How to Cut a Vector in Illustrator

The short answer

To cut a vector in Illustrator, pick the tool that matches the cut. Use the Scissors tool to split a path at a point. Use the Knife tool to slice a filled shape along a freehand or straight line. Use the Eraser tool to remove an area by painting over it. Use the Shape Builder tool or the Pathfinder panel to delete the regions where shapes overlap. To hide part of a vector without deleting it, use a clipping mask.

A few terms explain what each tool acts on. A path is a line defined by anchor points, which are the fixed points along it, and by the curve segments between them. An open path has two loose ends. A closed path joins back on itself and can hold a fill. A compound path is several paths treated as one object, such as the letter O with its hole. Most cutting tools change the anchor points and segments directly, so the edit is destructive: the original geometry is gone unless you undo or kept a copy.

Which cutting method fits the job

Goal | Tool or command | What it does to the path

Split a line or outline at a specific point | Scissors tool | Breaks the path at the clicked point or anchor. A closed path becomes open, and an open path becomes two paths.

Slice a filled shape into separate pieces | Knife tool | Cuts closed shapes along the line you drag. Each piece becomes its own closed path.

Rub out an irregular area | Eraser tool | Removes the painted area and redraws the edges around the gap.

Delete overlapping parts of a logo mark | Shape Builder tool | Deletes the regions you click or drag over while holding Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS).

Subtract one shape from another with exact geometry | Pathfinder: Minus Front, Divide, Trim | Builds new paths from how the selected shapes overlap.

Remove a single segment or anchor point | Direct Selection tool, then Delete | Deletes the selected point or segment and leaves the rest of the path.

Hide part of the artwork without destroying it | Clipping mask | Shows only the content inside a top shape. The hidden geometry is kept.

Before you cut: prepare a redrawn logo

Logos rebuilt from hand-drawn sketches often start as Image Trace results, live type, or stroked lines. Each of these can block or distort a cut, so prepare the artwork first.

Save a copy of the file, or duplicate the artwork onto a locked, hidden layer. Most cuts can't be reversed once the file is closed.
If the artwork came from Image Trace, expand it with Object > Expand or the Expand button in the Properties panel. Until then it stays a tracing object and you can't edit its anchor points.
If a wordmark is still live type, keep an editable copy. Then convert the working version with Type > Create Outlines (Shift+Ctrl+O on Windows, Shift+Cmd+O on macOS). The text can no longer be retyped or have its font swapped after this.
If parts of the logo are strokes that should behave as solid shapes, convert them with Object > Path > Outline Stroke. Otherwise a cut changes the centerline of the stroke instead of its visible edge.
If a tool isn't visible, check that the full toolbar is showing. On recent versions this is Window > Toolbars > Advanced. The Knife sits in the Eraser tool group, and the Scissors may also sit there.

Split a path with the Scissors tool

Select the Scissors tool (shortcut C).
Click on the path where you want the break. Clicking an existing anchor point splits it there. Clicking a segment adds new anchor points at that spot.
Switch to the Direct Selection tool (A) and drag the new end point to confirm the path has separated.
To remove the unwanted section, make a second cut, select the section between the two cuts, and press Delete.

Check the result: in Outline view (Ctrl+Y or Cmd+Y) the cut part shows as a separate path with open ends. A cut closed shape loses its closed outline, so its fill may look wrong until you rejoin or close it with Object > Path > Join (Ctrl+J or Cmd+J).

Slice a shape with the Knife tool

Select the shapes to cut. If nothing is selected, the Knife cuts every unlocked object under its path.
Select the Knife tool from the Eraser tool group.
Drag across the shape. Hold Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) while dragging for a straight cut, and add Shift to constrain the angle.
Deselect, then click each piece with the Selection tool (V) to confirm it is a separate object.

The Knife works on closed, filled shapes. It is a good way to split a sketched logo mark into pieces for separate colors. A freehand cut follows your hand, so for precise logo geometry use a drawn guide path with Pathfinder instead.

Delete part of a vector with the Eraser or Shape Builder

The Eraser tool (Shift+E) removes whatever you paint over and closes the remaining edges. It is quick for rough cleanup of traced sketches. It also leaves extra anchor points and uneven edges, so it is a poor choice for final logo curves.

For cleaner deletions, draw the cutting shape or line over the artwork.
Select the artwork and the cutting shape together.
Select the Shape Builder tool (Shift+M).
Hold Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) and click or drag across the regions to remove. Illustrator highlights each region before you delete it.
Release and check that only the intended regions are gone. Regions you didn't touch stay as separate shapes, and you can drag across them without the modifier key to merge them.

Cut with exact geometry using Pathfinder

Open Window > Pathfinder. Place the cutting shape on top of the artwork, select both, and choose a Pathfinder mode. Minus Front subtracts the top shape from the one beneath it. Divide splits all the overlapping shapes into separate pieces, which are grouped afterward. Trim removes the hidden parts of shapes behind others. With Divide or Trim, ungroup the result and delete the pieces you don't need. When you hold Alt or Option while clicking a Shape Mode button, Illustrator makes a compound shape that you can still edit. It doesn't become plain paths until you click Expand in the panel.

Hide instead of cut: clipping masks

If you might need the removed area later, draw a shape over the area you want to keep. Put it at the top of the stacking order, select it with the artwork, and choose Object > Clipping Mask > Make (Ctrl+7 or Cmd+7). This is useful during redrawing, but hidden geometry inside a delivered logo file can confuse printers and anyone editing the file later. For final artwork, release the mask or replace it with a real Pathfinder cut.

Confirm the cut and prepare the logo for delivery

View the artwork in Outline view (Ctrl+Y or Cmd+Y) and look for overlapping duplicates, leftover slivers, or paths that should be closed.
Remove stray anchor points with Select > Object > Stray Points and then Delete, or with Object > Path > Clean Up.
In the Layers panel, confirm that no hidden or masked content you meant to delete is still there.
Zoom in on cut edges, especially on letterforms, and check that curves meet cleanly without small notches.
Check that outlined type matches the approved wordmark, and keep the live-type master file separately.
Save a native master file. Then export the formats the job needs, such as PDF or EPS for print or SVG for screens. Reopen each export to confirm the cut paths survived.

A file saved as AI, EPS, PDF or SVG can still contain embedded raster images. The file extension alone doesn't prove the content is all vectors, or that you have permission to change or reuse a logo.

Gaps in this guide

No version-specific documentation was supplied for this article. The tool names, menu paths and shortcuts above reflect common Illustrator behavior, but toolbar layouts, tool groupings and some panel options change between releases. Check these commands against the Illustrator version you use before relying on them in a production workflow.