Rasterization is the process of changing a vector graphic to a bitmap image. During rasterization, Illustrator converts the graphic’s paths into pixels. The rasterization options you set determine the size and other characteristics of the resulting pixels.

You can rasterize individual vector objects using the Object > Rasterize command or the Rasterize effect. You can also rasterize an entire document by exporting it to a bitmap format, such as JPEG, GIF, or TIFF.

1. Select one or more objects.
2. Do one of the following:

   • To permanently rasterize the objects, choose Object > Rasterize.

   • To create the appearance of rasterization without changing the objects’ underlying structure, choose Effect > Rasterize.

3. Set rasterization options (see Rasterization options), and click OK.