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To make a dotted line in Illustrator, select a path, open Window > Stroke, enable Dashed Line, set the first Dash value to 0, enter a positive Gap, and choose Round Cap. Adjust the stroke weight to change dot size. The labels and panel layout can vary slightly between desktop releases; if you cannot see the controls, open the Stroke panel menu and choose Show Options.
Create a dotted line
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Draw a straight segment with the Line Segment Tool, or make an open or closed path with the Pen Tool. You can also select an existing stroked shape.
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Select the object with the Selection Tool.
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Choose Window > Stroke. If the dash and cap controls are hidden, open the Stroke panel menu and choose Show Options.
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Enable Dashed Line. Set the first Dash field to
0, then enter a positive value in the first Gap field.#1 Best Overall
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Choose Round Cap. Set a visible stroke color and adjust Weight until the dots are the desired size.
For a starting point, try a weight of 4 pt, a dash of 0 pt, and a gap of 8 pt. These are example values, not Illustrator defaults; tune them for the path and final artwork size. Adobe’s Stroke-panel instructions explain how to set dash and gap values and note that Illustrator repeats the pattern automatically.
Control dot size and spacing
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Weight: Increasing stroke weight makes the dots larger; decreasing it makes them smaller. With a zero-length dash and round caps, weight approximately determines each dot’s diameter.
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Gap: Increasing the gap separates the dots; decreasing it brings them closer. The gap is the space in the stroke pattern, while the visible edge-to-edge space also depends on the dot size.
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Dash: Keep it at
0for dots. A positive dash length produces dashes instead. -
Color and opacity: Change the stroke color or opacity to alter the dots’ appearance without changing the pattern.
If you enlarge the dots but want to preserve the same visual rhythm, increase the gap too. Check the pattern at the intended display or print size: a gap that looks clear while zoomed in may be hard to see in a small export.
Apply the pattern to curves and shapes
A dotted line is a stroke appearance, not a separate drawing tool. Apply the same settings to an open Pen Tool curve, circle, ellipse, rounded rectangle, polygon, or other stroked path. This is useful for a map route, decorative flourish, or dotted outline. Adobe describes strokes as attributes that can be applied to selected objects in its Stroke documentation.
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On a curve, the dots follow the path. Tight bends and sharp corners can make the pattern look crowded or uneven. Round Join softens corners, while Miter Join keeps them pointed and Bevel Join cuts them off. Joins control corners; caps control the ends of an open path. Adobe documents those distinctions in its caps and joins guide.
Choose how the pattern fits endpoints and corners
In the Stroke panel, Illustrator offers two dash-alignment approaches for path ends and corners. They trade exact pattern lengths for a more fitted appearance:
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Preserve exact dash and gap lengths: Use this when consistent pattern measurements matter, such as in a technical diagram. The first or last dot may sit at an awkward distance from an endpoint.
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Align dashes to corners and path ends, adjusting lengths to fit: Use this when you want borders and endpoints to look more balanced. Illustrator adjusts the pattern to fit, so the spacing may differ from the entered values.
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On a closed shape, the pattern wraps around the path, and the meeting point between its final and first dots may look uneven. Try the other alignment option, adjust the gap slightly, or move the path’s starting anchor point. Neither option guarantees symmetrical-looking dots on every shape. Adobe explains these choices in its dotted and dashed lines guide.
Make a dashed line instead
To create dashes rather than dots, enable Dashed Line, enter a positive dash length and a gap, and choose a cap style. Butt Cap gives square-ended dashes; Round Cap gives rounded ends. You can enter more dash and gap values to create a repeating custom sequence—for example, a long dash, a gap, a short dash, and another gap. Illustrator repeats the sequence. Adobe’s current desktop guide covers custom patterns and dash alignment.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common problems
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The marks look like pills or dashes: Set the dash to exactly
0and choose Round Cap. A small positive dash value can still make the marks look elongated.Recommended Free Tools
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The dots touch: Increase the gap or reduce the weight. Inspect at the intended output size, since a very small gap can be hard to distinguish at some zoom levels.
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The dots are too small: Increase the stroke weight. A thin stroke can make round ends difficult to see.
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No dots appear: Confirm that the object is selected, its stroke has a visible color and nonzero weight, Dashed Line is enabled, the dash field contains
0, and the gap is positive. If needed, show the full Stroke panel options. -
The spacing looks uneven on a curve: Test both alignment options, adjust the gap, and smooth the path or soften sharp joins where appropriate. Equal intervals along a path can also look different on screen around a tight bend.
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The pattern changes after scaling: Inspect the artwork at its final size. Object transforms and stroke-scaling behavior can affect the appearance, so do not assume the pattern will look the same at every scale.
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The export looks blurred or faint: Very thin dots may disappear or soften in a small raster export, low-resolution preview, or thin print output. Increase the weight if needed and check the exported file at its intended size.
Keep the stroke live or use separate dots?
A live dotted stroke is usually easiest when the path may need editing: change the path or stroke settings and the pattern updates with it. Draw individual circles when dots need different sizes, irregular spacing, or independent movement. A scatter or pattern brush is another option for repeated decorative motifs with more variation, but it involves more setup than a dashed stroke.
Expand the stroke only when a downstream workflow requires actual vector shapes or separate objects. Expansion makes later pattern changes less convenient, so keep a duplicate of the live version before expanding. For more complex layered line treatments, multiple strokes can be combined through the Appearance panel; Adobe’s Stroke documentation describes strokes as part of an object’s appearance.
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