Select the Line tool or Pen tool.
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Get started
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Learn the basics
- Illustrator on desktop technical requirements
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- Set properties with precise values
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App preferences and settings
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Learn the basics
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Add and import files
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- New Document dialog overview
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Start new files
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Use generative AI
- Common questions about generative AI features in Illustrator
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Draw shapes and paths
- Learn drawing basics
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Draw shapes
- Draw lines
- Draw line segments with the Pen tool
- Draw curves with the Pen tool
- Draw straight lines with the Pencil tool
- Draw straight lines followed by curves
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- Draw shapes with the Curvature tool
- Preview the path
- Draw freeform paths with the Pencil tool
- Pencil tool options
- Reshape paths with the Pencil tool
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- Modify live shapes
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Modify paths
- Create smooth paths with the Smooth tool
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- Simplify paths advanced options overview
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Manage objects
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Create traces, mockups, and symbols
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Paint and fill
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Learn painting basics
- About fills and strokes
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- Paint with the Live Paint Bucket tool
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- Live Paint limitations
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Apply and edit strokes
- About brushes
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Learn painting basics
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Manage colors
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Select and adjust colors
- About selecting colors
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Use swatches
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Modify colors
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Apply transparency and blending
- Transparency panel overview
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Design with text
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Work with fonts and scripts
- Font browser overview
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- About Adobe Asian composers
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Edit and format text
- Character panel overview
- Transform text
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Use special characters and glyphs
- About character sets and alternate glyphs
- Insert special characters
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- Replace characters with alternate glyphs
- OpenType panel overview
- Use ligatures and contextual alternates
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Create and manage artboards
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Organize and manage artboards
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Manage layers
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Apply special effects and styles
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Automate and visualize data
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Automate actions
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Visualize data
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Automate actions
- Troubleshoot
Snap a line tangent to a curve in Illustrator
Last updated on
Oct 28, 2025
Use snap to tangent to create or edit lines that are perfectly tangential to curves or paths, ensuring clean and accurate geometric connections.
Tangential snapping is useful for creating logos, technical drawings, and designs where lines must meet curves smoothly. It ensures lines touch a curve at exactly one point, eliminating guesswork and improving accuracy when working with circular or organic shapes.
Before you begin
Ensure Geometric Guides are selected in Preferences > Smart Guides.
Draw a new line, or select an existing one to edit near a curve or path.
Drag the line’s endpoint toward a curve or circle. A tangent tooltip and highlight will appear when the endpoint aligns tangentially.
Release the mouse or pen to snap the line to the curve tangentially.
To adjust existing lines and add tangential endpoints, drag the anchor points until the tangent indicator appears.
Tangential snapping is on by default. You can turn it off from Preferences > Smart Guides > Geometric Guides.
Note
Snapping is limited to line endpoints only. Mid-line tangents are not supported.
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