Combine shapes
Join, cut and overlap shapes with Union, Subtract front, Intersect and Exclude to make new outlines.
Combining turns two or more shapes into one new shape. Use it for cut-outs, notches and custom badges that no basic shape draws.
The four ways to combine
| Choice | Result |
|---|---|
| Union | One shape covering everything the shapes cover |
| Subtract front | The shapes in front are cut out of the shape behind |
| Intersect | Only the area where the shapes overlap |
| Exclude | Everything the shapes cover except the area where they overlap |
Combine shapes
Select the shapes
Select two or more shapes that share a parent: rectangles, ellipses, paths, polygons, stars, other combined shapes, or groups of them. Text, images and frames cannot be combined.
Choose how to combine
In Arrange, under Combine, choose Union, Subtract front, Intersect or Exclude. Or right-click, choose Boolean, then Union selection, Subtract selection, Intersect selection or Exclude selection. The keys are Alt+Shift+U, Alt+Shift+S, Alt+Shift+I and Alt+Shift+E.
The result is one layer, named after the operation, placed where the top-most shape was. It takes the fill of the shape that was at the back. The Combine row appears only when the selection can be combined.
Order matters for Subtract front: put the shape you want to cut with in front, and the shape to cut from behind. Use Cmd/Ctrl+] and Cmd/Ctrl+[ to restack first.
Change or finish a combined shape
- Select the combined shape, right-click, choose Boolean and pick another operation to switch it.
- To get the original shapes back, undo straight away with
Cmd/Ctrl+Z. - To turn it into a single path you can edit point by point, press
Cmd/Ctrl+Eto Flatten. See Pen and path editing.
A combined shape is still a shape. Change its Fill, Stroke and Effects like any other.
Try it
Make a ticket-style price tag for the sale card. Draw a rectangle, then a small ellipse over the middle of its left edge. Make sure the ellipse is in front, select both and choose Subtract front. The ellipse leaves a round notch. Fill the result and place the Price on it.
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Updated 1 Nov 2026