About the Delete Anchor Point Tool
Paths with too many points are hard to edit and look lumpy. The delete anchor point tool removes a point when you tap it, and the line closes up between the points on either side. Use it to simplify an outline you traced, to take out a point you placed by mistake, or to turn a square into a triangle. Start from a ready-made shape or draw one with the pen, tap the points you do not want, and watch the shape change. If you take out too much, press Undo. When you are done, download the picture with the path drawn on it, or the path as an SVG. Your picture stays in your browser.
Updated October 2026
How to use the Delete Anchor Point Tool
- 1Select an image or drop one on the page.
- 2Choose a ready-made shape from Start from a shape, or draw a path with the Pen tool.
- 3With Delete Anchor Point selected, tap the point you want to remove.
- 4Repeat for other points. Use Undo to bring a point back.
- 5Download the PNG or the SVG.
When to remove points
- After tracing a shape by hand, when a curve has a cluster of points where one would do.
- To turn a square into a triangle, by deleting one corner.
- To stop a smooth curve from wobbling.
- To make the SVG data shorter before using it on a web page.
- To remove a point that was placed by accident.
What happens to the curve
The two segments that met at the deleted point become one. The new segment uses the outgoing handle of the point before and the incoming handle of the point after, so a curve that was shaped by the deleted point flattens a little. If the result looks wrong, adjust the handles with Direct Selection, or undo and try deleting a different point.
Simplifying a traced outline
Start from the Heart or Circle presets to see how few points a smooth shape needs. A circle needs only four. When you trace something freehand with the pen, you can place many points. Remove every second one and the line usually looks almost the same, with half the points.
Tools that go together
Add Anchor Point does the opposite job. Convert Point changes how a point behaves. Direct Selection moves points and handles, and Path Selection moves the whole path. All of them are in the toolbar on this page.
Phone and computer
Tap on the point itself, shown as a small circle or square. On a phone the touch area is generous, but on a crowded path zoom the page to avoid removing the wrong point. Removing points simplifies a path, but the shape may shift a little. Put points back with the Add Anchor Point Tool, fix a corner with the Convert Point Tool, and nudge what is left using the Direct Selection Tool.
Features
- Seven path tools in one editor, so you can switch as you work
- Cubic bezier curves with draggable handles
- Undo for every step
- PNG download with the line drawn on your picture
- SVG download and copyable path data
- Private: your picture is edited in your browser and never uploaded
- Tap any point to remove it
- Closed shapes with fewer than three points open up instead of vanishing
Frequently asked questions
What happens to the line when I delete a point?
The path joins the points on either side. Their own handles stay as they were, so the curve may change shape a little, and smooth points that follow their neighbours are recalculated.
Can I delete the first or last point?
Yes. On an open path, the next point becomes the end. On a closed shape, the path stays closed.
What if a closed shape gets too small?
A closed shape needs at least three points. If you delete down to two, the shape opens and becomes a simple line.
How is this different from Undo?
Undo reverses your last action, whatever it was. Delete Anchor Point removes any point you choose, in any order.
Why delete points?
Fewer points make a smoother, lighter path that is easier to edit and gives a smaller SVG file.
Can I get a point back?
Press Undo. Every step is remembered, so you can go back several steps.
Can I delete a handle without the point?
Use Convert Point, which makes a point sharp and removes both of its handles.
Is my picture uploaded?
No.