askvity

How Do I Edit a Group in Illustrator?

Published in Illustrator Editing 2 mins read

You can edit a group in Illustrator by entering isolation mode, allowing you to select and modify individual objects within the group.

Here's a breakdown of how to edit a group:

  1. Select the Group: Use the Selection Tool (V) to click on the group you want to edit. The entire group will be selected.

  2. Enter Isolation Mode: There are a few ways to enter isolation mode:

    • Double-click the Group: Double-clicking the group with the Selection Tool (V) will enter isolation mode.
    • Right-click and choose "Isolate Selected Group": Right-click on the selected group, and a context menu will appear. Choose "Isolate Selected Group" from the menu.
    • Use the Layers Panel: Locate the group in the Layers panel. Click the circle to the right of the group's name to select it. Then double-click on the group name.

  3. Edit Individual Objects: Once in isolation mode, you can now select and edit individual objects within the group just like you would if they weren't grouped. You can change their attributes (color, size, position, etc.), delete them, or add new objects.

  4. Exit Isolation Mode: There are also a few ways to exit isolation mode:

    • Double-click outside the Group: Double-clicking an empty area of the artboard will exit the isolation mode one level up. If you have nested groups (a group within a group), you may need to double-click multiple times to return to the main artboard.
    • Press the Escape Key: Pressing the Esc key will exit isolation mode one level up.
    • Click the Back Arrow in the Control Panel: When in isolation mode, the Control panel at the top of the screen will display a series of arrows representing the hierarchy of the objects. Click the back arrow (it looks like <- Exit Isolation Mode) to move up one level.
    • Navigate the Layers Panel: You can also exit by navigating up the layers panel hierarchy.

Example:

Imagine you have a group of objects that form a logo. You want to change the color of a specific star within the logo group. You would:

  1. Select the entire logo group.
  2. Double-click the group to enter isolation mode.
  3. Click on the specific star object within the isolated group.
  4. Change the fill color of the star.
  5. Double-click outside the group to exit isolation mode.

Now your logo has the star with the updated color, and the logo remains grouped.

Related Articles