Adobe · Platform not recorded
Combine Shapes in Illustrator With Pathfinder
Source-checked About 10 minutes
Answer
Select shapes, open Window > Pathfinder, choose the operation that matches the result, and retain a copy before destructive expansion.
Prepare the exact task safely
Duplicate the artwork, inspect fill rules, strokes, clipping masks, compound paths, stacking order, and decide whether the result must remain editable.
Select and duplicate shapes
Select only the shapes you want and duplicate them if needed.
Choose the Pathfinder operation
Use Unite, Minus Front, Intersect, or Exclude in Pathfinder.
Inspect the resulting path
Check the resulting path before expanding or releasing it.
Verify the result before relying on it
Repeat the intended result in a harmless test and confirm this outcome: Check the resulting path before expanding or releasing it. Compare the result with the original state and keep the change only when the task, permissions, output, or account remains correct.
Understand the limits and consequences
Pathfinder operations depend on object order and can remove portions permanently after expansion; grouped appearance may differ from a single resulting path.
Use a reversible recovery path
If the result differs from the tutorial, undo only the most recent change when possible, preserve the original account, file, scene, project, or configuration, and compare the exact symptom with the linked Adobe Help Center guidance before making a broader reset. Record the exact before-and-after state, product version, platform, and error so a later support request describes the tested change accurately.
Video walkthrough
If it does not work
- If the wrong region disappears, undo, restore the duplicate, change stacking order or operation, and inspect Outline view before expanding.
Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Platform not recorded.
Follow the linked first-party guidance if labels differ after a platform or app update.