If I understand properly, you wanted to use the color picker for color stops of Gradient Tool.

I place here a solution because it looks very useful and not straightforward considering many questions in Google (and my 10 minutes self-updating research).

The workflow is:

  1. Open Gradient tool panel

    Window –> Gradient

    or press Command/Control+F9, if you're on MacBook Pro etc you should use Fn+Command/Control+F9

  2. Select the object with applied gradient

  3. Click once on the color stop you want to change

  4. Click on the Eyedropper tool or press I

  5. Press Shift+Click on the color of one of the objects you want to apply to the color stop.

You're done.

Answer from Ilan on Stack Exchange
🌐
Reddit
reddit.com › r/adobeillustrator › cannot colour gradient??
Cannot colour gradient?? : r/AdobeIllustrator
October 11, 2023 - When your shape is selected and coloured by the gradient, try dragging the colour swatch you want onto the gradient bar or click into the little black/white squares at either end of the bar and change the colours in there ... Don’t double click on the color selection square in the color window.
🌐
Designmodo
designmodo.com › home › resources › adobe tools › how to control gradient fills in adobe illustrator
How to Control Gradient Fills in Adobe Illustrator
March 18, 2024 - To change the color of the gradient, select one of its Color Stops in the Gradient panel, then choose the color model in the Colors Panel and then set the desired color. If you work in Adobe Illustrator CS4 – CS6, then by double clicking on ...
Discussions

How to change gradient Color in Illustrator? - Content - SitePoint Forums | Web Development & Design Community
Just got CS2. I even bought a lesson cd set was well worth the $100. Im about half way through the 4 cd’s. BUT even it didnt tell me (I skimmed over index for this). How do I change the gradient color from the default grey to anything else? Thanks. More on sitepoint.com
🌐 sitepoint.com
0
September 2, 2005
How to use the color picker along the gradient tool in illustrator? - Graphic Design Stack Exchange
Then you know you have right values throughout. For gradients you simply drag a swatch onto the swatch tab on the gradient slider. Illustrator has a big leg up on Photoshop with global colors. If you check this option, you can change the color throughout your document by simply editing the swatch. More on graphicdesign.stackexchange.com
🌐 graphicdesign.stackexchange.com
July 27, 2013
Is it possible to edit a Gradient Swatch in Illustrator's UI? - Graphic Design Stack Exchange
I can't find any way to edit a Gradient Swatch in Illustrator's UI. I can do lots of things with a Color Swatch or a Pattern Swatch, but for some reason, I can only change the name of a Gradient Sw... More on graphicdesign.stackexchange.com
🌐 graphicdesign.stackexchange.com
May 11, 2022
How would I change a selection’s colors to a gradient?

Select the object and then use the gradient tool - which has options for rotation of gradient, colour of gradients, opacity, etc.

