Selection and Alignment
Select multiple objects with Shift+click or a drag rectangle. Then use the Align menu in the toolbar to align their edges or centres, or distribute them evenly.
The Align menu in the top bar collects every positioning command for multi-object selections: align edges or centers, distribute by center spacing or equal gaps, match width or height across objects, rotate 90°, and place objects along a path. All commands work on your current selection and are fully undoable. Use them any time you need precise layout — parallel planting rows, symmetrically arranged furniture, evenly spaced stepping stones, or fence posts at identical intervals along a curve.
Opening the Align menu
When two or more objects are selected, an Align button appears in the top bar. Click it to open the alignment dropdown with six alignment options and two distribution options.
Align Left
Aligns the left edges of all selected objects to the leftmost edge among them.
Align Right
Aligns the right edges of all selected objects to the rightmost edge among them.
Align Center Horizontal
Aligns the horizontal centres of all selected objects to their average centre position.
Align Top
Aligns the top edges of all selected objects to the topmost edge among them.
Align Bottom
Aligns the bottom edges of all selected objects to the bottommost edge among them.
Align Center Vertical
Aligns the vertical centres of all selected objects to their average centre position.
Distribute Horizontally
Distributes the selected objects with equal spacing between them along the horizontal axis. The leftmost and rightmost objects stay in place; all others are repositioned evenly between them.
All alignment commands use each object's bounding box. If you want a cluster of shapes to align as a single unit — for example a pergola with two flanking planters — group them first (press G), then align the group. This prevents the individual members from spreading apart.
Every command in the Align menu is fully undoable. Press Ctrl+Z (Mac: Cmd+Z) immediately after an alignment if the result is not what you expected, then try a different command.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+A / Cmd+A | Select All (visible, unlocked layers) |
| Shift+Click | Add object to selection |
| Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z | Undo last alignment |
Frequently Asked Questions
The Align button is grayed out. Why?
The Align button requires at least one object to be selected before it activates. Select two or more objects to unlock all alignment and distribute commands — most commands need at least two objects to have any meaningful effect.
What is the difference between Distribute and Equal Gaps?
Distribute spaces objects by their center points, so two large objects will have a smaller visible gap between them than two small objects would. Equal Gaps spaces objects by their edges, ensuring every visible gap between neighboring objects is exactly the same size regardless of how large or small each object is.
Which object does alignment snap to — does one stay fixed?
For Align Left and Align Right, the anchor is the leftmost or rightmost object in the selection. For Align Top and Align Bottom, it is the topmost or bottommost. For center alignments, objects move to the average center of the selection. The anchor object itself does not move.
Ctrl+A did not select everything on the canvas. What did it miss?
Select All only includes objects on layers that are both visible and unlocked. Objects on hidden layers or locked layers are deliberately excluded. Open the Layers panel, unhide or unlock the relevant layers, then try Select All again.
Can I align objects that belong to different groups?
Yes. Alignment commands act on the selected objects' bounding boxes regardless of group membership. If you select individual members from different groups, each member aligns independently. If you select whole groups, each group aligns as a unit.