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How do you flatten in Illustrator?

Last updated on September 24, 2022 @ 6:54 pm

Flattening in Illustrator can be a bit of a hassle, but it’s definitely not impossible. In this article, we’ll show you how to do it using a few simple steps.

First, make sure that the object you want to flatten is selected. You can do this by clicking and dragging it around, or by using the Selection tool (the black arrow in the toolbar).

Now, click on the Flatten button (the one with a squished triangle) in the Transparency panel.

This will open the Flatten dialog box. In here, you’ll need to specify which objects you want to flatten.

You can do this by selecting them one by one, or by group selecting them (click on the group, and then select all the objects in it).

PRO TIP: When flattening in Illustrator, be sure to first rasterize any type or placed images, as they will not flatten otherwise. Additionally, check that all objects are on the same layer before flattening, or they may not combine correctly.

Once you’ve selected the objects, click on the OK button.

Now, your object should be flattened. You can check this by looking at the Transparency panel.

If the object is completely flattened, the panel will be filled with a white background.

If you’re not happy with the result, you can repeat the steps above, but this time you’ll need to click on the Reflatten button instead of the OK button. This will restore the original object.

In conclusion, flattening objects in Illustrator can be a bit of a hassle, but it’s definitely not impossible. With a bit of practice, you’ll be able to do it quickly and easily.

Madison Geldart

Madison Geldart

Cloud infrastructure engineer and tech mess solver.