Edit the contents of envelopes

Last updated on Sep 11, 2025

Learn how to edit the contents of envelopes, reset envelopes, and remove envelopes.

Select the envelope and select Edit Contents in the Control panel.

To edit the contents of an envelope without removing the distortion, select Edit Contents in the Control panel.

Tip

You can also edit the contents by selecting Object > Envelope Distort > Edit Contents.

If your envelope consists of grouped paths, select the triangle next to the <Envelope> entry in the Layers panel to view and target the path you want to edit.

Edit the original object inside the envelope as desired.

Note

When you modify the contents of an envelope, the envelope shifts to recenter the results with the original content.

To return the object to its enveloped state, select Edit Envelope in the Control panel.

Reset an envelope

Select the envelope.

Do one of the following:

  • To reset or switch to a preset warp style, select a new warp style and set options in the Control panel. If desired, select Envelope Options to open the dialog box and set more options.
  • To reset or switch to a mesh grid envelope, select Object > Envelope Distort > Reset with Mesh. Specify the number of rows and columns for the mesh grid. Select Maintain Envelope Shape to keep the warp shape intact.

Remove an envelope

You can remove envelopes by releasing or expanding them. Releasing an enveloped object creates two separate objects the original state and the envelope shape. Expanding removes the envelope, but the object retains its distorted shape.

Select the envelope.

Do one of the following to remove an envelope:

  • Select Object > Envelope Distort > Release to release an envelope.
  • Select Object > Envelope Distort > Expand to expand an envelope.