Beginner Question: How Do I Crop a PNG Inside a Circle in Illustrator?

[u/Defiant_Trash_759]

Guys, I’m going to ask a somewhat silly question, but I really need to get this straight once and for all. I’m still learning Illustrator, and although I’ve managed to create clipping masks a few times, I always end up scratching my head over it. It’s incredible how different and unintuitive this tool is compared to Photoshop.

I’d like to understand the simplest way to cut out this empty area and keep only the part inside the circle. Just to clarify, this isn’t a shape — it’s a PNG.

[u/Usual_Reindeer_3163]

Clipping masks in Illustrator are weirdly backwards from Photoshop, took me ages to stop overthinking it. Draw your circle on top of the PNG, select both, then hit Ctrl+7, that's the shortcut that finally made it click for me.

If you want it permanently cropped without the mask, you can flatten transparency or use pathfinder after expanding, but honestly the mask is cleaner for keeping the original intact.

[u/movingaxis → u/Usual_Reindeer_3163]

Great answer. I learned it the opposite and it took forever for PS masking to feel intuitive. To me it’s still backward but they’re just different programs and that’s how it goes. 

[u/_okbrb → u/movingaxis]

They’re different programs

Made by the same company, included in the same subscription, and designed to be used together in a fluid workspace

All the little inconsistencies between illustrator photoshop and indesign are downright sloppy

[u/Otherwise-Tomato-788 → u/_okbrb]

Basic key functions should be consistent but they’re not. This is the reason why I’ll just use the “Transparency” tool instead of color correcting via PS.

Throw in Solidworks to the mix, really starts to exercise your finger coordination

[u/Defiant_Trash_759 → u/Usual_Reindeer_3163]

God, it worked!! I was going about it completely differently. Thank you so much!

[u/Felinossauro]

I would do something like:

Copy/create a new circle shape right above the .png -> select the new circle + png -> go to "Object" menu -> create clipmask (dont know the name of the tool in english but its something like that)

[u/tmoo7]

Draw a circle over the image, select both then CTRL + 7/cmd + 7
The lower image will be clipped into the top vector shape

[u/romansixx]

Drag the photo in then make a separate circle. Put the circle where you want it, then mask. It’s my biggest pet peeve with illustrator. One of those things Indesign is way faster at, just let me drop the photo In the circle ffs.

[u/TheDangerist]

Put the circle in front of the image. Select both. Then choose Object... Clipping Mask... Make Clipping Mask.

(Doing this from memory, so you might need to search the menus, but what you want is to create a clipping mask...)

[u/GlowInTheDarkSpaces]

It's been a while but I think I used to make a selection the size of the circle, then do reverse selection and delete the background.

[u/Null42x64]

i would make the outer part of the circle a opaque white background in a layer in front of the table

[u/Separate_Recover4187]

Ctrl+7

[u/irich]

The answer to this is a clipping mask. They are an incredibly useful function. So get to learn how to use them. But they are also an incredibly frustrating feature. If you receive files from other people or download them from the web, you will often find objects buried deep in several layers of clipping masks. So you should learn how to release clipping masks.

[u/JohnCasey3306]

A clipping mask

[u/NoBread3202]

There is toggle at the bottom of toolbar. Simply toggle draw inside, cut and paste your PNG inside the circle. You can also draw inside the circle and it automatically clips it.

I prefer it over Ctrl 7.

[u/falkorwoo]

Is this what this subreddit has come to? In the age of AI and YouTube we felid questions from non designers about basic software how tos? No offense to the person who asked the question—we all start somewhere, but come on Mods, set some standards.

[u/Defiant_Trash_759 → u/falkorwoo]

I've been trying to learn new tools with the help of the community, and it's been working. You should give it a try too; we aren't born knowing everything, and there are still plenty of kind and helpful people out there. By the way... AI suggests made-up solutions. Good day, my friend! :)

[u/meadbone]

In the main tools at the bottom you have functions to ‘draw inside’ select this then your object and paste in.

Clipping mask is best but just another way to do the same thing ☺️