GridMe

Documentation

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Installation & setup

GridMe docks inside Illustrator as a CEP extension. Run the installer for your OS, restart Illustrator, open the panel, and paste your key. Most of the work is automatic.

System requirements

Check this list before you download. GridMe runs on the Illustrator versions studios use today.

Adobe Illustrator

  • Illustrator 2021 (v25) or later
  • Illustrator 2022 (v26)
  • Illustrator 2023 (v27)
  • Illustrator 2024 (v28)
  • Illustrator 2025 / 2026 (v29 to v30)

CEP extensions require the desktop app, Creative Cloud Browser previews are not supported.

Operating system

  • macOS 12 Monterey or later (Intel & Apple Silicon)
  • Windows 10 (64-bit) or later

Apple Silicon Macs run the extension natively, no Rosetta workaround needed.

Step 1: Download the package

Go to the download page and grab the ZIP for your platform. Windows and macOS each have their own archive. Do not mix them; the scripts inside are platform-specific.

Extract the ZIP before you install. You get the installer, the extension bundle, and a copy of this guide. Keep the folder until you confirm the panel works. You need the uninstaller if you remove GridMe later.

Step 2: Run the installer

The installer copies GridMe into the CEP extensions folder Illustrator reads on startup. On some machines you need administrator access for that write.

Windows

  1. 1Extract the ZIP to a convenient location (e.g. your Desktop or Downloads folder).
  2. 2Right-click install-gridme.bat and choose Run as administrator. If Windows SmartScreen appears, click More info → Run anyway.
  3. 3A command prompt window will open, copy the extension files, and display a Installation complete message. The window closes automatically when finished.
  4. 4If the script fails with a permissions error, your IT policy may restrict write access to the Adobe extensions folder. Contact your IT administrator or use the manual install path at%APPDATA%\Adobe\CEP\extensions.

macOS

  1. 1Extract the ZIP (double-click or use Archive Utility).
  2. 2Double-click install-gridme.command. On first launch macOS Gatekeeper will block unsigned scripts, right-click the file and choose Open, then click Open again in the dialog.
  3. 3If the right-click method does not work, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security. Scroll to the Security section and click Open Anyway next to the blocked installer name.
  4. 4Still blocked? Open Terminal, cd into the extracted folder, and run:xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine .Then double-click the script again. This removes the quarantine flag macOS adds to downloaded files.
  5. 5A Terminal window will open, run the copy operations, and print a success line when done. You may need to enter your macOS password if prompted.

Step 3: Restart Illustrator

Illustrator only loads CEP extensions at startup. Quit the app completely, not just the document. On macOS, check the Dock so Illustrator is not still running before you relaunch.

If you are on Windows and Illustrator does not fully close when you press the X button, use File → Exit or check Task Manager to make sure the process has ended before relaunching.

Step 4: Open the panel

After restarting, find GridMe through the Illustrator menu bar:

Window → Extensions → GridMe

If GridMe does not appear in the Extensions submenu, the extension did not register correctly. The most common cause is a CEP signing restriction, see the Troubleshooting section for the debug mode fix.

Step 5: Activate the panel

Open the panel info screen (ⓘ icon in the header, next to GridMe) → Account → paste your license key → Activate. The key comes from your purchase email, beta invite, or your account license page. The panel stores activation locally, so later launches skip the prompt. See what data is sent during activation.

Beta testers without a personal key yet should use the shared beta key on Licensing & billing. That page explains when beta keys retire and how to move to a paid subscription.

Docking the panel

GridMe opens floating by default. Drag it by the tab and drop it next to Layers or Properties until you see the blue insert marker, then release.

Aim for about 280 to 320 px wide. Narrower and some controls wrap. Wider is fine. Illustrator saves the layout with your workspace, so you set it once per machine.

Uninstalling

Run the uninstall-gridme.bat (Windows) or uninstall-gridme.command (macOS) script bundled in the same folder as the installer. It removes the extension bundle from the CEP directory and does not touch any Illustrator documents or your license activation record.

After running the uninstaller, restart Illustrator once. GridMe will no longer appear in the Extensions menu. If you reinstall later, your license key still works, you do not need to re-purchase or re-activate, just enter the same key when the panel prompts on first launch.