Copy & Apply Styles

The Copy Style tool (a format painter) copies the visual style of one element and applies it to others with a click, keeping your diagram consistent.

It works across element types — between shapes, connectors, vector paths, images, tables, and groups — mapping each property to its closest equivalent on the target. If the source carries a custom style variant, the same variant is applied to the target, so even complex looks (custom renderers, glossy effects) carry over faithfully.

Using the Copy Style Tool

  1. Click the Copy Style button (eyedropper icon) in the toolbar, or press I
  2. Click the element whose style you want to copy (the source). The cursor changes from a crosshair to a copy cursor
  3. Click each element you want to restyle (the targets)

The tool stays active, so you can keep clicking targets.

Tip: If exactly one element is selected when you activate the tool, its style is copied immediately — you can go straight to clicking targets.

  • Right-click — forget the copied style and pick a new source
  • Esc — stop and return to the Select tool
  • Cmd+Z — undo a style application

What Gets Copied

SourceCopied properties
Shapes (symbols)Fill, stroke, contour style, shadow, opacity, colour scheme, and text style
ConnectorsLine stroke, start and end arrowheads, opacity, colour scheme, connector style, and text style
Vector pathsThe full renderer stack (fills, strokes, shadows, effects), opacity, and text style
ImagesTint colour, contour, shadow, opacity, and text style
Tables and groupsOpacity (and text style where available)

When the source and target are different types (for example, copying a shape's style onto a connector), the tool copies the properties they have in common — typically opacity, colour scheme, and text style — and skips the rest. When copying between a vector path and a shape, fills, strokes, and shadows are converted between the two formats.

What Doesn't Get Copied

The target keeps its:

  • Position, size, and rotation
  • Text content — only the text styling changes
  • Shape type — a rectangle stays a rectangle
  • Layer and connections

Use Cases

  • Consistency — make all "Process" boxes, "Entity" boxes, or all connectors of one relationship type look the same
  • Reference elements — keep a styled reference element on a separate layer and copy from it as you work
  • Quick rebranding — restyle one element, then propagate the look with a few clicks

For a look you want to reuse across documents, save it as a custom style instead.