’t like using the autopay option that your bank offers it can sometimes be best to skip the monthly hassle and just pay the annual fee.

You can expect to pay around $90.00 for an annual membership which when you break it down is a pretty darn good deal as it averages out to be around $7.50 per month.

This is the best option if you can afford the lump sum of $90.00 upfront because you will save 50% of the cost. You can also spend more time designing and less time worrying if the bill has been paid yet.

  • Get full access to all PlaceIt services and design templates
  • The right to download and use the designs/content as many times as they like
  • There are no set-in-stone contracts so users can cancel at any time if they wish
  • Both include the same services and content

Other similar service providers offer too many payment options for varying services and content which can get very confusing and even more expensive in the end.

Efficient and User-Friendly

A large reason to spend your money with PlaceIt is that it is extremely easy to use for people of all skill levels. If you are new to design or branding and marketing, PlaceIt knows what it takes to get the attention you need.

The other attraction is that creating a design is quick and can save a lot of time in the long run as they provide thousands of design templates and other tools to make promoting your brand easier.

Gamer Friendly

PlaceIt is looking to the future and knows that gaming and online streaming sites are where it’s at. To stay ahead and remain current with this trend PlaceIt offers thousands of gaming templates and stream overlays to suit anyone’s taste and needs.

Well worth the money with using one unlimited plan rather than choosing from multiple confusing plan options

PlaceIt Knows Its Worth and Now You Do Too

Now that you have read the information above you can see that the price PlaceIt charges for its services and content are justified. Using a provider who keeps things simple and offers great customer support is what you need to develop and maintain your brand in today’s competitive world.

Here’s Why You Can’t See Your Watermark in Lightroom?

Watermarking your photos is a great way to claim them as your own. The marks make copying difficult without permission. They also let people know the source of the photos as they receive them through social media sites and other outlets. However, watermarks only work if they show up in your photos.

There are several reasons why your watermarks fail to show up in Adobe Lightroom. However, they mostly fall under two or three categories. The most common issue is incomplete metadata. The other ones are not selecting a watermark and incompatible font.

All three issues are easy to fix with a few basic steps. Therefore, by reading further, you will learn what these steps are and a few tips to properly implement them.

The Reasons You Can’t See Your Watermark in Lightroom

Adding a watermark to an image may sound like a waste of time as it does very little to deter image theft. Despite this, it can still be useful in many cases. For instance, you can use your watermark to promote your work and brand through websites, social media, and other media outlets.

However, watermarking can pose a challenge to novice photographers and designers, especially if you are not familiar with software tools such as Adobe Lightroom. While the tools seem simple on the surface, you can spend a lot of time and frustration trying to get them to work properly.

For instance, you could set up a watermark only for it to not show up when you import your photos. You could try the usual fixes such as getting all updates and patches, but still, end up with nothing because you overlooked something important. Luckily, these causes are simple to understand and remedy as they tend to fall under these three categories:

  1. The watermark was not configured properly
  2. There was no watermark type selected or the wrong one
  3. The watermark uses an incompatible font

1. Improperly Configured Watermark

Improper watermark configuration is the most common reason Lightroom will not display, save, or print a watermark. This issue often arises because Lightroom uses different configuration settings for each type of watermark. As a result, you could configure a watermark perfectly only to discover it was for the wrong type.

For instance, Lightroom draws the text for the “Simple Copyright Watermark” from the copyright field in your photo’s metadata. As such, if you leave this information blank, the watermark will remain blank as well.

Therefore, you can fix the issue just by modifying the metadata in your photo’s Library view. With the Library view open, you just go to the Metadata panel and browse for the Copyright entry. If you cannot see it, you can try to select “Default” from the dropdown menu to the left of the word “Metadata” on top of the panel. After entering your copyright info, you can save the setting and return it to the editor.

2. Wrong Watermark Type or None Selected

As a compliment for the above reason, choosing the wrong watermark type can also cause the watermark to show up. This could happen if you failed to select your desired type from the watermark preset list. Lightroom does not have a default watermark type, though you can set one during installation. As a result, you can have issues if you think you are using one type when you are using another.

You can find this list in the export panel under the watermark options. It will appear as a drop-down popup next to the watermark checkbox. You must go to this popup and select your desired watermark type before you do anything else as it will change which configuration settings you need.

3. An Incompatible Font

While not as common, using an incompatible font can also cause the watermark to not show up. While you can use any font you installed on your computer in Lightroom, not all of them are compatible with the application. Either Lightroom will fail to see the font, or the font will simply break when using it.

To fix this problem, you must either switch to a more compatible font or try to find a Lightroom plug that provides the support.

How to Add Watermarks in Lightroom

The above issues are the most common reason why Lightroom might not show your watermark, but they are not the only ones. No software is perfect. So, there could be bugs all over the place. Most of them have easy fixes if you know where to look. However, when asking around you might be asked to provide the steps you used to add your watermark.

Knowing the steps can show you places and settings you overlooked, misplaced, or otherwise skipped. As such, you can do much f the troubleshooting yourself just by retracing those steps.  

Text Watermarks

To add a text watermark to Lightroom, you must access the Watermark Editor by selecting “Edit Watermarks…” from the menu or Export window. Though, if you are using Export, you must first check the “Watermark” box.

Once in the editor:

  1. Select “Text” from the top-right drop-down box
  2. Enter the text on the left section
  3. Use the right side to format the text.  
  4. Move to “Watermark Effects” to select the opacity to make your mark semi-transparent
  5. Select your “Anchor” points to position the watermark before saving.
  6. To finish, give it a name in the popup and click “Create”

To use, select the watermark’s name in the presets list in the Export window

Copyright Watermarks

For copyright marks, you must add your text to the Copyright metadata entry as above. You then choose the “simple copyright watermark” in the top-right drop-down box in the Watermark Editor.

Graphical Watermarks

For graphical watermarks:

  1. Convert the image to a transparent PNG or GIF. For best results, choose a white background and lines
  2. Ensure your image is as least 250 pixels wide. If it is too small, it might come invisible once Lightroom exports it
  3. In Lightroom, open the Watermark Editor as above
  4. Select “Graphic” from the top-right drop-down box
  5. Select “Choose” under “Image Options” to load your watermark image. It should pop up on the preview to the left
  6. Move to “Watermark Effects” and then the “Anchor” sections to adjust them as above
  7. Save to add the watermark to your presets

Conclusion

Watermarks are a great way to market yourself while protecting the copyright of your photos. However, Lightroom may not always show your watermarks. Luckily, there are simple solutions that will fix the problem.