Width Tool not Working in Adobe Illustrator CC

You've probably noticed that sometimes you're not able to use the width tool on some strokes. Find out why and how to fix it!
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[@GDHT]

Learn how to ETHICALLY get Adobe CC free (or cheap) here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5OVo5-JaMmGoLM

[@lovina9]

I had been so frustrated with the Width Tool! Thank you for solving the mystery!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome - I'm glad I could help!

[@FraternalHouse]

Yes, that Basic Brush is the ticket. Now my Width Tool works GREAT. Thanks

[@GDHT]

Oh that is great!!

[@xraylover]

Hi Anne, Ive been wondering for a while why my width tool wouldn't work occasionally. your video has been invaluable to me. Thank you, I have been watching more of your videos and I am now subscribed :-) keep up the good work.

[@GDHT]

Thank you so much!! I'm so glad it helped!!

[@itswafflebob]

Great explanation! This definitely fixed one of my issues I was having. Another cause I experienced was a clipping mask on the stroke that I was attempting to use the width tool on. Once I released the clipping mask, I was able to see all of the width adjustments I'd made.

[@GDHT]

Oh ok - that is good to know!!

[@MutantMelo]

Solved my issue in seconds, thank you for the great video and thoughtful information!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome - I'm so happy it helped!!

[@veziop]

SIDENOTE: if you it's still not working, make sure your stroke alignment is set to 'Center'

[@GDHT]

Thank you for adding this!

[@brenda000maciel6]

my savior

[@magnipgaming2058]

how about width tool not working after you use draw inside, that's my problem after i draw inside to add some shadow to an oval shape the width line of my oval goes back to normal, and i don't like those i want to have some parts are thick line and some part are thin but its working when i adjust the width in some parts its also apply to the whole border line of my oval

[@GDHT]

I rarely use draw inside, but when I tested this, I could use the width on the inside draw areas BUT if I had the width on the container shape, it would stop working there. I think I would just use a mask instead.

[@zekezachzoom]

THANK YOU! I was struggling for a full 10 mins and just about to give up!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome - I'm so glad it was helpful!

[@kennethlalo411]

Whew! Thank you. Was thinking something was wrong with my settings 😅

[@GDHT]

You’re welcome 😊

[@Nirav_P]

Thanks dear, it was very needed and i was confused as I recently started learning AI. Appreciate a lot...

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!!

[@EmanuelTiago]

Obrigado, vim do Brasil só pra pegar essa dica com você, criatura linda!

[@GDHT]

Awww, muito obrigado!

[@juliaarmstrong439]

Thank you dear friend! You are the one who explained this correctly!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!!

[@sergiomendesaguila3694]

Thank you so much ! I´ve just discoverd this width tool and I wasn´t able to use it with brush strokes. Thank you so much for your help

[@GDHT]

You're welcome - I'm so glad the video helped!!

[@BeotQbta]

Hi! when I use a pen tablet with the calligraphic brush, I can't get the end of the line be thin too, always end up thick, no matter if I remove pressure, does this have anything to do with that?

[@GDHT]

Do you get any pressure at all with the pen, or is it all the same width?

[@BeotQbta]

@@GDHT I get pressure only at the start of the line, then I apply pressure to make it thick but when I want to release pressure to make it thin again it keep the same thick

[@speakstheobvious5769]

THANK YOU!... this was diving me nuts.

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!! I'm glad it helped!

[@aaronvillanueva2239]

exactly what I needed! Thanks!

[@GDHT]

Awesome! You're welcome!

[@LindsayJo-Crenshaw]

Thanks so much for providing a quick and easy answer!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome! And thank you! :)

[@Turtinga]

@ Hi, still can't get the answer into the problem I have with illustrator. I was drawing with the pen tool and used live paint, I think that's where I have the problem to edit anything after I use live paint..? I really need to edit those strokes, please advise :) thank you!

[@Turtinga]

I ve answered my own question lol just clicked on object > live paint > release. It works now! :)

[@GDHT]

When you say "I need to edit those strokes" do you mean paths? You can still use your direct select tool to move points and paths, etc after live paint. You can also change the stroke size and color.

[@GDHT]

It does look like you lose the width effects when using Live Paint. Why not just fill the shape normally (instead of using live paint)?

[@Turtinga]

@@GDHT I am begginer at illustrator, been using it for only over a month, so still learning from my own mistakes. It's pretty easy to use I could say. OK, I just managed to use without live paint this time, but still doesn't let me use the width tool after I coloured the drawing. So I do need to use width tool before I paint..

[@GDHT]

@@Turtinga Oooh another option is to expand the live paint object (Object > Expand), then you can use the width tool after...but your stroke needs to be a regular stroke (not a paintbrush stroke, if that makes sense).

[@cheungchoiwan6402]

Expalanation so clearly, thank you

[@GDHT]

You're welcome - I'm so glad it was helpful!

[@charliecross2]

Straightforward and useful. Thanks for the help!

[@GDHT]

I'm glad it helped. You're welcome!!

[@stephanieflores158]

thank you!!! this was driving me nuts!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!

[@stevekobb3850]

Thanks! Very helpful.

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!!

[@manibharathi5162]

Thank u very much for uploading this video

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!! 😊

[@jonascarrillo8699]

Thanks a lot. This was exactly what I was looking for. :)

[@GDHT]

Awesome! I'm so glad it helped!

