How to Use Symbols to Update Artwork Quickly in Illustrator

Learn how to use symbols in Illustrator to create instances of artwork that can be customized individually but still be globally updated.

Tony Harmer Tony Harmer

In this Illustrator how-to, Tony Harmer shows off how to put symbols to work in Illustrator. He uses a dynamic symbol to duplicate artwork that can be customized individually but still be globally updated. He then applies symbols to existing instances to change details.

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This article was last modified on August 29, 2025

This article was first published on May 12, 2021

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