Stop Spacing Objects Manually in Adobe Illustrator & Use the Distribute Tool Instead
- Rachel Rains
- Aug 5
- 2 min read
If you've ever found yourself manually nudging objects into place in Adobe Illustrator, you're definitely not alone. Whether you're creating punch cards, icons, social graphics, or other designs with repeating elements, evenly spacing objects by hand can be tedious and frustrating.
Fortunately, the Adobe Illustrator Distribute Tool does the work for you in just a few clicks, helping you evenly space objects without the hassle of manual adjustments.
Use Illustrator's Distribute Tool
In this quick tutorial, Steven demonstrates how to use Illustrator's Horizontally Distribute Center command to evenly space multiple objects across an artboard.
In this example, he's designing a punch card that requires 13 evenly spaced circles. Instead of dragging each circle into position manually, he simply:
Selects all of the circles
Navigates to Object > Distribute
Chooses Horizontally Distribute Center
Instantly, Illustrator spaces every object evenly across the selected area.
After that, it's as simple as grouping the row, duplicating it, and using Snap Guides to align the second row.
Why This Matters
Small Illustrator shortcuts like this can save a surprising amount of time, especially when you're working with repetitive layouts or production files.
Using the Distribute tool helps you:
Create perfectly even spacing
Improve design consistency
Reduce manual adjustments
Speed up repetitive tasks
Work more efficiently in Adobe Illustrator
It's one of those features that's easy to overlook until you start using it regularly.
Watch the Tutorial
Watch the video below to see exactly how Steven uses Illustrator's Distribute tool to evenly space objects in just a few seconds.
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