Illustrator

Symbol libraries

Symbol libraries are collections of preset symbols. When you open a symbol library, it appears in a new panel (not the Symbols panel).

You select, sort, and view items in a symbol library the same as you do in the Symbols panel. However, you can’t add items to, delete items from, or edit the items in symbol libraries.

Open symbol libraries

 Do one of the following:

  • Choose Window > Symbol Libraries > [symbol].

  • Choose Open Symbol Library in the Symbols panel menu, and choose a library from the list that appears.

  • Click the Symbols Library Menu button on the Symbols panel, and choose a library from the list that appears.

To automatically open a library when you start Illustrator, choose Persistent from the library’s panel menu.

Move symbols from a library into the Symbols panel

A symbol is automatically added to the Symbols panel whenever you use it in a document.

 Click a symbol in a library.

Create symbol libraries

  1. Add the symbols you want in the library to the Symbols panel, and delete any symbols you don’t want.
    To select all symbols that aren’t used in a document, choose Select All Unused from the Symbols panel menu.
  2. Choose Save Symbol Library from the Symbols panel menu.
  3. Save the new library to the default Symbols folder. The library name will automatically appear in the Symbol Libraries submenu and the Open Symbol Library submenu.

    If you save the library to a different folder, you can open it by choosing Open Symbol Library > Other Library from the Symbols panel menu. Once you open it using this process, it will appear in the Symbol Libraries submenu with the other libraries.

Import a symbol library from another document

  1. Choose Window > Symbol Libraries > Other Library or choose Open Symbol Library > Other Library from the Symbols panel menu.
  2. Select the file from which you want to import symbols, and click Open.

    The symbols appear in a symbol library panel (not the Symbols panel).