How to duplicate points on a path with the direct selection tool

Forum|Forum|9 days ago
March 27, 2026
4 replies
53 views

I seem to remember being able to just duplicates selected points on a path, but Illustrator simply duplicates the entire object. I’m using the direct selection arrow to select the points and then option to drag and duplicate.

Running current version of Illustrator. Thanks!

Brad @ Roaring Mouse

Community Expert

I, too, have never heard of this working as you describe. Yes, it’s possible to direct-select a point and copy/paste it, but it has always brought along the next adjoining points’ paths. That being said, you can delete the outer two and leave only the single pint, but this makes me I’m curious as to WHY you want to do this.

CarlosCanto

Community Expert

deselect your object before click/drag an anchor to duplicate

Kurt Gold

Community Expert

That should still work by direct selecting a single anchor point, start dragging and then holding down the Option key.

The order is important.

Bill Silbert

Community Expert

The method you describe, Kurt, duplicates the selected point as well as the adjacent points the selected point (or points) are connected to as a separate object. My understanding of the question was that the points should be duplicated but still part of the original object. Hopefully, the OP will clarify what is needed.

Bill Silbert

Community Expert

I’ve been using Illustrator since the 1980s and I don’t recall ever being able to do what you’re suggesting. What I would suggest is using the Add Anchor Point tool to simply add another point on the path.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded