Alignment Guides

Show the guide lines that explain a snap while you move or resize an element.

Alignment Guides is a switch, and it is on by default. You will find it in Settings, under Editor. It is your own preference: it applies to every document you open, follows you to other devices when you are signed in, and changes nothing for anyone else.

SettingsSearch settingsEditorAppearanceKeyboardPanelsAccessibilityToursAI ToolsDocumentsAccountPrivacyEditorCANVASAlignment GuidesAuto-Attach ArrowsElement IndicatorsTopFooterOffMOUSEQuick-Add on HoverMiddle-Mouse PanPOWER USERPower User Mode
Settings open on Editor, with Alignment Guides highlighted and switched on.

What it does

As you drag or resize an element, it snaps into line when an edge or centre comes within a few pixels of a neighbour's, or settles at an equal gap between two others. With Alignment Guides on, a faint dashed line marks each match that is in effect, and a short coloured span marks a matched gap, so you can see why the element jumped. Under the switch the description reads: "Shows snap lines while you move or resize an element, so it lines up with its neighbours."

AB
Dragging B next to A snaps their top edges together; the dashed guide shows the alignment.

The same guides show while you drag an arrow's endpoint or bend, so a connector can line up with the shapes around it.

Turning it off

Switch it off for a cleaner drag with no lines on screen. Switching it off hides the lines only: elements still snap to their neighbours exactly as before, you just no longer see the hint.

To place one element freely, with no snapping at all, hold Cmd (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows and Linux) while you drag or resize it. That turns both the snap and its guides off for that one gesture, whatever this setting says. See Alignment & Snapping.

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