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Vectorgeek@work
Vectorgeek@work
Inspiring
January 9, 2023
Answered

Illustrator Align Tool locked to align to artboard only. Can't align to selection.

  • January 9, 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 4927 views

I've never had this happen before but I'm trying to align objects and it keeps defaulting to align to artboard. Even when I draw new objects the align to object selection is greyed out. Tried restarting Illustrator and it is still not working. 

Grrrrr!

    Correct answer Vectorgeek@work

    A screenshot wouldn't help since it look like the align to selection is selected. I finally narrowed it down to one of the objects was a placed SVG object and it forced all the other objects to align to the artboard. The fix was to release the SVGs compound path and magically it can now be aligned with the selections. This was so weird!

    4 replies

    W
    Will38704181ku9q
    Participant
    August 22, 2025

    Please make the align tool work like it does in Indesign. 

    A
    after.div
    Known Participant
    July 20, 2025

    ADOBE IS OVERPRICED HSTI SLOW SOFTWARE!

    Larry G. Schneider
    Community Expert
    Larry G. SchneiderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 20, 2025

    Nothing better to do?

    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Community Expert
    Mike_Gondek10189183Community Expert
    Community Expert
    January 9, 2023

    This is a recourring isse. 

     

    Select more than one object, and then you can switch to align to key object. The slecred state is not very obvious as ai a neutral color with black background.

     

    Along time ago Adobe had this the way I myself preferred which was aligned to key object was selected by default, no matter how many objects selected. 

      Monika Gause
      Community Expert
      Monika GauseCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      January 9, 2023

      Can you please show us a screenshot with the selected objects and the Align panel?

       

      It will default to artboard whenever only one object is selected.

        Vectorgeek@work
        Vectorgeek@workAuthorCorrect answer
        Inspiring
        January 9, 2023

        A screenshot wouldn't help since it look like the align to selection is selected. I finally narrowed it down to one of the objects was a placed SVG object and it forced all the other objects to align to the artboard. The fix was to release the SVGs compound path and magically it can now be aligned with the selections. This was so weird!

          Monika Gause
          Community Expert
          Monika GauseCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          January 9, 2023

          Thank you for the feedback.

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