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  1. Illustrator User Guide
  2. Get to know Illustrator
    1. Introduction to Illustrator
      1. What's new in Illustrator
      2. Common questions
      3. Illustrator system requirements
      4. Illustrator for Apple silicon
      5. GPU performance
    2. Workspace
      1. Workspace basics
      2. Create documents
      3. Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
      4. Accelerate workflows using the Contextual Task Bar
      5. Toolbar
      6. Default keyboard shortcuts
      7. Customize keyboard shortcuts
      8. Introduction to artboards
      9. Manage artboards
      10. Customize the workspace
      11. Properties panel
      12. Set preferences
      13. Touch Workspace
      14. Microsoft Surface Dial support in Illustrator
      15. Undo edits and manage design history
      16. Rotate view
      17. Rulers, grids, and guides
      18. Accessibility in Illustrator
      19. View artwork
      20. Use the Touch Bar with Illustrator
      21. Files and templates
    3. Tools in Illustrator
      1. Tools at a glance
      2. Select tools
        1. Selection
        2. Direct Selection
        3. Group Selection
        4. Magic Wand
        5. Lasso
        6. Artboard
      3. Navigate tools
        1. Hand
        2. Rotate View
        3. Zoom
      4. Paint tools
        1. Gradient
        2. Mesh
        3. Shape Builder
      5. Text tools
        1. Type
        2. Type on a Path
        3. Vertical Type
      6. Draw tools
        1. Pen
        2. Add Anchor Point
        3. Delete Anchor Point
        4. Anchor Point
        5. Curvature
        6. Line Segment
        7. Rectangle
        8. Rounded Rectangle
        9. Ellipse
        10. Polygon
        11. Star
        12. Paintbrush
        13. Blob Brush
        14. Pencil
        15. Shaper
        16. Slice
      7. Modify tools
        1. Rotate
        2. Reflect
        3. Scale
        4. Shear
        5. Width
        6. Free Transform
        7. Eyedropper
        8. Blend
        9. Eraser
        10. Scissors
        11. Dimension
    4. Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
      1. Generate scenes, subjects, and icons using text prompts
      2. Generate vector patterns using text prompts
      3. Generate vector shape fills using text prompts
      4. Recolor your artwork using text prompts
    5. Quick actions
      1. Retro text
      2. Neon glow text
      3. Old school text
      4. Recolor
      5. Convert sketch to vector
  3. Illustrator on the web (beta)
    1. Illustrator on the web (beta) overview
    2. Illustrator on the web (beta) FAQ
    3. Troubleshooting issues FAQ
    4. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the web (beta)
    5. Create and combine shapes on the web
    6. Add and edit text on the web
    7. Apply colors and gradients on the web
    8. Draw and edit paths on the web
    9. Work with cloud documents on the web
    10. Invite collaborators to edit on the web
  4. Illustrator on the iPad
    1. Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
      1. Illustrator on the iPad overview
      2. Illustrator on the iPad FAQs
      3. System requirements | Illustrator on the iPad
      4. What you can or cannot do on Illustrator on the iPad
    2. Workspace
      1. Illustrator on the iPad workspace
      2. Touch shortcuts and gestures
      3. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the iPad
      4. Manage your app settings
    3. Documents
      1. Work with documents in Illustrator on the iPad
      2. Import Photoshop and Fresco documents
    4. Select and arrange objects
      1. Create repeat objects
      2. Blend objects
    5. Drawing
      1. Draw and edit paths
      2. Draw and edit shapes
    6. Type
      1. Work with type and fonts
      2. Create text designs along a path
      3. Add your own fonts
    7. Work with images
      1. Vectorize raster images
    8. Color
      1. Apply colors and gradients
  5. Cloud documents
    1. Basics
      1. Work with Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Share and collaborate on Illustrator cloud documents
      3. Share documents for review
      4. Upgrade cloud storage for Adobe Illustrator
      5. Illustrator cloud documents | Common questions
    2. Troubleshooting
      1. Troubleshoot create or save issues for Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Troubleshoot Illustrator cloud documents issues
  6. Add and edit content
    1. Drawing
      1. Drawing basics
      2. Edit paths
      3. Draw pixel-perfect art
      4. Draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool
      5. Draw simple lines and shapes
      6. Draw rectangular and polar grids
      7. Draw and edit flares
      8. Trace images
      9. Simplify a path
      10. Symbolism tools and symbol sets
      11. Adjust path segments
      12. Design a flower in 5 easy steps
      13. Create and edit a perspective grid
      14. Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
      15. Use objects as symbols for repeat use
