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Last updated on Sep 9, 2024

Build new shapes by combining overlapping shapes.

  Explore the beta app
Illustrator on the web (Beta) is available for testing and feedback as part of your Illustrator subscription. Try it now to discover new features.

Before you begin

Ensure that your shapes have overlapping paths.

  1. Select shapes with overlapping paths using the Selection tool.

  2. Select the Combine shapes  icon from the taskbar to open the Combine shapes panel.

    Multiple objects with overlapping paths are selected and the Combine Shapes panel is open with Shape builder, Combine all, Minus front, and more options.
    Create complex shapes using the Combine shapes option.

  3. Select one of the following options to create new shapes:

    • Shape builder (Shift + M): Provides a fast and intuitive way to combine, merge, and divide multiple shapes using scribble and drag. 
    • Combine all: Combines two or more shapes to form a single shape.
    • Minus front: Remove the overlapped region of the front shape from the back shape.
    • Intersect: Retains only the intersected part of two or more overlapped shapes.
    • Exclude overlap: Excludes the intersected region of two overlapped shapes and retains the other regions.
    • Divide all: Divides the shapes that you combined into individual shapes.
    • Convert to path: Converts the shape into a path object for further editing.

Familiarize yourself with the Shape builder tool in Illustrator on the desktop and use the same gestures in Illustrator on the web (Beta) to construct new shapes.

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