How to Remove Effects in Adobe Illustrator?

To remove effects in Adobe Illustrator, you typically use the Appearance panel to select and delete the specific effect applied to an object.

Adobe Illustrator uses the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance) to manage all properties applied to an object, including fills, strokes, and effects. Removing an effect is a straightforward process using this panel.

Steps to Remove an Effect

Here's how to remove an effect from an object in Illustrator:

Select the Object: First, select the object or group of objects that has the effect you want to remove.
Open the Appearance Panel: Go to Window > Appearance to open the Appearance panel if it's not already visible.
Locate the Effect: In the Appearance panel, you will see a list of properties applied to your selected object. Look for the "Effects" section. Applied effects will be listed under this section.
Select the Effect: When the Appearance box appears, click on the effect you wish to remove. Click directly on the name of the effect you want to eliminate (e.g., "Drop Shadow," "Gaussian Blur," "3D Extrude & Bevel").
Remove the Effect: Once the effect is selected in the Appearance panel, click on the Clear Appearance button (2nd from left on bottom of palette). This button looks like a trash can or a circle with a slash through it.
Effect Removed: Your effect has been removed. The appearance of your object will update immediately.

Note: The reference also mentions, "Simply reverse the process to add the effect back," but this specific step is for reapplying effects, not removing them.

Alternative Removal Methods

While using the Clear Appearance button is precise, here are other ways to remove effects from the Appearance panel:

Dragging to Trash: Select the effect name in the Appearance panel and drag it to the trash can icon at the bottom of the panel.
Using the Panel Menu: With the effect selected, click the panel menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner of the Appearance panel and choose "Remove Item."

Removing All Appearance Attributes

If you want to strip an object of all its fills, strokes, and effects, you can use the "Reduce to Basic Appearance" button (the leftmost button at the bottom of the Appearance panel) or select "Reduce to Basic Appearance" from the panel menu. This is more drastic than just removing a single effect.

By utilizing the Appearance panel, you maintain fine control over how effects are applied and removed from your artwork in Adobe Illustrator.