https://helpx.adobe.com/ca/illustrator/using/gradients.html

More on reddit.com
🌐 r/AdobeIllustrator
3
0
September 23, 2023
🌐
Chron.com
smallbusiness.chron.com › customize-gradient-swatches-illustrator-33988.html
How to Customize Gradient Swatches in Illustrator
November 22, 2017 - Click the gradient in the "Swatches" panel that you want to customize. Click the color box you want to change and choose the new color from the bar at the bottom of the "Color" panel.
🌐
Adobe
adobe.com › learn › illustrator › web › color-gradients
Add rich, colorful gradients to flat artwork
Sign into Adobe Creative Cloud to access your favorite Creative Cloud apps, services, file management, and more. Log in to start creating.
🌐
SitePoint
sitepoint.com › content
How to change gradient Color in Illustrator? - Content - SitePoint Forums | Web Development & Design Community
September 2, 2005 - Just got CS2. I even bought a lesson cd set was well worth the $100. Im about half way through the 4 cd’s. BUT even it didnt tell me (I skimmed over index for this). How do I change the gradient color from the default gr…
🌐
Adobe
helpx.adobe.com › ph_fil › illustrator › how-to › color-gradients.html
Learn about color gradients
December 28, 2022 - With a shape selected, click the Fill color in the Properties panel, and with the swatches showing, click the New Swatch button to name the gradient and save it so you can apply it again elsewhere.
🌐
Shutterstock
shutterstock.com › blog home › designer › design resources › how to use the gradient tool in illustrator
Tool Guide: How to Use the Gradient Tool in Adobe Illustrator
November 9, 2022 - Simply double-click the gradient stop to specify a new color with CMYK or RGB sliders, or replace the color altogether with another swatch. By clicking and dragging the gradient stops, you can adjust the position of each hue.
Find elsewhere
🌐
Solopress UK
solopress.com › home › design tutorials › how to use the gradient tool in illustrator
How To Use The Gradient Tool In Illustrator | Adobe Tutorial | Solopress UK
April 26, 2021 - So that’s how you make the traditional gradients, but in the latest update of Illustrator, which at this point is Illustrator 2020, there’s a new freeform gradient option within this tool. Selecting it, you’ll see that the colours we’ve previously selected are gone, but instead replaced with four points and a randomly selected colourscheme. It’s actually pretty useful for gradient generation if you keep changing to and from the freeform option, like this.
🌐
IllustratorHow
illustratorhow.com › home › adobe illustrator tutorials › how to use gradient tool in adobe illustrator
How to Use Gradient Tool & Save Gradient in Illustrator
April 19, 2024 - ... For example, let’s add gradients to this shape. Step 1: Choose the Gradient Tool (keyboard shortcut G) from the toolbar. Step 2: Click on the shape and you’ll see a “gradient bar” across the shape.
🌐
Medium
medium.com › @benard.kemp › how-to-change-gradient-color-in-adobe-illustrator-804c8062f7a0
How to Change Gradient Color in Adobe Illustrator | by Benard Kemp (Coach and Multimedia Designer) | Medium
September 27, 2025 - Locate Gradient Color Stops: In the Gradient panel, locate the color stops that represent the gradient’s starting and ending points. Change Color Stops: Click on a color stop and select the desired color using the Fill color swatch or by entering a hexadecimal color code.
🌐
FMC Training
blog.fmctraining.com › blog › how-to-make-a-gradient-in-illustrator
How to Make a Gradient in Illustrator - Blog
May 3, 2022 - To choose a color, click the Fill button and choose your color. You'll notice that there will be circles at either end of your gradient slider. These are known as gradient stops. You can change their color by selecting them and then changing ...
🌐
Adobe
helpx.adobe.com › illustrator › web › add-and-edit-artwork › add-colors › modify-gradients.html
Modify gradients in Illustrator on the web (Beta)
September 9, 2024 - Add color stops: Select anywhere on the Gradient Annotator. Select the color stop and add color from the panel. Gradient annotator: Drag the Gradient Annotator to modify the angle, location, and spread of a linear gradient; and the focal point, origin, and spread of a radial gradient.
🌐
Bittbox
bittbox.com › home › illustrator quick tip: faster gradient-color adjustments
Illustrator Quick Tip: Faster Gradient-Color Adjustments - Bittbox
March 14, 2022 - Hold the Option/Alt key and click on a (solid) color swatch, and only the selected gradient color will be changed! ... This method is easy, but one of the drawbacks is that you must have your color in the swatches palette beforehand.
🌐
Academy Class
academyclass.com › home › creating a gradient in adobe illustrator
Creating a Gradient In Adobe Illustrator - Academy Class
October 22, 2021 - You can also move the gradient centre by clicking and dragging the small circle in the middle of your shape. Set Gradient Colors: Double-click on the colour stops in the Gradient panel to change the colours.
Price   $199
Call   448000438889
Address   39 York Road, SE17NQ, London
🌐
Adobe
helpx.adobe.com › ca › illustrator › using › gradients.html
Gradient types in Illustrator
February 11, 2026 - If you place the pointer over the end point, a rotation cursor appears that you can use to change the Angle of the gradient. Freeform Gradient allows you to place color stops anywhere in the object. Therefore, it doesn’t require a Gradient Annotator. Design with precision in Illustrator Bring ...
🌐
Reddit
reddit.com › r/adobeillustrator › changing multiple gradient colours at once without changing gradient direction
r/AdobeIllustrator on Reddit: Changing multiple gradient colours at once without changing gradient direction
August 27, 2024 -

Hi there,

Currently working on a large .ai file for a camo pattern. There are multiple layers of different shapes and colours. Two of these layers have gradients across the shapes.

The gradient colours are the same across all shapes, however the direction is different between each. There is something like a hundred shapes in each layer…can I select all and change the colours without affecting the directions of the gradients somehow?

🌐
ASK Design
askdesign.biz › home › text gradients in adobe illustrator
Text Gradients in Adobe Illustrator - ASK Design Blog
March 14, 2022 - Select a color swatch or gradient swatch. Change a color: Double-click on a color stop and select a new color in the Swatches panel. Click on the color button to open the Color panel, where you can build your own mixed color.