Illustrator tools

Last updated on Nov 13, 2026

Find tool names, keyboard shortcuts, and primary functions for every Illustrator toolbar tool.

Use this reference to identify Illustrator tools, verify keyboard shortcuts, and understand each tool's primary function. Tools are organized into six categories based on their purpose.

Toolbar orientation

When you open a document in Illustrator, the toolbar appears on the left side of the screen. Hover over a tool to view its name, keyboard shortcut, and description. Press and hold a tool to display hidden tools in the same group. Select the Edit Toolbar to view all available tools.

Draw tools

Draw tools create and edit vector objects, paths, symbols, graphs, and perspective grids.

Tool	Shortcut	Function
Pen tool	P	Draws connected lines and curves with precision using anchor points and direction handles
Pencil tool	N	Draws freehand paths like drawing with a pencil
Add Anchor Point tool	Adds anchor points on paths
Delete Anchor Point tool	Removes anchor points from paths
Anchor Point tool	Shift+C	Converts corner points to smooth anchor points and adjusts direction handles.
Curvature tool	Shift+`	Draws and edits connected lines and curves easily using anchor points
Line Segment tool	\	Draws straight line segments
Arc tool	Draws curved arc segments
Spiral tool	Draws spiral shapes and rotates them to adjust size
Rectangular Grid tool	Adds rectangular grids to the artboard
Polar Grid tool	Adds polar grids containing concentric circles and radial divisions
Rectangle tool	M	Draws rectangles and squares
Rounded Rectangle tool	Draws rectangles with rounded corners
Ellipse tool	L	Draws ellipses and circles
Polygon tool	Draws polygons with up to 1000 sides
Star tool	Draws stars with up to 1000 arms
Flare tool	Adds flare objects with a bright center, halo, rays, and rings
Paintbrush tool	B	Applies brush strokes freehand
Blob Brush tool	Shift+B	Draws filled shapes freehand
Smooth tool	Draws over an existing path to smooth it
Path Eraser tool	Erases parts of a path segment by drawing over the path
Join tool	Joins two paths to create a single path
Shaper tool	Shift+N	Sketches rough freehand shapes and converts them into crisp vector shapes
Symbol Sprayer tool	Shift+S	Creates multiple instances of a symbol from the Symbols panel
Symbol Shifter tool	Rearranges symbol instances in a symbol set
Symbol Scruncher tool	Adjusts spacing between symbol instances in a symbol set
Symbol Sizer tool	Resizes symbol instances
Symbol Spinner tool	Rotates symbol instances
Symbol Stainer tool	Gradually changes the hue of symbol instances
Symbol Screener tool	Adjusts the transparency of symbol instances
Symbol Styler tool	Applies a style from the Graphic Styles panel to symbol instances
Column Graph tool	J	Creates a graph with data presented as vertical bars
Stacked Column Graph tool	Creates a column graph with partitions for components of the whole
Bar Graph tool	Creates a graph with data presented as horizontal bars
Stacked Bar Graph tool	Creates a bar graph with partitions for components of the whole
Line Graph tool	Creates a graph with lines connecting individual data points
Area Graph tool	Creates a graph with lines connecting data points and fills the area below
Scatter Graph tool	Creates a graph using x-axis and y-axis values
Pie Graph tool	Creates a circular graph with slices for proportions of data components
Radar Graph tool	Creates a circular graph with axes growing outward from the center
Slice tool	Shift+K	Divides the artboard into different areas and saves them as separate images
Slice Selection tool	Selects, moves, or transforms a slice
Perspective Grid tool	Shift+P	Shows, moves, and adjusts the perspective grid
Perspective Selection tool	Shift+V	Selects, moves, scales, and duplicates objects in perspective

Select tools

Select tools, choose, move, rotate, scale, and transform artwork elements.

Tool	Shortcut	Function
Selection tool	V	Selects objects or groups of objects to move and resize
Direct Selection tool	A	Selects anchor points and path segments to reshape objects
Group Selection tool	Selects an object within a group or a group within a parent group
Magic Wand tool	Y	Selects objects that share an attribute like color or opacity
Lasso tool	Q	Drag to draw a shape around elements you want to select
Artboard tool	Shift+O	Selects, creates, and adjusts artboards on the canvas

Navigate tools

Navigate tools control canvas view, zoom level, rotation, and printable areas.

Tool	Shortcut	Function
Hand tool	H	Moves the canvas around to view different parts of your artwork
Print Tiling tool	Adjusts the printable area of artboards
Rotate View tool	Shift+H	Changes the canvas orientation to a specific angle
Zoom tool	Z	Zooms in and out of the canvas

Paint tools

Paint tools apply fills, strokes, gradients, and color to artwork elements.

Tool	Shortcut	Function
Gradient tool	G	Creates a gradual blend between colors
Mesh tool	U	Blends colors and creates contours on object surfaces
Shape Builder tool	Shift+M	Creates complex shapes by merging and erasing simpler objects
Live Paint Bucket tool	K	Creates a Live Paint group and applies color, patterns, or gradients
Live Paint Selection tool	Shift+L	Selects elements of the Live Paint group

Text tools

Text tools add and edit type on a point, within an area, or along a path.

Tool	Shortcut	Function
Type tool	T	Enters text at a point or in an area
Area Type tool	Uses object boundaries to enter and control text flow
Type on a Path tool	Enters text along the shape of a path
Vertical Type tool	Enters text vertically at a point
Vertical Area Type tool	Uses object boundaries to enter and control vertical text flow
Vertical Type on a Path tool	Enters vertical text along the shape of a path
Touch Type tool	Shift+T	Moves, scales, and rotates individual characters in a word

Modify tools

Modify tools transform, distort, measure, and manipulate objects and paths.

Tool	Shortcut	Function
Rotate tool	R	Rotates an object around a reference point
Reflect tool	O	Flips an object over a reference point
Scale tool	S	Resizes an object relative to a reference point
Shear tool	Slants or skews an object relative to a reference point
Reshape tool	Reshapes a path relative to an anchor point on the path
Width tool	Shift+W	Changes the thickness of strokes
Warp tool	Shift+R	Shapes an object inward or outward
Twirl tool	Twirls an object around a reference point
Pucker tool	Stretches or shrinks an object to give a spiky appearance
Bloat tool	Stretches or shrinks an object to give a rounded appearance
Scallop tool	Adds rounded projections on an object's outline
Crystallize tool	Adds spiky structures on an object's outline
Wrinkle tool	Adds wrinkled structures on an object's outline
Puppet Warp tool	Adds pins to warp an object
Free Transform tool	E	Distorts an object freeform
Measure tool	Measures the distance between two points and the area of selected objects
Eyedropper tool	I	Picks a color from one object and applies it to another
Blend tool	W	Blends objects or paths
Eraser tool	Shift+E	Removes parts of the artwork
Scissors tool	C	Splits a path at a segment or anchor point
Knife tool	Cuts out objects or text along a freehand path
Dimension tool	Measures and plots dimensions such as distance, angle, and radius
Objects on Path tool	Attaches and aligns objects to a path and rearranges them

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