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B.Rotzi
New Participant
December 15, 2020
Answered

Shape Tool creating multiple shapes as I drag

  • December 15, 2020
  • 5 replies
  • 4058 views

I've just recently installed Illustrator 2021 25.0.1 and I keep getting this glitch (?) where as I drag, the shape tool is continously creating shapes with unision to the movement and speed of my mouse.  I can not figure out what is causing this to happen.  I have no third party programs. 

 

Any suggestions would be amazing!

 

Attached are two screenshots of my window to see the massive clump of shapes and the paths, which you can see the general movement of my hand and how it's being continuously made.

Correct answer Larry G. Schneider

The most common way to create this is to hold down the tilde key ( ~ ) while using the mouse. Is it possible that your tilde key is stuck?

5 replies

J
James27172183wu36
New Participant
February 28, 2025

Subject: Solution Found for Illustrator Creating Multiple Shapes

After spending hours trying to figure out this frustrating issue, I finally found a solution!

Here’s what happened: I had updated to the latest version of Adobe Illustrator and, at the same time, updated my Mac software. When I opened Illustrator for the first time after these updates and tried to create shapes—mainly ellipses and rectangles—it would continuously generate multiple shapes as I dragged the mouse to resize.

After some trial and error, I discovered that pressing the tilde (~) key (the squiggly line key in the upper-left corner of the keyboard) resolved the issue. After pressing it once, I was able to create shapes normally again. I tested it further and noticed that while pressing and holding the tilde key, Illustrator reverts to the behavior of creating multiple shapes. However, after releasing the key, I could continue drawing shapes as usual.

It seems like this key may have been "stuck" or activated in a way similar to Caps Lock when I reset my Mac software. If anyone else is experiencing this issue, try pressing the tilde (~) key to see if it resolves the problem.

Hope this helps!

    Monika Gause
    Monika Gause
    Adobe Expert
    February 28, 2025

    You can probably find a setting in the accessibility option in the systems that allows a key to be sticky.

    J
    James27172183wu36
    New Participant
    February 28, 2025

    I have the exact same problem, also imediately after uploading the latest version. 

    don't think it's a stuck key. 

    Monika Gause
    Monika Gause
    Adobe Expert
    February 28, 2025

    Please check if you have one of these running or turned on:

     

    • WhatsApp on the web being the active tab in the browser
    • WebRoot
    • Apple Terminal
    • Word, Excel, Powerpoint
    • »Enable Full Keyboard« in Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard on Mac OS
    • »Keyboard Navigation« in Apple settings > Keyboard
    • Apple Mail, Outlook
    • Spacebar is used as a shortcut by the system
    • Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari
    • Wacom Desktop Center, Wacom settings
    • Windows Touch Pad problem
    • LastPass, Bitwarden (password managers)
    • The VPN
    • LangSwitcher app (it needs to be closed and disabled)
    • Notes
    A
    Apple Of My i
    New Participant
    May 13, 2022

    I'm having the same issue. 
    It was fun for a while, especially with the arc tool, but now it's being an immense pain.

     

    read those replies and
    1. the  tilde (~) key is not pressed

    2. I am using Wacom and there is no S/W glitch, I checked.

    3. there is o os update either for y Mac. 

     

    what do I do next?

    A
    Apple Of My i
    New Participant
    May 13, 2022

    It gets solved on its own after a few hours.
    Heaven knows what happened.

    Monika Gause
    Monika Gause
    Adobe Expert
    December 16, 2020

    It can also be other software interfering. Or some graphic tablet driver. Or a mouse driver.

    So what kind of input devices are you using?

    Larry G. Schneider
    Larry G. SchneiderCorrect answer
    Adobe Expert
    December 15, 2020

    The most common way to create this is to hold down the tilde key ( ~ ) while using the mouse. Is it possible that your tilde key is stuck?

      michelew83603738
      michelew83603738
      Adobe Expert
      December 15, 2020

      Yes, this is what I was thinking. Perhaps you need to clean the keyboard.

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