Select Type on a Path tool or Vertical Type on a Path tool .
- Illustrator User Guide
- Get to know Illustrator
- Introduction to Illustrator
- Workspace
- Workspace basics
- Create documents
- Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
- Accelerate workflows using the Contextual Task Bar
- Toolbar
- Default keyboard shortcuts
- Customize keyboard shortcuts
- Introduction to artboards
- Manage artboards
- Customize the workspace
- Properties panel
- Set preferences
- Touch Workspace
- Microsoft Surface Dial support in Illustrator
- Undo edits and manage design history
- Rotate view
- Rulers, grids, and guides
- Accessibility in Illustrator
- Safe Mode
- View artwork
- Use the Touch Bar with Illustrator
- Files and templates
- Tools in Illustrator
- Tools at a glance
- Select tools
- Navigate tools
- Paint tools
- Text tools
- Draw tools
- Modify tools
- Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
- Quick actions
- Illustrator on the web (beta)
- Illustrator on the web (beta) overview
- Illustrator on the web (beta) FAQ
- Troubleshooting issues FAQ
- Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the web (beta)
- Create and combine shapes on the web
- Add and edit text on the web
- Apply colors and gradients on the web
- Draw and edit paths on the web
- Work with cloud documents on the web
- Invite collaborators to edit on the web
- Illustrator on the iPad
- Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
- Workspace
- Documents
- Select and arrange objects
- Drawing
- Type
- Work with images
- Color
- Cloud documents
- Basics
- Troubleshooting
- Add and edit content
- Drawing
- Drawing basics
- Edit paths
- Draw pixel-perfect art
- Draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool
- Draw simple lines and shapes
- Draw rectangular and polar grids
- Draw and edit flares
- Trace images
- Simplify a path
- Symbolism tools and symbol sets
- Adjust path segments
- Design a flower in 5 easy steps
- Create and edit a perspective grid
- Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
- Use objects as symbols for repeat use
- Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
- Measurement
- 3D objects and materials
- Color
- Painting
- Select and arrange objects
- Select objects
- Layers
- Group and expand objects
- Move, align, and distribute objects
- Align, arrange, and move objects on a path
- Snap objects to glyph
- Snap objects to Japanese glyph
- Stack objects
- Lock, hide, and delete objects
- Copy and duplicate objects
- Rotate and reflect objects
- Intertwine objects
- Create realistic art mockups
- Reshape objects
- Crop images
- Transform objects
- Combine objects
- Cut, divide, and trim objects
- Puppet Warp
- Scale, shear, and distort objects
- Blend objects
- Reshape using envelopes
- Reshape objects with effects
- Build new shapes with Shaper and Shape Builder tools
- Work with Live Corners
- Enhanced reshape workflows with touch support
- Edit clipping masks
- Live shapes
- Create shapes using the Shape Builder tool
- Global editing
- Type
- Add text and work with type objects
- Reflow Viewer
- Create bulleted and numbered lists
- Manage text area
- Fonts and typography
- Convert text within images into editable text
- Add basic formatting to text
- Add advanced formatting to text
- Import and export text
- Format paragraphs
- Special characters
- Create type on a path
- Character and paragraph styles
- Tabs
- Find missing fonts (Typekit workflow)
- Arabic and Hebrew type
- Fonts | FAQ and troubleshooting tips
- Creative typography designs
- Scale and rotate type
- Line and character spacing
- Hyphenation and line breaks
- Spelling and language dictionaries
- Format Asian characters
- Composers for Asian scripts
- Create text designs with blend objects
- Create a text poster using Image Trace
- Create special effects
- Web graphics
- Drawing
- Import, export, and save
- Import
- Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
- Save and export
- Printing
- Prepare for printing
- Printing
- Automate tasks
- Troubleshooting
Learn how to add and work with type on a path in Illustrator.
Use the Type on a Path tool to add text to any path or shape outline, move or flip text, and add effects to it. You can also adjust the alignment of the text and spacing between the characters to modify the appearance.
Practice and learn how to use the Type on a Path tool with a hands-on tutorial in the Discover panel, without leaving the app.
Add text along the outline of a design, logo, or path.
-
-
Click your path or shape outline where you want to begin your text.
If your text cannot fit along your path, you can see resize the type area to display the overflow text.
at the bottom of the bounding area. You canAdd text along a path
After you add text on a path, you can easily move your text to a different point or flip it to the other side of the path.
-
Select your path with the Selection tool or Direct Selection tool .
-
Follow these options to move or flip text along a path:
Move text along a path
Move text along a path
- Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (macOS) and drag the center bracket .
Flip text on a path
Flip text from one side to another
- Drag the center bracket to the other side.
- Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (macOS) and drag the center bracket .
Apply different effects to match the style or concept of your artwork.
-
Select the path.
-
Select Type > Type on a Path and select any of these effects:
Rainbow, Skew, 3D Ribbon, Stair Step, Gravity.
A. Rainbow B. Skew C. 3D Ribbon D. Stair Step
You can align the text as per your design requirement.
-
Select the path.
-
Choose Type > Type on a Path > Type on a Path Options.
-
Select any of the following Align To Path options to specify the alignment of your characters to the path:
Ascender |
Aligns along the font’s top edge. |
Descender |
Aligns along the font’s bottom edge. |
Center |
Aligns along the point halfway between the font’s ascender and descender. |
Baseline |
Aligns along the baseline. This is the default setting. |
A. Ascender B. Descender C. Center D. Baseline
Follow these steps to change the spacing between the characters on a path:
-
Select the type object.
-
Choose Type > Type On A Path > Type On A Path Options.
-
Within the Spacing option, enter a higher value to remove the extra space between characters.
Adjust the spacing between characters
Tips and tricks
- If your path has Stroke or Fill attributes, Illustrator automatically removes them when you click the path with a type tool.
- Gravity effect on a perfectly circular path looks like the default Rainbow effect. It performs as expected on oval, square, rectangular, or otherwise irregularly shaped paths.
- The Spacing value does not affect characters positioned on straight paths. Apply Kerning or Tracking to change the spacing of characters along a straight path.
- Characters without ascenders or descenders (such as a letter e) or a baseline (such as an apostrophe) align vertically with characters that have ascenders, descenders, and baselines.
- To move text across a path without changing the direction of the type, use the Baseline Shift option in the Character panel. For example, if you have text that runs across the top of a circle, you can enter a negative number in the Baseline Shift text box to make the text flow inside the circle.
Related resources
Talk to us
We would love to hear from you. Share your thoughts with the Adobe Illustrator Community.