Option
Last updated on
Sep 11, 2025
Learn about the various components in the Adobe Illustrator workspace.
You create and edit your artwork using various components such as toolbar and panels, and their arrangement is called workspace. Explore these components and choose a preset workspace or create your own based on your design needs.
A. Document window B. Control panel C. Application Bar D. Properties panel E. Contextual Task Bar F. Help Bar G. Status bar H. Toolbar
Application Frame
The Application Frame groups all the workspace components in a single, integrated window that lets you treat the app as a single unit.
On macOS, you can turn the Application Frame on or off. When turned on, if you move or resize the app or any of its components, all the components respond to each other so that they don’t overlap. Panels don’t disappear when you switch apps or accidentally click out of the app. You can also position each app side by side on the monitor or multiple monitors. If you prefer the traditional, free-form user interface on macOS, you can turn off the Application Frame from the Window menu.
Application Bar
The Application Bar, located across the top of the app, contains the menus (Windows only), and other options when workspace is open. On macOS, you can turn the Application Bar on or off from the Window menu when the Application Frame is off.
When you open a document and enter the workspace, you can view these options in the upper-right area of the Application Bar:
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Function |
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Share |
Invites stakeholders to the open saved cloud document. |
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Notifications |
Opens the Notifications panel to view the notifications sent to you. To mark a notification as read or unread or to dismiss it, hover over it and select More actions . |
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Search for tools, help and more |
Opens the Discover panel to help you find tools and help resources, all in one place. |
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Arrange Documents |
Arranges all your open documents in grid and tile formats. |
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Switch Workspace |
Shows a list of different workspaces for you to select the most suitable one for your design requirements. If you’re new to Illustrator, the default workspace is Getting Started. |
Document window
When you create or open documents, they are arranged in tabs in a single document window aby default. You can undock the document window, and also create a separate window for each document or a group of documents.
Toolbar
The toolbar contains tools for creating and editing artwork, and for navigation on the canvas. It is docked to the left of the document window by default.
Panels
Panels help you monitor and edit your artwork. You can view or hide them from the Window menu. The Status bar is always shown and can’t be hidden.
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Panel name |
Position and arrangement |
Function |
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Properties |
Vertical panel with the options arranged in sections. |
Shows the options relevant to the selected object, tool, or workflow. |
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Control |
Horizontal bar with the options arranged in a single row. It's docked on top of the document window by default. |
Shows the options relevant to the selected object, tool, or workflow. |
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Contextual Task Bar |
Floating horizontal bar on the canvas with the options arranged in a single row. |
Shows the most important options for the selected object, tool, or workflow. |
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Help Bar |
Horizontal bar at the bottom of the document window. |
Shows context-specific tips, keyboard shortcuts, and step-by-step instructions for the tool you select. |
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Status |
Horizontal bar at the bottom of the document window. |
Shows current zoom level, selected tool, active artboard, and navigation options for multiple artboards. |
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