Alignment & Distribution
Align and distribute objects precisely to create professional, organized diagrams.
Alignment Options
Horizontal Alignment
Align selected objects along a horizontal axis:
- Align Left: Aligns left edges of all selected objects
- Align Center: Aligns horizontal centers
- Align Right: Aligns right edges
Vertical Alignment
Align selected objects along a vertical axis:
- Align Top: Aligns top edges of all selected objects
- Align Middle: Aligns vertical centers
- Align Bottom: Aligns bottom edges
Accessing Alignment
Menu
Go to Format → Align and choose your alignment option:
- Align Left
- Align Center Horizontally
- Align Right
- Align Top
- Align Center Vertically
- Align Bottom
Keyboard Shortcuts
Quick alignment shortcuts:
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Align Left | Cmd+Shift+L |
| Align Right | Cmd+Shift+R |
| Align Top | Cmd+Shift+T |
| Align Bottom | Cmd+Shift+B |
| Align Center Horizontally | Cmd+Shift+H |
| Align Center Vertically | Cmd+Shift+V |
Inspector Panel
When multiple objects are selected, alignment buttons appear in the Geometry section of the Inspector.
Distribution
Distribute objects evenly to create consistent spacing.
Distribute Horizontally
Spaces objects evenly along the horizontal axis, maintaining equal gaps between them.
Distribute Vertically
Spaces objects evenly along the vertical axis, maintaining equal gaps between them.
Accessing Distribution
Menu
Go to Format → Distribute:
- Distribute Horizontally
- Distribute Vertically
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Distribute Horizontally | Cmd+Option+H |
| Distribute Vertically | Cmd+Option+V |
How Alignment Works
Reference Object
When aligning multiple objects:
- The first selected object or the largest object typically serves as the reference
- Other objects move to align with the reference
- The reference object stays in place
Selection Order
To control which object is the reference:
- Click the object you want as reference first
- Shift-click to add other objects to selection
- Apply alignment
How Distribution Works
Edge Distribution
Objects are distributed based on their edges:
- Left/Right edges for horizontal distribution
- Top/Bottom edges for vertical distribution
Minimum Selection
Distribution requires at least 3 objects:
- The first and last objects define the boundaries
- Middle objects are evenly spaced between them
Tips
- Use Smart Guides: Enable smart guides for visual alignment feedback while dragging
- Combine operations: Align left first, then distribute vertically for a neat column
- Grid snap: For consistent spacing, enable snap to grid before aligning
- Group after aligning: Lock your layout by grouping aligned objects (Cmd+G)