How to Make Permanent Round Corner Effects in Illustrator

Expand round corners to make the effect permanent.

Adobe Illustrator’s Rounded Corner Effect is a common tool to use when you need to adjust rounded rectangles or convert sharp corner into curves because the rounded corner effects remain live meaning that you can adjust the radius of the corner at any time. However, this also means that you cannot manipulate the corners with any of the tools because the corners are an effect and not a path. Fortunately, Adobe allows you to convert the appearance of the effect into a path making the rounded corners permanent.

Instructions

1. Select the object to which you want to convert to rounded corners.

2. Click on the “Effect” menu, hover over “Stylize” in the Illustrator sections and select “Round Corners.”

3. Click on the “Preview” check box to see the effect. Enter the desired radius for the corners and click “Ok.” Every corner of the object will turn into the specified radius corner.

4. Click on the “Object” menu and select “Expand Appearance” to make the effect part of the path thus making the rounded corners permanent.

References

• DesignShack.Co.CK: 5 Super Easy Illustrator Typography Trick
• ShapeShed.com: Rounding Edges in Illustrator
• The Graphic Mac: Creating Rounded Corner Rectangles in Illustrator