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senjaez49486447
Participant
November 30, 2016
Answered

Why is my "Draw Inside" disabled?

Just like shown in the image above, why is this turned off and what can I do to use it?

      jane-e
      jane-eCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      November 30, 2016

      Or you have a Group selected. 

       

      It could be any of these ideas! 

       

      Select one path and try again. Does it work now? 

       

      Jane

       

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      9 replies

      yyc_5829
      Participant
      October 8, 2025

      yes

      Just like shown in the image above, why is this turned off and what can I do to use it?

       

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      Ton Frederiks
      Community Expert
      Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      October 8, 2025

      This is a nine years old thread with a correct answer. Can you create a new one and give some details and screenshots why it is not working for you?

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      yyc_5829
      Participant
      October 8, 2025

      yes

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      jane-e
      Community Expert
      jane-eCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      November 30, 2016

      Oh, but I did just find something that I think is truly odd. I was about to say it might be a line, because how can you draw inside a line? It turns out that you can. But you can't see it in Preview. Because it is a line, after all.

      Here is my illustration in GPU Preview:

      Here is the same illustration in Outline View:

      And one more time, here it is in Isolation mode:

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      jane-e
      Community Expert
      jane-eCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      November 30, 2016

      Or you have a Group selected. 

       

      It could be any of these ideas! 

       

      Select one path and try again. Does it work now? 

       

      Jane

       

      Translate
        denni2579
        Known Participant
        July 9, 2018

        Thank you... I had this same problem and it was because after using the shape builder tool my new shapes were grouped. Ungrouping them enabled the draw in front feature again.

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        jane-e
        Community Expert
        jane-eCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        July 9, 2018

        Hi Denhamp,

        I'm glad the group / ungroup solution worked for you!

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        Barb Binder
        Community Expert
        Barb BinderCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        November 30, 2016

        Or you don't have an object selected. Showing the full screen would give us context.

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        ~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
        Ton Frederiks
        Community Expert
        Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        November 30, 2016

        Maybe because you have an object with a clipping mask selected?

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