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Touch shortcuts and gestures

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  3. Illustrator on the iPad
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      1. Illustrator on the iPad workspace
      2. Touch shortcuts and gestures
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      4. Manage your app settings
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    13. Improve Illustrator performance

Learn more about touch shortcuts and gestures to save time while you work with Illustrator on your iPad.

Touch shortcuts

Use touch shortcuts to quickly access the alternate actions of a selected tool in Illustrator on your iPad. You can use the touch shortcuts in both default and lock modes. For each selected tool, the touch shortcut icon offers two alternate actions. 

Touch shortcuts: Default mode

default
The default mode

In default mode, keep the touch shortcut icon pressed down the entire time you want to use the alternate behavior of a selected tool.
You can drag the touch shortcut icon to move it across your canvas. 

  • Use primary touch modifier: Tap and hold the center of the touch shortcut icon with your other hand to activate the primary action of the selected tool.
  • Use secondary touch modifier: Tap and slide to the outer edge of the touch shortcut icon with your other hand to activate the secondary action of the selected tool.

Touch shortcuts: Lock mode

lock
The lock mode

When the touch shortcut icon is locked, the primary or secondary touch shortcut remains selected.

You cannot drag the touch shortcut icon to move it across your canvas.

  • Lock touch shortcut icon: Double-tap the touch shortcut icon to switch to lock mode.
  • Lock primary and secondary touch modifiers: Once locked, tap to toggle between the locked mode of primary and secondary touch modifiers.
  • Unlock the touch shortcut icon: Double-tap the touch shortcut icon to go back to the default mode.

To view a list of touch shortcuts in Illustrator on your iPad, do one of the following:

  • Tap    in the upper-right corner of the document workspace and then tap View touch shortcuts.
  • Tap    in the upper-right corner of the document workspace.  Then, go to App settings > Help > Touch shortcut.
Icon Tool or Action Primary touch shortcut Secondary touch shortcut
Move Move on X/Y axis Duplicate
Select Add to selection Select inside group
Edit handles Break handle pairing Mirror handles
Select points Add to selection None
Scale from corner Scale non-proportionally Scale from center
Scale from side or top Scale both sides None
Rotate Snap to 45 degrees Snap to 10 degrees
Drag handles Break handle pairing Move point
Create shape Draw unconstrained shape Constrain from center
Select layers Add to selection None

Touch gestures

Quickly perform common actions using gestures to interact with the touch-based interface. To view a list of gestures that you can use in Illustrator on your iPad, do one the following:

  • Tap    in the upper-right corner of the document workspace and then tap View gestures.
  • Tap  in the upper-right corner of the document workspace.  Then, go to App settings > Help > View gestures.

Illustration

Gesture

Action

2-finger tap

Undo

3-finger tap

Redo

Double-tap on a selected object

Edit points

Drag to scrub values in fields

Scrub

Drag the top bar to move it to the canvas

Remove from toolbar

Tap and hold or double-tap tools and actions for more options

Show more options

Use a 2-finger drag to pan and pinch to zoom

Zoom and pan canvas

Use a quick 2-finger pinch

Fit to view

Related topics

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