Illustrator controls and contextual operations in MacBook Pro Touch Bar

Last updated on Oct 27, 2025

Get familiar with the contextual operations and controls available on the MacBook Pro Touch Bar in Illustrator.

Contextual operations

Several context-specific operations become available depending on what you’re working on in Adobe Illustrator.

In the Start workspace, the Touch Bar displays the controls to create and open a document.
When no object is selected in the Illustrator workspace, the Touch Bar displays controls to create and open a document, place a file, show or hide rulers, grids, guides, and work with artboards.
When a path object is selected, the Touch Bar displays controls to adjust the fill color, stroke color, opacity, alignment, and arrangement.
When multiple path objects are selected, the Touch Bar displays controls to adjust the fill color, stroke color, opacity, alignment, and arrangement. You can also apply Pathfinder effects and group selected objects.
When a text object is selected, the Touch Bar displays controls to adjust the fill color, stroke color, opacity, alignment, arrangement, paragraph alignment, and font size.
When multiple text objects are selected, the Touch Bar displays controls to adjust the fill color, stroke color, opacity, alignment, arrangement, and paragraph alignment. You can also group the selected text objects using the Touch Bar.
When your selection contains a text object and a path object, the Touch Bar displays controls to adjust the fill color, stroke color, opacity, alignment, and arrangement. You can also group the selected objects using the Touch Bar.
When an image is selected, the Touch Bar displays controls to adjust its opacity, alignment, and arrangement. You can also select the option to crop or mask the image using the Touch Bar.
When you select a grouped object, the Touch Bar displays controls to adjust the opacity, alignment, and arrangement of the group. You can also ungroup the objects using the Touch Bar.
When any other object is selected, the Touch Bar displays controls to adjust the opacity, alignment, and arrangement.
When multiple other objects are selected, the Touch Bar displays controls to adjust the opacity, alignment, and arrangement. You can also group the objects using the Touch Bar.

Illustrator controls in the Touch Bar

Icon	Control name	Description
	New	Use this control to jump to the New Document dialog box that lets you create a document in Illustrator. You can select from a wide variety of presets and templates, including templates from Adobe Stock.
	Open	Opens Illustrator documents and other compatible files using the File > Open command.
	Place	Imports a file into the currently open document using the File > Place command.
	Ruler	Shows or hides the ruler.
	Grid	Shows or hides the grid.
	Guides	Shows or hides guides.
	Artboards	Displays additional options to create or delete an artboard.
	Navigate Artboards	Navigates to the first, last, previous, or next artboard in your document.
	Fill Color	Displays a color picker. Adjust the sliders to select a Fill Color.
	Stroke Color	Displays a color picker. Adjust the sliders to select a Stroke Color.
	Opacity	Adjusts the opacity (0%-100%) of the selected object.
	Align	You can align the selected object using the options available in the Align panel and align to a selection, an artboard, or a key option.
	Arrange	Changes the stacking order of the selected object in your artwork. You can select one of the following options: Bring to Front, Bring Forward, Send Backward, and Send to Back. For details, see Stack objects.
	Paragraph	Lets you align and justify the text using options available in the Paragraph panel.
	Font Size	Lets you use the slider to adjust the Font Size.
	Pathfinder	Lets you select the desired options from the Shape modes and the Pathfinder effects to combine multiple objects into new shapes.
	Crop	Launches the cropping interface in Illustrator. You can crop linked or embedded images using intuitive widget controls. Then, select Apply to crop the image or Cancel to exit the cropping interface using the Touch Bar.
	Mask	Creates a Clipping Mask.
	Group	Combines the selected objects into a group so that they are treated as a single unit.
	Ungroup	Ungroups a grouped selection so that the objects are treated as individual elements.