You can turn off Drop Shadow in Adobe Illustrator by unchecking the visibility box next to the "Drop Shadow" effect in the Appearance panel. This will disable the effect without removing it entirely.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Steps to Disable Drop Shadow
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Select the Object: First, select the object or text that has the drop shadow effect applied.
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Open the Appearance Panel: Go to
Window > Appearanceto open the Appearance panel. If the appearance panel is docked elsewhere in your workspace, find it and open it. -
Locate the "Drop Shadow" Effect: In the Appearance panel, you should see a list of effects applied to the selected object. Find the "Drop Shadow" effect.
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Toggle Visibility: Next to the "Drop Shadow" entry, there's an eye icon (visibility checkbox). Click this icon to uncheck the box. This action disables the drop shadow, making it disappear from your artwork.
Alternative Methods
While unchecking the visibility is the easiest way to turn off the drop shadow, here are a few other options:
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Deleting the Effect: You can permanently remove the drop shadow effect by selecting the "Drop Shadow" entry in the Appearance panel and then clicking the trash can icon at the bottom of the panel. This will remove the effect entirely.
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Adjusting the Effect's Properties: You can modify the properties of the drop shadow effect directly within the Appearance panel. Clicking on the "Drop Shadow" entry will open its settings, allowing you to change parameters like opacity, offset, and blur to minimize or eliminate its visual impact. For example, setting the opacity to 0% will effectively make the drop shadow invisible.
Example Scenario
Imagine you have a text element with a drop shadow, but you want to see how it looks without the shadow. By following the steps above and unchecking the visibility box next to "Drop Shadow" in the Appearance panel, you can temporarily hide the effect and assess your design. If you decide you want the shadow back, simply re-check the box.
