Select the Width tool from the toolbar or press Shift + W.
Last updated on
Nov 12, 2026
Learn how to use the Width tool in Adobe Illustrator to adjust stroke thickness at specific points and save custom profiles for reuse.
Variable-width strokes let you create tapered, organic, or custom-weighted strokes with fewer anchor points than traditional path editing. Use the Width tool when you need strokes that vary in thickness along their length—like calligraphic effects, tapered lines, or illustrative details.
This workflow applies to any stroke except dashed lines. Select the target stroke in the Appearance panel if you're working with multiple strokes on one object.
Before you begin
Make sure to apply a stroke to an object in Illustrator.
Create and adjust width points
Position the cursor over a stroke to display a hollow diamond with handles.
Drag the handles outward to increase stroke width at that point, or inward to decrease it.
Drag the width point along the path to move it.
To select multiple width points, hold Shift and click each point.
To adjust stroke weight globally for all width points, enter a new value in the Weight field in the Stroke panel.
Width points created at anchor points stick to those anchors during path editing, preserving your width design.
Edit width points precisely
Double-click a width point with the Width tool to open the Width Point Edit dialog.
Enter values for Side 1 and Side 2 to control the width on each side of the path.
Select Adjust Adjoining Width Points to affect neighboring points when editing.
Select OK.
To automatically Adjust Adjoining Width Points, press Shift and double-click a width point.
Create discontinuous width points
Discontinuous width points create sharp transitions in stroke width, useful for special effects or stylized strokes.
Create two width points on a stroke with different stroke widths.
This screenshot demonstrates two width points created with different stroke widths
Drag one width point directly onto the other width point.
Release to create a discontinuous width point with an abrupt width change.
Width Point Edit dialog box for discontinuous points.For discontinuous points, the Width Point Edit dialog box shows both sets of side widths.
When you double-click a discontinuous width point, the Width Point Edit dialog displays separate width controls for each side of the discontinuity.
Save custom width profiles
Create a stroke with the width variations you want to save.
In the Stroke panel, Control panel, or Properties panel, select the Save Width Profile icon at the bottom of the Width Profile dropdown.
Apply, change, or remove width profiles from stroke paths using the Width Profile list in the Control or Stroke panel, and then save the width profile.
Name your profile and select OK.
The profile now appears in the Width Profile dropdown for any stroke in your document.
Apply and manage width profiles
Select a path with a stroke.
Open the Width Profile dropdown in the Stroke panel, Control panel, or Properties panel.
Select a saved profile to apply it to the stroke.
To remove a variable-width profile, select Uniform from the dropdown.
To restore default profiles and remove custom profiles, select the Reset Profiles button at the bottom of the dropdown.
For Art and Pattern brushes, the Width Points/Profile option is automatically selected after you edit with the Width tool or apply a width profile. To remove width profile changes, select Fixed for size or choose a tablet data option such as Pressure in the Stroke Options dialog.
Variable-width profiles are indicated with an asterisk (*) in the Appearance panel when applied to a stroke.
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