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Add arrowheads to strokes
Last updated on
Oct 25, 2026
Learn how to use the Stroke panel in Adobe Illustrator to apply, customize, and scale arrowhead styles on path endpoints.
Arrowheads show direction, flow, or emphasis in technical diagrams, infographics, and design compositions.
The Stroke panel's controls let you apply styles to the start and end points of a path. You can independently scale and align arrowheads.
Adobe Illustrator includes a library of default arrowhead styles. You can create custom arrowheads by editing the Arrowheads.ai template file.
Apply arrowheads to a path
Select Window > Stroke.
Select the Stroke panel menu icon, and then select Show Options if the arrowhead controls aren't visible.
In the Arrowheads section, use the dropdown menus to select a style for the start point and end point.
Select the Swap Start and End Arrowheads icon to reverse the arrowhead positions.
Scale arrowheads
Select a path with arrowheads.
In the Stroke panel Scale section, enter percentage values for the start and end arrowheads.
To scale both arrowheads, select the Link Start and End of Arrowheads Scales icon before adjusting values.
The default scale factor is 100%. Increase values to make arrowheads larger or decrease them for smaller arrowheads relative to the stroke weight.
Align arrowheads to path endpoints
Select a path with arrowheads.
In the Stroke panel Align section, select Extend Arrow Tip Beyond End of Path to position the arrowhead tip past the path endpoint.
Select Place Arrow Tip at the End of Path to align the tip exactly with the path endpoint.
The alignment option determines how the arrowhead tip aligns with the path endpoint.
Remove arrowheads
Select the path with arrowheads.
In the Stroke panel Arrowheads section, select None from either or both dropdown menus.
Create custom arrowheads
Locate the Arrowheads.ai template file at Applications/Adobe Illustrator /Support Files/Resources/ (macOS) or C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator \Support Files\Required\Resources (Windows).
Open the file and follow the embedded instructions to design your custom arrowhead.
Save your modified file to Applications/Adobe Illustrator /Plug-ins (macOS) or
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator \Plug-ins (Windows).
Restart Adobe Illustrator to load the custom arrowheads.
Caution
Don't replace the original Arrowheads.ai file in the Resources folder. Save your custom version to the Plug-ins folder as a separate file to preserve the default arrowhead library.
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