How do I remove symbols in Adobe Animate?

Removing symbols in Adobe Animate is a straightforward process primarily done through the Library panel.

To delete symbols you no longer need in your Adobe Animate project, you typically work within the Library panel where all your project's assets, including symbols, are stored.

Steps to Delete Symbols

Follow these simple steps to remove symbols from your Animate project:

1. Open the Library Panel: Make sure your Library panel is visible. If it's not, you can usually open it from the Window menu.
2. Locate the Symbol(s): In the Library panel, find the symbol or symbols you wish to delete from your project.
3. Select the Symbol(s): Click on the symbol name to select it. You can select multiple symbols by holding down the Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (macOS) key while clicking, or select a range by clicking the first, holding Shift, and clicking the last.
4. Delete the Selection:
   • Right-click on the selected symbol(s) and choose Delete from the context menu that appears.
   • Alternatively, with the symbol(s) selected in the Library, simply press the [Delete] key on your keyboard.

Understanding Symbol Usage

It's important to note the following point regarding symbol deletion, directly referenced from the process:

• If the symbol you are trying to delete is currently in use anywhere on the Stage or within other symbols in your project, Animate will not delete it.
• Instead, a warning message will pop up indicating that the symbol is in use and therefore cannot be removed at this time.

To successfully delete a symbol that is in use, you must first remove all instances of that symbol from your timeline, layers, or any other symbols where it might be nested. After removing all instances, you can return to the Library panel and delete the symbol using the steps outlined above.

This ensures that you don't accidentally break parts of your animation or artwork by deleting assets that are actively being used.