      16. Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
    2. Measurement
      1. Measure and plot dimensions
    3. 3D objects and materials
      1. About 3D effects in Illustrator
      2. Create 3D graphics
      3. Map artwork over 3D objects
      4. Create 3D Text
      5. Create 3D objects
    4. Color
      1. About color
      2. Select colors
      3. Use and create swatches
      4. Adjust colors
      5. Use the Adobe Color Themes panel
      6. Color groups (harmonies)
      7. Color Themes panel
      8. Recolor your artwork
    5. Painting
      1. About painting
      2. Paint with fills and strokes
      3. Live Paint groups
      4. Gradients
      5. Brushes
      6. Transparency and blending modes
      7. Apply stroke on an object
      8. Create and edit patterns
      9. Meshes
      10. Patterns
    6. Select and arrange objects
      1. Select objects
      2. Layers
      3. Expand, group, and ungroup objects
      4. Move, align, and distribute objects
      5. Align, arrange, and move objects on a path
      6. Snap objects to glyph
      7. Snap objects to Japanese glyph
      8. Stack objects    
      9. Lock, hide, and delete objects
      10. Copy and duplicate objects
      11. Rotate and reflect objects
      12. Intertwine objects
      13. Create realistic art mockups
    7. Reshape objects
      1. Crop images
      2. Transform objects
      3. Combine objects
      4. Cut, divide, and trim objects
      5. Puppet Warp
      6. Scale, shear, and distort objects
      7. Blend objects
      8. Reshape using envelopes
      9. Reshape objects with effects
      10. Build new shapes with Shaper and Shape Builder tools
      11. Work with Live Corners
      12. Enhanced reshape workflows with touch support
      13. Edit clipping masks
      14. Live shapes
      15. Create shapes using the Shape Builder tool
      16. Global editing
    8. Type
      1. Add text and work with type objects
      2. Reflow Viewer
      3. Create bulleted and numbered lists
      4. Manage text area
      5. Fonts and typography
      6. Convert text within images into editable text
      7. Add basic formatting to text
      8. Add advanced formatting to text
      9. Import and export text
      10. Format paragraphs
      11. Special characters
      12. Create type on a path
      13. Character and paragraph styles
      14. Tabs
      15. Find missing fonts (Typekit workflow)
      16. Arabic and Hebrew type
      17. Fonts | FAQ and troubleshooting tips
      18. Creative typography designs
      19. Scale and rotate type
      20. Line and character spacing
      21. Hyphenation and line breaks
      22. Spelling and language dictionaries
      23. Format Asian characters
      24. Composers for Asian scripts
      25. Create text designs with blend objects
      26. Create a text poster using Image Trace
    9. Create special effects
      1. Work with effects
      2. Graphic styles
      3. Appearance attributes
      4. Create sketches and mosaics
      5. Drop shadows, glows, and feathering
      6. Summary of effects
    10. Web graphics
      1. Best practices for creating web graphics
      2. Graphs
      3. SVG
      4. Slices and image maps
  7. Import, export, and save
    1. Import
      1. Place multiple files
      2. Manage linked and embedded files
      3. Links information
      4. Unembed images
      5. Import artwork from Photoshop
      6. Import bitmap images
      7. Import Adobe PDF files
      8. Import EPS, DCS, and AutoCAD files
    2. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator 
      1. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
    3. Save and export
      1. Save artwork
      2. Export artwork
      3. Create Adobe PDF files
      4. Adobe PDF options
      5. Use Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
      6. Collect assets and export in batches
      7. Package files
      8. Extract CSS | Illustrator CC
      9. Document info panel
  8. Printing
    1. Prepare for printing
      1. Set up documents for printing
      2. Change the page size and orientation
      3. Specify crop marks for trimming or aligning
      4. Get started with large canvas
    2. Printing
      1. Overprint
      2. Print with color management
      3. PostScript printing
      4. Print presets
      5. Printer's marks and bleeds
      6. Print and save transparent artwork
      7. Trapping
      8. Print color separations
      9. Print gradients, meshes, and color blends
      10. White Overprint
  9. Automate tasks
    1. Data merge using the Variables panel
    2. Automation with scripts
    3. Automation with actions
  10. Troubleshooting 
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash issues
    4. Recover files after crash
    5. Safe mode
    6. File issues
    7. Supported file formats
    8. GPU device driver issues
    9. Wacom device issues
    10. DLL file issues
    11. Memory issues
    12. Preferences file issues
    13. Font issues
    14. Printer issues
    15. Share crash report with Adobe
    16. Improve Illustrator performance

