Edit Handles are used to edit objects. They appear on the object itself and are specific to the object type. Their function is different depending on which type of object they are on. Edit handles can be be used to edit the shape of lines, shapes and QuickShapes for example. Edit handles can be displayed when the Selector Tool has been chosen allowing objects of different types to be edited using one Tool.
Edit handles appear on each selected object and allow editing operations specific to the object type. Edit handles appear most object types. Edit handles are very similar to the handles used by Macromedia Freehand and Microsoft Office. See Enabling edit handles.