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How to Turn Off the Perspective Grid in Illustrator

Press Command+Shift+I on Mac or Ctrl+Shift+I on Windows to hide Illustrator’s Perspective Grid, with the on-canvas X and menu path as backups.

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Quick answer

Hide the Perspective Grid immediately

To hide Illustrator’s Perspective Grid, press Esc. You can also toggle it with Command + Shift + I on Mac or Ctrl + Shift + I on Windows. Shift + P selects the Perspective Grid Tool; it does not hide the grid by itself.

  1. Press Esc first, then use the Mac or Windows toggle if needed.
  2. If you want to use the on-canvas X, select the Perspective Grid Tool with Shift + P.
  3. Use the X or Illustrator’s menu as a fallback.
  4. Keep the three useful controls in one compact reference.

1. Press Esc before reaching for another tool

Press Esc first. It hides the Perspective Grid without changing tools. If you need to toggle the grid on or off, press Command + Shift + I on Mac or Ctrl + Shift + I on Windows.

The grid often appears after an accidental shortcut or tool change. You do not need to reset Illustrator or close the document. Start with Esc, then use the toggle shortcut if the grid returns.

Adobe Illustrator artwork with the Perspective Grid visible over the canvas
Timestamp 0:06 The Perspective Grid can appear after a shortcut misclick and sit right on top of your artwork.

Quick reference

Which Perspective Grid control should I use?

Use Esc for the fastest close, the keyboard toggle when you need the grid again, and the tool or menu when you want a visible fallback.

Fastest close
Press Esc to hide the grid without changing tools.
Direct toggle
Press Command + Shift + I on Mac or Ctrl + Shift + I on Windows.
Select the tool
Press Shift + P to activate the Perspective Grid Tool. This does not hide the grid by itself.
Close button
With the tool active, click the small X on the Perspective Grid widget.
Menu fallback
Use View > Perspective Grid > Hide Grid when you prefer the menu or cannot reach the widget.
Why the X fails
The X is only interactive while the Perspective Grid Tool is active.

2. Why can’t I click the X?

Illustrator only makes the grid widget interactive while the Perspective Grid Tool is active. Press Shift + P or select that tool in the toolbar, then click the small X on the widget.

Shift + P selects the tool; it does not hide the grid by itself. That distinction is the reason the X can feel decorative when you try to click it from another tool.

Adobe Illustrator toolbar showing the Perspective Grid Tool and Shift P workflow
Timestamp 0:22 Press Shift + P or select the Perspective Grid Tool in the toolbar before trying to close the grid.

3. Use the menu when the widget is not cooperating

With the Perspective Grid Tool selected, the small X on the grid widget will hide it. If the widget is off-screen or still getting in your way, use View > Perspective Grid > Hide Grid.

The direct keyboard toggle is fastest, the X is useful when you are already working with the grid tools, and the menu is the reliable fallback when you want to see exactly which command Illustrator is running. For more small fixes that make Illustrator less interruptive, continue with these five less-obvious Illustrator workflow tips.

Adobe Illustrator perspective grid widget with the Hide Grid control visible
Timestamp 0:36 The X behaves correctly once the Perspective Grid Tool is selected.

Illustrator Perspective Grid Questions

01How do I turn off the Perspective Grid in Illustrator?

Press Esc first. You can also toggle the grid with Command + Shift + I on Mac or Ctrl + Shift + I on Windows, select the Perspective Grid Tool with Shift + P and click the X, or use View > Perspective Grid > Hide Grid.

02Why will the Perspective Grid X not work?

Illustrator only makes the widget interactive while the Perspective Grid Tool is active. Press Shift + P first, then click the X.

03Is the Perspective Grid useful?

It can be, especially for drawing objects in perspective, but it is very easy to trigger accidentally when you are just trying to work quickly.