Learn how to use the Crop Image feature in Illustrator to crop an image.

You can crop linked or embedded images in Illustrator. While cropping, you can use intuitive widget controls to work with the selected image. The Image Crop feature works only on the currently selected image. Also, linked images become embedded after you crop them.

The Crop Image feature works only on the currently selected image. Also, linked images become embedded after you crop them.

The cropped portion of the image is discarded and is not recoverable. Also, you cannot transform an image while cropping it. If you try to transform an image after selecting the Crop Image option, Illustrator exits the cropping interface.

New to cropping? Practice and learn how to crop an image with a hands-on tutorial in the Discover panel, without leaving the app.

Open tutorial
Tutorial

Crop an image

Perform the following steps to crop an image:

  1. Choose File > Place, and select the image that you want to place. Click Place.

  2. Select the image you want to crop using the Selection tool ().

    Illustrator invokes the Selection tool by default when you choose the Crop Image option. If any other tool is active, Illustrator automatically switches to the Selection tool.

  3. Do one of the following to crop the selected image:

    • Click Crop Image on the Control panel.

    • Choose Object > Crop Image.
    • Choose Crop Image from the context menu.

     You cannot select the Crop Image option when two or more objects are selected.

  4. If you're working with a linked image, Illustrator prompts you that linked files are embedded after cropping. Click OK to continue.

  5. Drag the widget corners and edge handles to define the crop boundaries. For details, see Adjust the crop widget.

     For any image, the crop widget is always rectangular in shape. Moreover, you cannot rotate the crop widget.

  6. (Optional) Specify the cropping options using the Control panel. For details, see Cropping options.

  7. Do one of the following:

    • Click Apply on the Control panel.
    • Press Enter (Windows) or Return (macOS).

    At any point, to exit the cropping interface without applying changes, press Escape. Alternatively, click Cancel in the Control panel, or select any tool from the Tools panel, except the Zoom tool and the Hand tool.

On Windows 64-bit and macOS, when you select the Crop Image option to crop an image on the artboard, Illustrator identifies the visually significant portions of the selected image. A default cropping box is then displayed based on this identified portion of the image. You can adjust the dimensions of this cropping box if needed. Once you are done, you can click Apply in the Properties panel or press Enter (Windows) or Return (macOS) to crop the image.

To disable this feature, deselect the Enable Content Aware Defaults option in the Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Illustrator> Preferences > General (macOS). By deselecting this option, the default experience for Crop Image, Freeform gradient, and Puppet Warp is disabled.

Adjust the crop widget

Resize

Scale the crop widget proportionally
Scale the crop widget proportionally

Scale the crop widget about the center
Scale the crop widget about the center

Do one of the following to resize the crop widget:

  • Specify the Height and the Width in the Control panel.
  • Drag the corner or edge handles.
  • Press Shift to scale the widget proportionally.
  • Press Alt to scale the widget about the center.
  • Use the pinch-to-zoom gesture on touch screen devices.

     The Illustrator Touch workspace for Windows tablets does not support cropping.

Reposition

Do one of the following to reposition the crop widget:

  • Click-drag from anywhere within the bounds of the crop widget.
  • Press the arrow keys to move the crop widget.
  • Press Shift + arrow keys to move the widget by ten units (default) or as specified in your Preferences.

To reposition the crop widget precisely, use guides and grids. Smart Guides help you align the crop widget relative to other objects. Choose View > Smart Guides to enable smart guides.

Cropping options

You can specify the following options on the Control panel while cropping an image:

Crop options in Properties tab
Crop options available in the Properties panel

A. Pixels Per Inches (resolution) B. Reference position C. X and Y coordinates D. Width E. Constrain width and height proportions F. Height 

PPI

PPI refers to the current resolution of the image. Specify the resolution in pixels per inch (ppi). If the resolution of the image is lower than the options available in the drop-down list, the options are disabled. The maximum value that you can enter equals the resolution of the original image or 300 PPI for linked artwork.

Reference Point

All transformations are performed around a fixed point called the reference point. By default, this point is at the center of the crop widget you are transforming. However, you can change the reference point to a different location using the reference point locator in the Control panel.

X and Y dimensions

The co-ordinate values of the selected reference point.

Height and Width

Specify the size of the crop widget. If the width and height fields are linked, they maintain proportions when changed. Click the link icon () icon to delink and modify the width and height values independently.

Create a custom keyboard shortcut

You can define your own keyboard shortcut for the Crop Image command. For more information, see Customize keyboard shortcuts.

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