Setting
Last updated on
Sep 11, 2025
Learn about the Control panel and how it can help you quickly edit your artwork.
The Control panel shows relevant editing options for the tool and object you select, without the need to open specific panels. By default, the Control panel is docked below the Application Bar (macOS) or the menu bar (Windows).
A. Collapsed Fill B. Collapsed Stroke panel C. Control panel menu
Collapsed options in the panel
When you see an underlined text or an arrow next to an option in the Control panel, you can select it to see the related panel or additional options. For example, select Stroke to see the Stroke panel.
Panel menu
The panel menu lists the full set of options that can appear in the Control panel. By default, the panel displays the relevant options from this set for the tool or object you select. You can turn off any of these options to prevent them from appearing, even when their associated tool or object is selected.
Panel undocking and docking
Dragging the gripper bar located near the left edge of the docked Control panel lets you undock it.
The panel menu has these settings to dock the panel:
|
|
Function |
|
Dock to Top |
Docks the Control panel to the bottom edge of the Application Bar (macOS) or the menu bar (Windows). If the Application Bar on macOS is turned off, the Control panel docks to the bottom edge of the Apple menu bar. |
|
Dock to Bottom |
Docks the Control panel at the bottom of the Illustrator window. |
Note
To dock the panel, you can also drag the gripper bar toward any of these locations, and release the mouse when you see a blue highlight.
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