Edit paths

Before you reshape or edit a path, you need to select the path’s anchor points, segments, or a combination of both.

Do any of the following:

• If you can see the points, click them with the Direct Selection tool  to select them. Shift-click to select multiple points.
• Select the Direct Selection tool and drag a boundary around the anchor points. Shift-drag around additional anchor points to select them.
• You can select anchor points from selected or unselected paths. Move the Direct Selection tool over the anchor point until the pointer displays a hollow square for unselected and filled square for selected paths in a magnified state, and then click the anchor point. Shift-click additional anchor points to select them.
• Select the Lasso tool  and drag around the anchor points. Shift-drag around additional anchor points to select them.

Do any of the following:

• Select the Direct Selection tool  and click within two pixels of the segment, or drag a marquee over part of the segment. Shift-click or Shift-drag around additional path segments to select them.
• Select the Lasso tool  and drag around part of the path segment. Shift-drag around additional path segments to select them.

• Select the Direct Selection tool or the Lasso tool.
• Drag around the entire path.

If the path is filled, you can also click inside the path using the Direct Selection tool to select all anchor points.

Select a path or segment using the Selection tool or Direct Selection tool, and do one of the following:

• Use the standard menu functions to copy and paste paths within or between apps.
  
• Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) and drag the path to the desired position.

Adding anchor points can give you more control over a path, or it can extend an open path. However, you should not add more points unnecessarily as it makes the path complex. A path with fewer points is easier to edit, display, and print. You can reduce the complexity of a path by deleting unnecessary points. 

To add an anchor point: 

• Select the Pen tool  or the Add Anchor Point tool . 
  Note: The Pen tool changes to the Add Anchor Point tool as you position it over a selected path.
• Click over the path segment.

To delete an anchor point:

• Select the Pen tool or the Delete Anchor Point tool  and click over the anchor point. 
  Note: The Pen tool changes to Delete Anchor Point tool as you position it over an anchor point.
• Select the point with the Direct Selection tool and click Remove Selected Anchor Points  in the Control panel.

Stray anchor points are individual points that aren't connected to other anchor points. It's good practice to find and delete stray anchor points.

You can temporarily override or disable automatic switching to the Add Anchor Point tool or Delete Anchor Point tool.

• To temporarily override switching, hold down Shift as you position the Pen tool over the selected path or an anchor point. This is useful when you want to start a new path on top of an existing path. To prevent Shift from constraining the Pen tool, release Shift before you release the mouse button.

• To disable switching, choose Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Illustrator > Preferences > General (Mac OS), and select Disable Auto Add/Delete.

Illustrator provides you features to smooth the appearance of paths as well as simplify paths by removing excess anchor points. For more information, see Simplify a path.

You can convert the points on a path between corner and smooth points. Use options in the Control panel to quickly convert multiple anchor points. Use the Convert Anchor Point tool to choose to convert only one side of the point, and to precisely alter the curve as you convert the point.

To use the anchor point conversion options in the Control panel, select relevant anchor points only, not the entire object. If you select multiple objects, one of the objects must be only partially selected. When entire objects are selected, the Control panel options change to those that affect the entire object.

You can erase portions of your artwork using the Path Eraser tool, the Eraser tool, or the eraser on a Wacom stylus pen. The Path Eraser tool  lets you erase parts of a path by drawing along the path. This tool is useful when you want to limit what you erase to a path segment, such as one edge of a triangle. The Eraser tool  and the eraser on a Wacom stylus pen let you erase any area of your artwork, regardless of structure. You can use the Eraser tool on paths, compound paths, paths inside Live Paint groups, and clipping paths.

When you flip a stylus pen, the Eraser Tool automatically becomes active. When you flip the stylus pen back over, the last active tool becomes active again.

• Turn over the stylus pen and drag across the area you want to erase. Press harder to increase the width of the erased path. (You may need to select the Pressure option in the Eraser Tool Options dialog box first.)

You can change the Eraser tool options by double-clicking the tool in the Tools panel.

You can split a path at any anchor point or along any segment. When you split a path, keep the following in mind:

• If you want to split a closed path into two open paths, you must slice in two places along the path. If you slice a closed path only once, you get a single path with a gap in it.

• Any paths resulting from a split inherit the path settings of the original path, such as stroke weight and fill color. Stroke alignment is automatically reset to center.