Isolation Mode Overview

Entering isolation mode allows you to isolate an object, group, clipping group or sublayer. This means the object(s) you are isolating will appear in the foreground and all other objects will be both dimmed and locked. This allows you to concentrate on the objects you currently want to edit. You can think of it kind of like entering Superman’s Fortress of Solitude. Entering this mode allows you to easily see, select and edit shapes without having to worry about accidentally selecting and moving something else.  If the object you are editing is normally partially hidden behind other objects, entering isolation mode hides the objects above it giving you an unobstructed view.

Isolation mode is so easy to get into, you literally just double-click an object or group, and you have probably entered isolation mode already and wondered why things looked different and that you could only select certain things.

In this illustrator tutorial, you will learn a variety of ways to enter and exit isolation mode, how to drill down into nested groups, and use the Isolation Mode Bar to know where you’re at and navigate your way through nested groups.

4 Ways to Enter Isolation Mode

  1. Double-click the object, group, or clipping group you wish to edit, or
  2. Use the enter Enter Isolation Mode button on the control panel, or
    enter isolation mode using the button on the control panel
  3. Select the layer of the object, group, clipping group or sublayer you wish to isolate, and then choose Enter Isolation Mode from the Layers panel options, or
    enter isolation mode from the layers panel
  4. Right-Click the group you want to edit and choose to Isolate Selected Group from the flyout context menu (you may have to do this more than once for a nested group).
    Isolate Selected Group from the contenxt menu

How to Tell if you are in Isolation Mode

The grey Isolation Mode Bar will appear at the top of the screen (just below where the ruler displays. The object or group you selected will move to the foreground and everything else will be dimmed and undetectable. The Layer panel will show a thumbnail of your object or group with the title “Isolation Mode”.  See below: The first image is the normal view of a DVD cover design – compare this to the view where the photo of the dog has been isolated.

illustrator (nomal view) not in isolation)

part of design isolated using illustrators isolation mode

How to Get Out of Isolation Mode

You have made your edits and now you want to get back to editing other parts of your artwork.

  1. Double-click on a clear area on the artboard  (my preferred method as my right-hand will already be on the mouse), or
  2. Click the ESC button on your keyboard, or
  3. Choose the Exit Isolation Button on the Control Panel, or
    exit isolation mode from the control panel
  4. Choose Exit Isolation Mode from the Layer Panel Options, or
    exit isolation mode from layers panel options
  5. Use the left-facing arrow icon on the Isolation Mode Bar (you may have to click this several times if you are in a nested group).
    isolation bar with circle move up one level arrow

Drilling Down through Nested Groups

A note on nested groups. Illustrator allows you to create a group, and then create another group that contains the first group and something else.  You can end up with a group, inside a group inside another group, and on and on many levels deep.  Imagine,  if you were drawing a face. The iris of each eye might be a group of wiggly lines, these could be grouped to keep them together, and the lashes of the eye could be another group, that could then be grouped with the rest of the eye and then the eye and eyebrow could be grouped together. Then there could be a separate nested group for the other eye.

See the nested group diagram below

diagram of a nested group in illustrator

Using the example of the Face nested groups above. If you wanted to work on the iris of the left eye you would:

  • Double-click the face group,
  • Double-click the left eye group,
  • Double-click the eye group,
  • and finally, double-click the iris group to then edit the individual shapes that make up the iris.

We call this drilling down. You enter isolation mode and work your way down through the group hierarchy till you get to the specific group you want to edit. I used the double-click method to enter isolation mode because that’s my preferred choice in real life, but you could substitute another method you prefer.  The important thing to remember is that this is a step-by-step process.  When I am building an illustration I group things that I will typically want to move together, like the lines of the iris or the eye as a whole.

You have already learned it is easy to exit Isolation mode but what if you just want to move to a different group in the group hierarchy?  Then we use the options from the Isolation Mode Bar.  You can choose the left arrow to move one level up at a time in the group hierarchy or use the breadcrumb trail that shows the various groups, the underline indicates each group is a clickable link, click on the group’s link to move a couple of levels up, or you can return out to the layer you are on by clicking the layer name.

isolation mode bar showing nested group breadcrumb navigation

Final Thoughts

Using isolation mode is one of several ways to control what you see or have the ability to select shapes, groups, and other objects while working on a complex file. I like isolation mode because it is quick and easy to enter, exit, and navigate through.  If you are not familiar with locking and lock objects and layers or hiding and showing objects and layers I suggest checking out those methods for controlling selections as well.  The more methods you know and actually use on a regular basis will see your workflow speed up exponentially.