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Shape builder tool not working

New Here ,
Feb 04, 2020 Feb 04, 2020

My shape builder tool is not working for some reason. It shows a little anti circle next to the cursor when i try to use the tool. It does not allow me change any options on the tool as well. I tried reseting my settings back to default, restarted the program and tried to make an object on a fresh project but it still did not work. The Shape builder tool is the only tool affected. Can somebody please tell me how to fix this?

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Bug , Performance , Tools
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correct answers 2 Correct answers

New Here , Sep 23, 2024 Sep 23, 2024

You need to have your shape that want marked, then choose shape builder, the "anti circle" should disappear.

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New Here , May 24, 2025 May 24, 2025

Heyy, sorry for late reply, I just seeing this post in 2025 lol, but whoever out there that still struggle with this problem, i have the same issue also.. at first it is so hard to handle because it is my first time using this shape builder tool, the thing we need to do if that happen is
1. make sure that u making more than 1 shape that connect each other (there is no gap between one another)

2. expand your shape to make that anti circle dissepear (select your shape --> object ---> expand) 
anti ci

...
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Adobe
Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2020 Feb 04, 2020

You should read the documentation on the Shape Builder tool:

 

https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/illustrator/using/creating-shapes-shape-builder-tool.html

 

You need to create some shapes to use it on, then select them.

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New Here ,
Nov 11, 2023 Nov 11, 2023

I have the same problem as the person above but the problem i have is i made a heart by making 2 rectangles, rounding the edges and then combining them using shape combiner tool, i clicked to repeat this heart radially and made a "flower" and it has gradient and every piece of the flower has its own gradient and i wanted to combine this hearts in the flower to make just a shape of flower with one gradient

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Community Expert ,
Nov 11, 2023 Nov 11, 2023

Can you please point out what you do not like about that result?

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Community Expert ,
Nov 11, 2023 Nov 11, 2023

To combine them into a single object:

Object > Expand

Pathfinder panel > Unite

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Advocate ,
Feb 04, 2020 Feb 04, 2020

You need to have a few shapes drawn first, then select them in order to use the shape builder function.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2020 Feb 04, 2020

If you were trying to draw shapes with the Shape Builder Tool but there weren't any shapes yet, were you maybe thinking of the Shaper Tool (Shift + N)? Here's more info on the Shaper Tool https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/building-new-shapes-using-shape.html

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New Here ,
Aug 24, 2021 Aug 24, 2021

It doesn't work if shapes are inside the clip group for some reason.

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Participant ,
Apr 07, 2023 Apr 07, 2023

Yes, you are right. If the layers inside a clip group it wont work, wich is enoying when you for example have created the elements in ADobe Fresco, where every layer is placed in a clip group.

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New Here ,
May 01, 2025 May 01, 2025

Finally the best answer

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Guide ,
Aug 28, 2021 Aug 28, 2021

Shape builder does not work when no shapes are selected. Draw the simple shapes which you want to combine, select them and create what you need.

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New Here ,
Sep 23, 2024 Sep 23, 2024

You need to have your shape that want marked, then choose shape builder, the "anti circle" should disappear.

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New Here ,
Apr 09, 2025 Apr 09, 2025

This same thing is happening to me. I can't seem to select any part of the shape, change or adjust anything to remove the anti circle.

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Community Expert ,
Apr 09, 2025 Apr 09, 2025

Can you show your whole workspace (not cropped) with the shape(s) selected and shape builder tool active?

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New Here ,
Apr 18, 2025 Apr 18, 2025

I am having the same problem too. At first, it was working fine and doing it again... now I can't get my items together using the Shape Builder too. 

 

 

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New Here ,
Apr 18, 2025 Apr 18, 2025

Okay, I think I know what happened. I needed to move my rectangle a little bit up, and then use the  Shape builder too. Yeah, you have to move the rectangle above the other shape in order to use the shape builder. It work for me. 

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New Here ,
May 24, 2025 May 24, 2025
LATEST

Heyy, sorry for late reply, I just seeing this post in 2025 lol, but whoever out there that still struggle with this problem, i have the same issue also.. at first it is so hard to handle because it is my first time using this shape builder tool, the thing we need to do if that happen is
1. make sure that u making more than 1 shape that connect each other (there is no gap between one another)

2. expand your shape to make that anti circle dissepear (select your shape --> object ---> expand) 
anti circle should be desspear by now

3.  select your shape again and click that shape builder and just drag and re-shape it whatever u want to build

it should be working by now, hopefully this will help, thanks ❤️

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