Working with Objects > Breaking apart groups and objects

Breaking apart groups and objects

To separate groups, text blocks, instances, and bitmaps into ungrouped editable elements, you use the Break Apart command. Breaking apart significantly reduces the file size of imported graphics.

Breaking apart is not entirely reversible, and it affects objects as follows:

It severs a symbol instance's link to its master symbol.
It discards all but the current frame in an animated symbol.
It converts a bitmap to a fill.
It converts text characters to outlines.

The Break Apart command should not be confused with the Ungroup command. The Ungroup command separates grouped objects into discrete components, returning grouped elements to the state they were in prior to grouping. It does not break apart bitmaps, instances, or type, or convert type to outlines.

To break apart groups or objects:

1 Select a group, text block, bitmap, or symbol that you want to break apart.
2 Choose Modify > Break Apart.

Note: Breaking apart animated symbols, or groups within an interpolated animation, is not recommended and might have unpredictable results. Breaking apart complex symbols and large blocks of text can take a long time. You might need to increase the application's memory allocation to properly break apart complex objects.