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Move objects



You can move objects by dragging them with specific tools, by using the arrow keys on the keyboard, or by entering precise values in a panel or dialog box.

You can use snapping to help you position objects as you move them. For example, you can snap the pointer to guides and anchor points and snap object boundaries to gridlines. You can also use the Align panel to position objects in relation to each other.

You can then use the Shift key to constrain the movement of one or more objects so that they move in a precise horizontal, vertical, or diagonal direction relative to the current orientation of the x and y axes. You can also use the Shift key to rotate objects in multiples of 45°.

Hold down Shift while dragging or drawing to limit movement to the nearest 45° angle.

Move or duplicate an object by pasting

  1. Select one or more objects.
  2. Choose Edit > Cut to move the selection or Edit > Copy to duplicate the selection.
  3. To paste an object into another file, open the file. (To paste between layers, see Pasting objects between layers.)
  4. Choose one of the following commands:
    Edit > Paste
    Pastes the object into the center of the active window.

    Edit > Paste In Front
    Pastes the object directly in front of the selected object.

    Edit > Paste In Back
    Pastes the object directly in back of the selected object.

Move an object by dragging

  1. Select one or more objects.
  2. Drag the object to a new location.

    If a selected object is filled, you can drag from anywhere on the object. If a selected object is unfilled, if you are viewing artwork as outlines, or if the Object Selection By Path Only preference is selected, you must drag from the object’s path. (See Duplicate selections using drag and drop.)

    You can use the Snap To Point command in the View menu to have the cursor snap to an anchor point or guide when you drag an object within 2 pixels of the anchor point or guide.

Move an object using the arrow keys

  1. Select one or more objects.
  2. Press the arrow key for the direction in which you want to move the object. Press Shift+arrow to move the object ten times the value specified by the Keyboard Increment preference.

    The distance the object moves each time you press an arrow key is determined by the Keyboard Increment preference. The default distance is 1 point (1/72 of an inch, or .3528 millimeter). To change the Keyboard Increment preference, choose Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Illustrator > Preferences > General (Mac OS).

Move an object by a specific distance

  1. Select one or more objects.
  2. Choose Object > Transform > Move.
    When an object is selected, you can also double-click the Selection, Direct Selection, or Group Selection tool to open the Move dialog box.
  3. Do any of the following:

    • To move the object left or right, enter either a negative value (moves left) or a positive value (moves right) in the Horizontal text box.

    • To move the object up or down, enter either a negative value (moves down) or positive value (moves up) in the Vertical text box.

    • To move the object by an angle that’s relative to the object’s x axis, enter either a positive angle (counterclockwise movement) or a negative angle (clockwise movement) in the Distance or Angle text box. You can also enter values between 180° and 360°; these values are converted to their corresponding negative values (for example, a value of 270° is converted to –90°).

  4. If the objects contain a pattern fill, select Patterns to move the pattern. Deselect Objects if you want to move the pattern but not the objects.
  5. Click OK, or click Copy to move a copy of the objects.
    Directions relative to the x axis

Move an object using x and y coordinates

  1. Select one or more objects.
  2. In the Transform panel or Control panel, enter new values in either the X or Y text box, or both.

    To change the reference point, click a white square on the reference point locator  before you enter the values.

Move multiple objects at once

  1. Select one or more objects.
  2. Choose Object > Transform > Transform Each.
  3. Set the distance you want to move the selected objects in the Move section of the dialog box.
  4. Do one of the following:

    • To move the objects by the specified amounts, click OK.

    • To move the objects randomly, but no more than the specified amounts, select the Random option. For example, if you draw a brick wall and want the bricks to appear slightly offset from each other instead of perfectly aligned, you could select the Random option. Then click OK.