[Requested Illustrator Tip] Edit Styles in Multiple Text Boxes at Once

This page may contain links from our sponsors. Here’s how we make money.

This Illustrator quick tip was requested by Chris. Chris asks, “I want to make a global change to the FONT or STYLE of a bunch of text boxes (each with different text inside them) at once. Is there a way to do this?” As a matter of fact, there are a couple different solutions, both of which take no time at all, however, graphic styles must be applied differently, but we can take care of all of the font formatting with ease. Let's get started.

Edit Styles in Multiple Text Boxes in Illustrator at Once

Step 1:

Ok, let's say for example, you have all of the different text boxes like in this image, and you want to change all of the, sizes, and fonts, and colors to match the text box on the bottom right. In that case, step 1 would be to fine tune your text formatting in the bottom right text box and get it exactly the way you want it.

Text in box in lower right corner

Step 2:

Shift + Select all of the text boxes except for the one you want to match.

Multiple text boxes selected except the one you want to match

Step 3:

Select your Eyedropper Tool, or hit (I).

Select eye dropper tool

Step 4:

Click your Eyedropper Tool on the text box on the bottom right. (The one you want to copy, font and size, etc. from) and it applies the formatting from that text box to all of the other selected text boxes! And Done 🙂 It won't change the actual TEXT in the boxes, only the font, color, and size, etc. Basically, anything you can control in the Type Panel, including letter spacing, leading, etc. Styles (effects) must be applied manually, which you can do easily by Shift + Selecting and then applying a graphic style, or drop shadow, or whatever you need.

Text in multiple boxes matched

Alternate Method:

Shift + Select all of the text boxes and the adjust your settings in the Type (Character Panel). It's as simple as that.