Move, resize, rotate, align, and round corners

Transform controls help you place and size objects precisely without recreating them.

The representative video demonstrates this exact workflow: Select a rectangle and drag its corner control to change the radius.

Verified result: The selected rectangle has a 48-pixel radius on all four corners.

Adjust rounded cornersSelect a rectangle and drag its corner control to change the radius.Result: The selected rectangle has a 48-pixel radius on all four corners.

Transcript

1. Select the rectangleSelect the rectangle to reveal its corner controls.
2. Adjust the radiusDrag a corner control inward. The live label shows the new radius.

Download the tutorial videoDownload English captions

Before you start

Open an editable file, choose Move or press V, and select an unlocked object. Select two or more unlocked objects before using alignment actions. If handles are too small to use, zoom in or choose Fit selection.

Move an object

Drag the selected object to a new position. Alignment guides appear near useful edges, centers, and spacing positions.

• Press an arrow key to nudge the selection by a small step.
• Hold Shift with an arrow key for a larger step.
• Hold Alt on Windows or Option on macOS while moving when you need to bypass snapping.
• Enter exact X and Y values in the Design panel for precise placement.

Alt-drag or Option-drag does not duplicate an object. Use the duplicate command or Ctrl + D on Windows and ⌘ + D on macOS when you need a copy.

Resize predictably

Drag a corner handle to change width and height together, or use an edge resize area to change one dimension.

• Hold Shift to preserve the displayed aspect ratio.
• Hold Alt or Option to resize from the object’s center.
• Hold both to preserve the ratio while resizing from the center.
• Enter exact W and H values in Design when the result must match a specification.

On touch layouts, use the visible aspect-ratio and resize-from-center controls when offered. A parent with Auto Layout can control a child’s width, height, or position; in that case, adjust the item’s layout setting in Design instead of repeatedly dragging a restricted handle.

Rotate an object

Drag the rotation handle outside the selection. Rotation snaps near common cardinal angles to help you straighten the object. Use the Rotation field in Design when you need an exact angle, or use the touch snapping control when working without a keyboard.

If snapping prevents the angle you want, use the available bypass-snapping modifier or control during the drag, then read the displayed angle before release.

Align or distribute several objects

Select at least two objects, then use the alignment actions in Design to align their left edges, horizontal centers, right edges, top edges, vertical centers, or bottom edges.

Distribution is most useful with three or more objects. Choose horizontal or vertical distribution to make the space between the selected objects consistent. Check which objects are selected before applying an action; locked items may be excluded from the change.

Round rectangle and frame corners

For an object that supports corner radii:

1. Select the object.
2. Find the small corner controls just inside its corners.
3. Drag a control toward the center to increase the radius, or toward the edge to decrease it.
4. Release when the value label shows the radius you want.

All linked corners change together by default. Hold Alt, Option, Ctrl, or ⌘ while dragging a corner control to change only that corner for the current drag.

Shift-click corner controls to choose several corners that should change together on the next drag. Editor v2 clears that temporary corner selection after the drag or when you reselect the object.

For an exact result, use the Corners field in Design. A corner radius cannot exceed half of the object’s shortest side, so a larger value stops at that geometric limit.

Recover from a transform mistake

• Press Escape before releasing an active move, resize, rotate, or corner drag to restore the starting state.
• After release, press Ctrl + Z on Windows or ⌘ + Z on macOS. One continuous drag is one Undo step.
• Use Redo if you undo the correct change by mistake.

If handles or corner controls are missing, zoom in and reselect the object. A locked object must be unlocked in Layers before it can be transformed. Very small objects may hide on-canvas corner controls; the exact fields in Design remain the more reliable choice.