Illustrator

Symbols panel overview

You can use the Symbols panel (Window > Symbols) or the Control panel to manage the symbols for a document. The Symbols panel contains a variety of preset symbols. You can add symbols from symbol libraries or libraries that you create.

Change the display of symbols in the panel

  • Select a view option from the panel menu: Thumbnail View to display thumbnails, Small List View to display a list of named symbols with a small thumbnail, or Large List View to display a list of named symbols along with a large thumbnail.
  • Drag the symbol to a different position. When a black line appears in the desired position, release the mouse button.
  • Select Sort By Name from the panel menu to list the symbols in alphabetical order.

Duplicate a symbol in the panel

Duplicating or copying a symbol in the Symbols panel is an easy way to create a new symbol based on an existing symbol.

 Do one of the following:

  • Select a symbol in the Symbols panel and choose Duplicate Symbol from the panel menu, or drag the symbol onto the New Symbol button.

  • Select a symbol instance and click Duplicate in the Control panel.

Note: If you want to duplicate a symbol instance on the artboard, for example, if you’ve scaled and rotated it and want to add another instance with the same scale and rotation, duplicate the instance. (See Work with symbol instances

Rename a symbol

  1. To rename the symbol, select the symbol in the Symbols panel, choose Symbol Options from the panel menu, and then type a new name in the Symbol Options dialog box.
  2. To rename a symbol instance, select a symbol instance in the artwork, and then type a new name in the Instance Name text box in the Control panel.