Copying attributes between objects


    You can use the Eyedropper tool to copy appearance and color attributes--including transparency, live effects, and others--from any object in an Illustrator file, or from anywhere on the desktop, including another application. You can use the Paint Bucket tool to apply the copied attributes to an object.

    By default, the Eyedropper and Paint Bucket tools affect all attributes of an object. You can use the tool's Options dialog box to customize the list of affected attributes. You can also use the Eyedropper tool and Paint Bucket tool to copy and paste type attributes. (See Copying type attributes.)

To copy attributes using the Eyedropper tool:

  1. Select the object whose attributes you want to change.
  2. Select the Eyedropper tool Eyedropper tool .
  3. Move the Eyedropper tool onto the object whose attributes you want to sample.
  4. Do one of the following:
    • Click the Eyedropper tool to sample all appearance attributes and apply them to the selected object.
    • Shift-click to sample only the color from a portion of a gradient, pattern, mesh object, or placed image and apply them to the selected fill or stroke.
    • Hold down the Shift key and then the Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) key while clicking to add the appearance attributes of an object to the selected object's appearance attributes. Alternatively, click first, and then hold down the Shift key and then the Alt or Option key.

To copy attributes from the desktop to Illustrator using the Eyedropper tool:

  1. Select the object whose attributes you want to change.
  2. Select the Eyedropper tool.
  3. Click anywhere on the document and continue to hold down the mouse button.
  4. Without releasing the mouse button, move the pointer over the object on your computer's desktop whose attributes you want to copy. When directly over the object, release the mouse button.
  5. Important: The Eyedropper tool only samples the RGB color from the screen when sampling anywhere outside the current document. The Eyedropper tool indicates it is sampling RGB color from the screen by displaying a black-colored square to the right of the tool.

To apply attributes using the Paint Bucket tool:

  1. Select the Paint Bucket tool Paint Bucket tool .
  2. Click any object to apply the current attributes, including the current fill and stroke.
  3. If you are working in Outline view or if the object is stroked and not filled, be sure to click the object's outline.

    Tip iconTo toggle between the Eyedropper tool and the Paint Bucket tool, press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) while either tool is selected.

To change the attributes affected by the Paint Bucket or Eyedropper tool:

  1. Double-click the Eyedropper or Paint Bucket tool.
  2. Select the attributes you want to copy with the Eyedropper tool and those you want to apply with the Paint Bucket tool.
  3. Choose the sample size area from the Raster Sample Size menu.
  4. Click OK.