Select Window > Transform.
Last updated on
Sep 11, 2025
Learn how to adjust object position, size, rotation, and pattern fills.
You can use the Transform panel in Illustrator to view and edit the position, size, and rotation of one or more selected objects. By entering new values, you can modify the object, its pattern fill, or both, depending on your transformation settings.
Key concepts in pattern and object transformation:
- Once you transform an object’s fill pattern, subsequent patterns to that object are transformed similarly.
- Illustrator provides improved precision and control for creating artwork aligned to the pixel grid. Learn more in .
- The Reference Point option in the Transform panel specifies an object’s reference point only when you transform the object by changing the values in the panel. Other methods of transforming, such as the Scale tool, use the object’s center point or the pointer location as the reference point.
Specify transform patterns
Select the object with a pattern fill.
In the Transform panel menu , select one of the following and modify the object:
- Transform Object Only: Applies transformations to the object but leaves its pattern fill unchanged.
- Transform Pattern Only: Applies transformations only to the pattern fill, not the object itself.
- Transform Both: Applies transformations to both the object and its pattern fill.
Note
To repeat your last transformation, select Object > Transform > Transform Again. This works repeatedly until you perform a different transform operation.
Prevent patterns from transforming when using transform tools
Select Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Illustrator > Settings > General (macOS).
Deselect Transform Pattern Tiles, and then select OK.
Note
To reset a distorted fill pattern to its original state, apply a solid color to the object, then reapply the desired pattern from the Swatches panel.
Transform using the bounding box
Select the object you want to move, rotate, duplicate, or scale.
Hover over the bounding box and do one of the following:
- To move, select inside the bounding box and drag to the desired location.
- To scale, select a side handle and drag outward to increase the size or inward to decrease it. Press Shift while dragging to scale proportionally.
- To rotate, hover near a corner until the rotate icon appears, then drag to rotate.
- To duplicate, select inside the bounding box, press Alt (Windows) or option (macOS) while dragging the object.
Tip
To show or hide the bounding box, select View > Show Bounding Box or Hide Bounding Box. To reorient the bounding box after you rotate it, select Object > Transform > Reset Bounding Box.
Transform using the Puppet Warp tool
Select the artwork you want to transform.
Select the Puppet Warp tool from the tool panel.
Add at least three pins to the areas you want to transform.
Note
By default, Illustrator automatically places pins and identifies the best areas to warp artwork when the Puppet Warp tool is active. To disable this feature, select Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Illustrator > Preferences > General (macOS), and deselect Enable Content Aware Defaults.
Select and drag a pin to transform the artwork.
Tip
To select multiple pins, Shift - click them or select Select All Pins from the Control panel. To focus only on adjustment points, deselect Show Mesh. Use the Expand Mesh slider to adjust the mesh area and bring disjointed objects together.
To remove the selected pins, press Delete key.
To constrain the transformation of your artwork around the selected pin, Alt – drag the selected pin.
To twist artwork, select a pin, hover near it until a dotted circle appears, and drag to rotate the mesh visually.
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