Illustrator

Split a path

You can split a path, graphics frame, or empty text frame at any anchor point or along any segment. When you split a path, keep the following in mind:

  • If you want to split a closed path into two open paths, you must slice in two places along the path. If you slice a closed path only once, you get a single path with a gap in it.

  • Any paths resulting from a split inherit the path settings of the original path, such as stroke weight and fill color. You may need to reset stroke alignment from inside to outside.

  1. (Optional) Select the path to see its current anchor points.
  2. Do one of the following:

    • Select the Scissors tool and click the path where you want to split it. When you split the path in the middle of a segment, the two new endpoints appear on top of the other, and one endpoint is selected.

    • Select the anchor point where you want to split the path, and then click the Cut Path At Selected Anchor Points button  in the Control panel. When you split the path at an anchor point, a new anchor point appears on top of the original anchor point, and one anchor point is selected.

  3. Use the Direct Selection tool to adjust the new anchor point or path segment.
Note: You can divide an object into separate component faces by using the Knife tool (a face is an area undivided by a line segment).