[@uzublecker]

thank you! listed in my "watch later" if I forget how to :P

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!! I'm glad it was helpful - thank you so much!!

[@foodlover5471]

you really great graphic designer

[@GDHT]

Thank you so much!!

[@DrewZilla_Art]

that was very helpful! Thank you. :)

[@GDHT]

You're welcome - I'm so glad it was helpful!

[@1mBona]

Magic! Thanks so much!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!

[@rainaluthfia5663]

Thank you so much for the tips! 😊

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!!

[@vungochung]

Damn, you save my time, thanks very much!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome! 😊

[@michaelking1579]

Thanks, Ann. This was making me crazy!

[@GDHT]

You’re welcome!

[@geborevrouw4306]

Thank you. This was very helpful. 👍

[@GDHT]

You're very welcome!

[@awsqrn]

You are a life saver!

[@GDHT]

Aww thank you!!

[@dinarahereikhanova8331]

Thank you so much!!! 🥰

[@GDHT]

You’re welcome 😊

[@natalyadyukina9099]

Thank you a lot! You save me!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!

[@mohammadnsr8495]

thanks for your help. you are my hero☻

[@GDHT]

You're welcome! Glad I could help!

[@Joe-oq2zn]

solved my problem! THANK U!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome! :) I'm so glad to hear that!

[@uniqueplayer6174]

It was very helpful Peace be upon on you sister

[@GDHT]

Thank you - I'm so glad it was helpful!

[@eeshaanchan1057]

God bless you ma'am, thank you.

[@GDHT]

Thank you!!

[@abdussamad4358]

How to use width tool for a curve drawn by pen tool??

[@GDHT]

You can use it the same way as a brush, it just can't have a stroke profile on it.

[@abdussamad4358]

@@GDHT Thank you

[@GDHT]

@@abdussamad4358 you're welcome!!

[@ilyaeuteneier]

Great! Thanks!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome! And thank you!

[@jesperwejaker]

THANK YOU!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!

[@iqrahabib2316]

Really help ful

[@GDHT]

Thank you!!

[@majorthebest1220]

Thank you very much

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!

[@alkabey]

Thank you

[@GDHT]

You’re welcome 😊

[@leonardoleonardo3191]

thank you miss

[@GDHT]

You're welcome 😊

[@markus5888]

OMG!!! Thats why! TY😁

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!!

[@PolymerJones]

so I have to use the small pencil dot that's all I can do for this?

[@GDHT]

No, there are a few different brushes that it'll work with. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3iXnJ6OftqUpck

[@MiketheNerdRanger]

Okay, so this *only* works on strokes. Is there a tool like this for objects?

[@GDHT]

...SORT of. There are a bunch of tools under the Width tool (warp, twirl, pucker, etc). Here's a video about them: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5CtmKFjmc2gjM0

[@ArtandKitchen_]

thanks!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!

[@sebastians_]

I downloaded a free outline icon, but I still can't use the width tool to make the icons lines thinner :(

[@GDHT]

Are you sure the 'outlines' aren't actually fills? A lot of outlines in free online vectors are expanded, meaning they become fills. It also sounds like you are actually wanting to decrease the stroke (width), not use the width tool.

[@sebastians_]

@@GDHT thank you. looks like they were fills, so I had to manually make it smaller on each point ;)

[@GDHT]

Ok I see, yes that's always a challenge! Another option is to do an offset path with a negative number (results vary). :)

[@itattyh]

WOW!!! Thank youuuuuuuuu!! You help me in 3 sec hahaha

[@GDHT]

You're welcome! I'm so happy it helped!!

[@divyanshusingh9233]

In my case even after using pencil tool i am unable to use width tool

[@GDHT]

So you're just using the regular pencil with no effects applied, right?

[@012anon]

bless you. you saved me

[@GDHT]

So happy to hear that! :D

[@dv114]

you're amazing

[@GDHT]

Thanks!

[@VincentGohStudio]

No wonder. Thanks!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!

[@nekokna]

i just discovered it also does not work if the line is not the most common type, for example one that is on the inside of the border or the exterior

[@GDHT]

Oooh that's good to know; thank you!

[@suriyashankaran867]

Love from india 😘😘

[@GDHT]

🙏

[@leonardopereira6958]

THANK YOUUUUUUUU

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!!

[@augustoschndr]

I LOVE YOU

[@GDHT]

Haha thank you!

[@PolymerJones]

why can't i just do this with any stroke it's 2020

[@GDHT]

Not sure; you could ask Adobe themselves! :) www.adobe.com/products/wishform.html

[@sheikhmuhammadadnan3]

nice

[@GDHT]

Thank you!

[@foodlover5471]

Love you mem

[@GDHT]

Thank you so much!

[@TheCronPlayer]

Nope, still not working! :(

[@GDHT]

What are you using to draw the line (pencil, brush, etc)?

[@TheCronPlayer]

@@GDHT Ahh how foolish of me.. I used the pen tool ^^

[@GDHT]

@@TheCronPlayer the pen tool should work too! But make sure your path has a stroke, and make sure there are no brushes or stroke profiles applied.

[@ЕленаЖуравская-ц4и]

Thank you so much! You helped me a lot ❤

[@GDHT]

You're welcome - I'm so glad I could help!

[@davidvandrunen3516]

Thank you!

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!

[@graphicfanta2167]

Thank you

[@GDHT]

You're welcome!