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Pen and selection shortcuts

Pen tool

Cursor What it does How to activate
Pen cursor Adjust last tangent without the smooth constraint allowing you to make a sharp corner Click + hold ALT
Pen cursor Aligns the new point horizontally, vertically, or diagonally based on the closest plane of the clicked point Click + hold SHIFT+ALT
Pen insert cursor Adds a new point at location of click Click
Pen adjust cursor Click the selected end point to reduce the last tangent to zero length Hover over an end point and click
Pen adjust cursor Use while modifying a tangent Click and drag
Pen delete cursor Removes a point at the location where a point is clicked Hover over existing point and then click
Pen close cursor Click on the non-active start or end point to close a path with a sharp corner With a start point or end point active, hover over the non-active start point or end point and then click
Pen close cursor Close a path with a smooth point Click and drag
Pen extend cursor Indicates that the mouse pointer is over an end point or start point and can be extended at the next click Hover over a start point or end point
Pen join cursor Creates a sharp corner on click when 2 paths are joined Select 2 paths, click the Pen tool, hover over an open point of one of the paths and when the Pen extend cursor appears, click the point. Hover over an open point on the other path to see the Pen join cursor , and then click the point to join the 2 paths sharply.
Pen join cursor Creates a smooth corner on click and drag when 2 paths are joined Select 2 paths, click the Pen tool, hover over an open point of one of the paths and when the Pen extend cursor appears, click the point. Hover over an open point on the other path to see the Pen join cursor , click the point, and then drag before letting go of the mouse click to join the 2 paths smoothly.
Pen start cursor Create a new path Click
Pen start cursor Creates a tangent to start a curve Click and drag
Pen tangent cursor Indicates that a tangent is being dragged With the Pen extend cursor showing, press and hold the mouse down on an open point

Direct Selection tool

Cursor What it does How to activate
Move point cursor Makes tangent handles appear for a point on a path Click a point on a path
Move point cursor Moves a point on a path Click and drag a point on a path
Move segment cursor Makes tangent handles appear for a segment between two points on a path Click a segment of a path
Move segment cursor Moves a segment between two points on a path Click and drag a segment of a path
Move tangent cursor Changes the angle of a tangent for a point on a path Click a point or a segment of a path to make the tangent handles appear, and then click and drag one of the tangent endpoints
Convert cursor Moves you into tangent-editing mode Press ALT
Convert point cursor Makes a point into a sharp corner or reduces the tangent to zero Press ALT while hovering over a point and then click
Convert point cursor Makes any sharp corner smooth (if already smooth, changes the angle of the curve as it passes through the clicked point) Press ALT while hovering over a point and then click and drag
Convert segment cursor Changes a curve segment into a straight line Press ALT while hovering over a segment in a path and then click
Convert segment cursor Takes a segment and bends it into a curve to pass through the mouse position Press ALT while hovering over a segment in a path and then click and drag
Convert tangent cursor Adjust the selected tangent independently of the other side Direct select a point or a segment, press ALT, hover over a tangent point in a path, and then click and drag