Select the Line tool or Pen tool.
Last updated on
Oct. 28, 2025
Use snap to tangent to create or edit lines that are perfectly tangential to curves or paths, ensuring clean and accurate geometric connections.
Tangential snapping is useful for creating logos, technical drawings, and designs where lines must meet curves smoothly. It ensures lines touch a curve at exactly one point, eliminating guesswork and improving accuracy when working with circular or organic shapes.
Before you begin
Ensure Geometric Guides are selected in Preferences > Smart Guides.
Draw a new line, or select an existing one to edit near a curve or path.
Drag the line’s endpoint toward a curve or circle. A tangent tooltip and highlight will appear when the endpoint aligns tangentially.
Release the mouse or pen to snap the line to the curve tangentially.
To adjust existing lines and add tangential endpoints, drag the anchor points until the tangent indicator appears.
Tangential snapping is on by default. You can turn it off from Preferences > Smart Guides > Geometric Guides.
Note
Snapping is limited to line endpoints only. Mid-line tangents are not supported.
