How Do You Copy and Move an Object in Illustrator?

Moving and copying objects are fundamental actions in Adobe Illustrator. You have several flexible methods to achieve both, whether you need precise placement or quick duplication.

Moving Objects in Illustrator

Here are the primary ways to move selected objects:

• Drag and Drop: The simplest method. Select the object(s) with the Selection Tool (V) or Direct Selection Tool (A) and click and drag them to the desired location on the artboard.

• Using Arrow Keys: Select the object(s) and press the arrow keys on your keyboard to nudge them incrementally. Hold Shift while pressing an arrow key to move in larger increments (the default increment can be set in Preferences).

• Transform Panel: For precise numerical control, select the object and use the Transform panel (Window > Transform). You can directly enter values for the object's X and Y position.

• Move Dialog Box: Access this via Object > Transform > Move....

  • Select the object(s).
  • Go to Object > Transform > Move....
  • In the dialog box, enter precise Horizontal and Vertical distance values.
  • Click OK to move the object(s) to the new position.

Copying Objects in Illustrator

Creating duplicates of objects is just as easy:

• Copy and Paste:
  • Select the object(s).
  • Go to Edit > Copy or press Ctrl + C (Windows) / Cmd + C (macOS).
  • Go to Edit > Paste or press Ctrl + V (Windows) / Cmd + V (macOS). The copy will appear roughly in the center of your current view or the artboard.
• Copy in Place:
  • Select the object(s).
  • Go to Edit > Copy or press Ctrl + C (Windows) / Cmd + C (macOS).
  • Go to Edit > Paste in Place or press Ctrl + Shift + V (Windows) / Cmd + Shift + V (macOS). A copy will be placed exactly on top of the original object(s).
• Alt/Option Drag: A quick way to duplicate visually.
  • Select the object(s).
  • Hold down the Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) key.
  • Click and drag the object(s). A duplicate will be created and moved as you drag. Release the mouse button first, then the Alt/Option key.

Copying While Moving (Creating a Copy at a New Location)

Often, you want to create a copy of an object and place it at a specific distance from the original. There are two main ways to achieve this combined action:

1. Using the Move Dialog Box (as referenced)

This method allows for precise numerical control over the distance the copy is offset from the original.

Here's how to use this method, as mentioned in the reference:

• Select the object(s) you want to copy and move.
• Go to the menu: Object > Transform > Move….
• In the Move dialog box that appears, set the desired Horizontal and Vertical distance values for how far you want the copy to be placed from the original.
• Instead of clicking 'OK', click on the Copy button. This creates a copy of the selected object(s) at the specified distance, leaving the original object(s) in place.

Repeating the Copy-and-Move Action:

As noted in the reference, "Now the usage of Command / Ctrl + D shortcuts will repeat the last action, i.e. will double and move the selected object in this case." After using the Object > Transform > Move... dialog and clicking Copy, you can then select the newly created copy and press Ctrl + D (Windows) or Cmd + D (macOS) repeatedly. Each press will create another copy, offset from the previous one by the same distance used in the dialog box, making it easy to create evenly spaced duplicates.

2. Using Alt/Option Drag with Smart Guides

While less numerically precise than the dialog box, this is a quick and visual way to copy while moving:

• Select the object(s).
• Hold down the Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) key.
• Click and drag the object(s) to the desired new location. As you drag with Alt/Option held, you'll see the cursor change slightly to indicate you're creating a duplicate.
• Release the mouse button to place the copy. You can use Smart Guides (View > Smart Guides or Ctrl/Cmd + U) to help align the copy relative to other objects or the original.

By mastering these techniques, you can efficiently manage and duplicate objects within your Illustrator artwork.