You have hundreds of old .AI files from CS6. What do you do?

Illustrator CS6 was designed for operating systems from over a decade ago. Creative Suite 6 system requirements - Adobe Help Center

is a barrier, there are several powerful and legitimate free alternatives:

Cybercriminals know CS6 is popular. They package the installer with Trojans, keyloggers, or crypto miners. According to a 2023 security report, 45% of "cracked software" downloads contained malware that steals banking details.

Official technical support and security updates for CS6 ended years ago. Risks of "Free Download" Sites

Downloading cracked software is a violation of copyright law. While individuals are rarely prosecuted for downloading a single copy, it is illegal. If you are a professional using this for client work, you risk legal action from Adobe and potential reputational damage.