# Pen tool and path editing

## **Path editing**

![](https://content.cuttle.xyz/learn/pen-tool-and-path-editing/eb7740f9089b71b37c4bafe87fb7235b0961447e489b55e9b7c10cf814172c2d.gif)

With the select tool, you can double-click a path to edit its anchors.

![](https://content.cuttle.xyz/learn/pen-tool-and-path-editing/0ce261f0b057c31bcba69447df2fbde7e47642f6ff770a1a7931b67e9560612c.gif)

Double-click on a segment along the path to insert a new anchor.

![](https://content.cuttle.xyz/learn/pen-tool-and-path-editing/5225d3ee766b4d3f55616e292fe3ce03fb4a30e99b0caf949736bf22c1508298.gif)

Double-click an anchor to convert it from a point to a smooth curve or vice versa.

![](https://content.cuttle.xyz/learn/pen-tool-and-path-editing/03b7cf5e4d2af705e8de381a6b63ced6110379177c220fa56a1479714c819b8a.gif)

Drag a segment to bend it.

![](https://content.cuttle.xyz/learn/pen-tool-and-path-editing/e4fb18d648347673d9a1d2e931173afbbaef76b1624c3b278bfa32d8dcca3d46.gif)

Double-click the background to finish editing the path.

## **Deleting Segments**

![](https://content.cuttle.xyz/learn/pen-tool-and-path-editing/4ae2b57041547303d768371446a2597b7def824a353814543fa4a9566cef3ba3.gif)

Double-click to edit the path. Click a segment to select it. Hit `Delete` to delete it. You can also delete multiple segments at once.

## **Editing built-in shapes as paths**

![](https://content.cuttle.xyz/learn/pen-tool-and-path-editing/6acaee8ec831c098b39f308ff3c80e75426737f46051a8f678689cce4b18f765.gif)

If you’d like to edit a built-in shape (like Rectangle or Polygon) as a path, you’ll need to do Edit > Convert to Paths. Then you can double-click it to make edits.

## **Keyboard Shortcuts**

![](https://content.cuttle.xyz/learn/pen-tool-and-path-editing/2e79e4e34c4b6f07b7d96dd93501d1a02dd8c739539be18dac71069f4b2ee17f.gif)

Press `P` to switch into the Pen tool, or `V` to switch back into the Select tool.

When drawing a path, press `Esc` to finish drawing the path and start drawing a new path. This is handy for drawing several open paths in a row.