Exit
  • Global community
    • Language:
      • Deutsch
      • English
      • Español
      • Français
      • Português
  • 日本語コミュニティ
  • 한국 커뮤니티
0

Difference Between Two Expand Options

Mentor ,
Aug 24, 2025 Aug 24, 2025

As far as I know I couldn't see any difference in the function between these two Expand option. In my view both are same. Is there any difference?

 

Object > Expand

Object > Blend > Expand

 

2025-08-24_13-12-03.png   

TOPICS
Tools
639
Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines

correct answers 1 Correct answer

Community Expert , Aug 25, 2025 Aug 25, 2025

The whole point of Live Paint is that there are no visible changes when expanding. But when you look in the Layers panel the whole time you will of course see a change

Translate
Adobe
Community Expert ,
Aug 24, 2025 Aug 24, 2025

The one for Blends has no options. The Object > Expand is used for Appearances and has options.

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/grouping-expanding-objects.html

 

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Aug 24, 2025 Aug 24, 2025

Blend > Expand will just expand blends even if you have also selected Repeats.

Object > Expand will expand everything it can expand.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Mentor ,
Aug 24, 2025 Aug 24, 2025
quote

Blend > Expand will just expand blends even if you have also selected Repeats.

 

By @Monika Gause

What is meant by "Selected Repeats"?

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Aug 24, 2025 Aug 24, 2025

You can create Repeats (Radial, Grid, Mirror)

THey are live objects and you can select them.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Mentor ,
Aug 24, 2025 Aug 24, 2025

If you want to search in YouTube how to differenciate these two blends. I tried various method but the result was alaways default to Object > Expand.    

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Aug 24, 2025 Aug 24, 2025

What is it that you actuall want to do?

Maybe you can share a screenshot?

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Mentor ,
Aug 24, 2025 Aug 24, 2025

Is there any difference from above Expand & Expand in the below main bar

 

2025-08-24_18-28-47.png

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Aug 24, 2025 Aug 24, 2025

So far I have only seen that for Live paint groups and Image Trace. It will not appear when a live paint group is selected together with a different object. So it equals the dedicated expand command.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Mentor ,
Aug 25, 2025 Aug 25, 2025

I also noticed by implementing Live Paint Bucket selection this Expand tool appears in the main bar. But you can't see any changes in the image in Preview window by activating Expand tool

 

2025-08-24_18-28-47.png

 

      

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Aug 25, 2025 Aug 25, 2025

The Expand button is just there, when you have a respective object selected.

And then it is just for expanding that object.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Mentor ,
Aug 25, 2025 Aug 25, 2025

I also noticed by implementing Live Paint Bucket selection enables Expand tool appears in the main bar. But you can't see any changes in the image in Preview window by activating Expand tool. Video is upladed as well.

 

2025-08-25_08-30-25.png

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Aug 25, 2025 Aug 25, 2025

The whole point of Live Paint is that there are no visible changes when expanding. But when you look in the Layers panel the whole time you will of course see a change

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Mentor ,
Aug 29, 2025 Aug 29, 2025
LATEST

Thanks for the help.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines