Illustrator 2026 Direct Selection Toolbar Buggy

[DruAriel]

When I select an object, either with the direct selection tool, or with the selection tool  and then switch to the direct selection tool, the tool options bar doesn't display its contents properly if ALL the nodes are selected. Specifically, the options to make selected nodes smooth or corner, and most importantly, the align and distribute functions for nodes are missing. 

However, as soon as I deselect just ONE node, or select fewer than all the nodes to begin with, all those options reappear. Unfortunately, especially for the distribute and align functions, not having all the nodes selected yields substantially different results and makes these rather essential functions unusable.

Is this known behavior? Is there a fix in the works?

[Monika Gause]

THat's how direct selection works in Illustrator. If all the nodes are selected, the whole object is selected.

[DruAriel]

Thanks for the quick reply. Ate you saying, then that the align and distribute functions for nodes are meant to be inaccessible when all the nodes are selected, or is there some other way to get to them?

[Monika Gause]

Yes. If all are selected, you cannot operate with the nodes.

The secret is to select all but one. This has always been the case.