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duck13
Participating Frequently
January 21, 2013
Answered

Delete just one handle from anchor point

  • January 21, 2013
  • 4 replies
  • 62050 views

I can't seem to find a constant way to delete just one of 2 handles from an anchor point. I can drag the handle into the anchor point, but sometimes it still remains, and can be pulled out. Other times, it seems to disappear, as desired.

I would like to convert to one handle only.

Thanks,

Sonny

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Noel Carboni

    With my copy of Photoshop I can, using the Convert Point tool, convert the point from a two-handle point to a one-handle point (with Alt key down) or a corner point (with no modifier key).

    With the Alt key down I can drag from a corner point to extend a handle in one dimension.

    You folks aren't able to reproduce this?  Could this be a difference between PC and Mac platforms?

    -Noel

    4 replies

    R
    RetouchingWiz
    Participant
    September 12, 2023

    Here’s what I’ve found for converting an anchor point with 2 handles into one handle consistently. The difference is which handle you want to keep, the LEADING or TRAILING handle. Both use the Convert Point tool. On a Mac here so it’s the Option key.

    To delete the LEADING handle, with the Convert Point tool selected, Option (Alt) click the center (anchor point) of a two handled anchor point. You're left with one TRAILING handle.

    You, unfortunately, can not delete the TRAILING handle this way. You can however create a LEADING handle from a corner anchor point with the following work around.

    To delete the TRAILING handle, staring with a two handled anchor point, with the Convert Point tool selected, click on the center. This will convert the anchor point to a Corner point (w/ no handles). With the Convert Point tool selected, Option (Alt) click the center (anchor point) and hold. Now drag away (forward) from the center creating the new LEADING handle. You will now have to recreate the curve but at least it's going the proper direction.

    Hope this helps.
    Bob

    Y
    Yarin22872492gavf
    Participating Frequently
    January 28, 2022

    Here's how you do it in Photoshop 2022: https://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/a/155752/359

    morphinapg
    morphinapg
    Inspiring
    October 7, 2023

    Is there no keyboard shortcut for this?

      A
      ASKrahn
      Participant
      September 20, 2015

      Click on the undesired handle with the "Convert Anchor Point" tool and it should go away.

        N
        Navigator7
        Known Participant
        February 19, 2021

        Bingo!
        Gawd what a sweet discovery!

          Noel Carboni
          Noel Carboni
          Legend
          January 21, 2013

          Maybe try the Convert Point Tool with the Alt key held down?

          -Noel

          D
          duck13Author
          Participating Frequently
          January 21, 2013

          I can't achieve anything more using the Covert Tool vs the Convert Tool with the Alt/Opt key pressed.

          The Convert Tool does one of two things for me:

          It gets rid of BOTH handles if a smooth point, or,

          it adds TWO handles if there are no handles.

          It's easy to create a point with one handle, but to get there FROM 2 handles, evades me.

          A work around is just to drag the handle into the point, accomplishing the same thing. Or, just line it up with the segment. Frustrating, but not really important.

          Thanks,

          Sonny

          C
          Chip Brown
          Participant
          January 21, 2013

          In Illustrator you can drag one handle back to the anchor point to remove it (and the point icon changes slightly when you're on top of it) but not in Photoshop, it's one of the subtle ways the vector engine differs between the two programs. Interesting enough though, you can copy a vector path from Photoshop, paste it in Illustrator and delete one handle, then copy and paste it back in Photoshop with the handle deleted. Not useful but interesting.

          But what is very useful are Smart Objects. You can draw an object in Illustrator then paste it into Photoshop as a Smart Object, afterward if you double click on the layer icon in the layers pallet it will open the shape in Illustrator, you can make changes and save, the results are updated in Photoshop. That way you can take advantage of the more advanced vector tools available in Illustrator, have complicated vector shapes with multiple fill/stroke colors, and maintain a single file work flow in Photoshop. It's all saved as part of a single PSD.

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