How to Duplicate an Object in Illustrator

In the following tutorial, you will learn how to duplicate in Illustrator.
Once you've learned how to duplicate shapes in Illustrator, you can head over to Envato Elements, where you can get unlimited downloads of stock videos, music, graphics, photos, fonts, and more.
What You'll Learn in This Tutorial
- How to duplicate an object in Illustrator
- How to duplicate shapes in Illustrator
1. How to Duplicate in Illustrator Using Keyboard Shortcuts
Step 1
Pick the Selection Tool (V) or the Direct Selection Tool (A). Hold down the Alt key and simply click and drag the object that you wish to duplicate.



Step 2
Select the object that you wish to duplicate and press the classic Control-C and Control-V commands to duplicate your selection. When you use this technique, the copy is added in the center of your workspace.



Step 3
Select the object that you wish to duplicate and press Control-C to copy it, and then Control-F to paste the copy in front. When you use this technique, the copy is added in the same place, right on top of the original one.



Step 4
Select the object that you wish to duplicate and press Control-C to copy it, and then Control-Shift-V to paste the copy in place. When you use this technique, the copy is added in the same place, but on top of the rest of your design.



Step 5
Select the object that you wish to duplicate and press Control-C to copy it, and then Control-B to paste the copy in the back. When you use this technique, the copy is added in the same place, right below the original one.



2. How to Duplicate in Illustrator Using Menu Commands
Alternatively, you can access all these Copy/Paste... commands with a simple right-click.



Or you can go to Edit in the menu bar.



3. How to Duplicate in Illustrator Using the Layers Panel
Finally, you can duplicate any object via the Layers panel (Window > Layers). Simply drag your object on top of the + (Create New Layer) button to duplicate in Illustrator.



Congratulations! You're Done!
Now that you've learned everything you need to know about duplicating objects in Illustrator, feel free to use these techniques in your future projects.
You can find some great sources of inspiration at Envato Elements, with interesting solutions to improve your design portfolio.
Want to Learn More?
We have loads of tutorials on Envato Tuts+, from beginner to intermediate level. Take a look!
