Merge tool is similar to the Trim tool, however, there is one difference. Place the trimmer shape on top then select both the trimmer and bottom shape with the selection tool and click on Trim tool in Pathfinder pallet. The bottom layers would be trimmed in the shape of the topmost layer. The top most layer or shape would be used to trim the bottom layers. So, if you want to separate the resultant shapes then you would have to right click on it and then select Ungroup from the context menu. The tool would divide the shapes but it groups them together. The Divide Tool would divide the shapes along the intersecting paths and create more shapes. The final shape is grouped together and if you want to edit these shapes separately then right click and select Ungroup. Instead of selecting the intersection area of two or more shapes it would exclude it from the final shape. ExcludeĮxclude Tool has the exact opposite functionality of the Intersect Layer tool.

Intersect Tool can work with more than two shapes and only the area intersected by all the shapes would be selected to create the new shape. You have to select the Layers with the Selection Tool (V) and then click on the Intersect tool in the pathfinder panel. The Intersect layer tool would select the path or the area where the layers intersect each other. If you place two shapes on top of the bottom shape then the path information of both of those would be removed from the bottom shape. Minus Front can work with more than two shapes. After Selecting the shapes, click on the Minus Front. You have to select the two shapes with the Selection Tool(V) or you can press and hold Shift and then click on both the shapes to select them. It lets you subtract or minus the top shape from the bottom shape. This tool would remove the overlapping areas of the top shape from the bottom shape. The two shapes would be combined with their paths joined together. You have to select the shapes, you want to combine together, with the Selection Tool(V) and then click on Unite in the Pathfinder Panel. Unite tool would combine two shapes together to create a new shape. The tools and the their functions are explained below. The Shape modes and the Pathfinder tools. You get two sets of tools in the Pathfinder panel.

Pathfinder options illustrator