Modifying symbol instances


    You can move, scale, rotate, shear (or skew), or reflect symbol instances as you do other objects. You can also perform any operation from the Transparency, Appearance, and Graphic Styles palettes and apply any effect from the Effect menu. However, if you want to modify the individual components of a symbol instance, you must first expand it. This breaks the link between the symbol and the symbol instance.

    You can also modify a symbol instance by associating it with a different symbol.

To expand symbol instances:

  1. Select one or more symbol instances.
  2. Do one of the following:
    • Click the Break Link to Symbol button Break Link to Graphic Style button in the Symbols palette, or choose Break Link to Symbol from the palette menu.
    • Choose Object > Expand. (See Expanding objects.)

    Illustrator places the components of the symbol instance in a group.

To associate a new symbol with an instance:

  1. Select the symbol instance on the artboard.
  2. Select a new symbol in the Symbols palette.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • Click the Replace Symbol button Replace Symbol button .
    • Choose Replace Symbol from the Symbols palette menu.