Adding a page in Illustrator means creating a new artboard
Adobe Illustrator does not work with pages the way word processors do. Instead, it uses artboards — separate canvases within a single document where you design different layouts, variations, or sections of a project. When you want to add a new page, you are really adding a new artboard. Each artboard can be a different size, and you can have dozens in one file.
The fastest way to add an artboard is to select the Artboard tool from the left toolbar, then click and drag on the canvas to create a new one. You can also right-click an existing artboard in the Artboards panel and choose "New Artboard" to duplicate its settings. A third option is to go to the top menu: Object > Artboards > New.
Key Takeaways
- Illustrator uses artboards instead of pages; each artboard is a separate canvas within one file.
- The Artboard tool is in the left toolbar and lets you click and drag to create a new artboard of any size.
- The Artboards panel (Window > Artboards) shows all artboards in your document and lets you rename, delete, or reorder them.
- You can set a default artboard size when creating a new one by choosing a preset from the top options bar.
- Exporting treats each artboard as a separate page if you save as PDF or use File > Export.
Using the Artboard tool to draw a new artboard
The Artboard tool sits in the left toolbar — it looks like a rectangle with corner marks. Click it once to set up it. Your cursor will change, and the top options bar will show artboard presets like Letter, A4, or custom dimensions.
Click and drag on your canvas to draw a new artboard to any size you want. If you want a standard size, click the preset dropdown at the top and select Letter, Tabloid, A3, or another option before you draw. The new artboard will appear next to or overlapping your existing ones, depending on where you drag.
Once you create an artboard, you can move it by clicking and dragging its edge, or resize it by dragging the corner handles. Double-click the artboard number to rename it — useful if you are designing multiple pages of a brochure or different versions of a logo.
The Artboards panel: organizing and managing multiple artboards
Open the Artboards panel by going to Window > Artboards. This panel shows a thumbnail of every artboard in your document, listed by name. From here you can rename, delete, or reorder artboards without touching the Artboard tool.
Right-click any artboard thumbnail to see your options. "New Artboard" creates a blank one below the selected artboard. "Delete" removes it. "Duplicate" copies the selected artboard with all its content. You can also drag artboards up or down in the panel to change their order — this matters when you export to PDF, because the order in the panel becomes the page order in the PDF.
Double-click an artboard name in the panel to rename it. This does not change the file name, only the label you see in Illustrator. Naming them Page 1, Cover, Back, or whatever matches your project makes it easier to navigate when you have many artboards.
Setting artboard size and presets
When the Artboard tool is active, the top options bar shows a dropdown menu of preset sizes. Click it to choose from standard paper sizes (Letter, Legal, A4, A3), social media dimensions (Instagram Post, Twitter Header), or custom sizes. Select a preset, then draw your artboard — it will snap to that size.
If you need a custom size that is not in the presets, draw an artboard of any size, then use the width and height fields in the top options bar to enter exact dimensions. You can also right-click an artboard and choose "Artboard Options" to open a dialog where you set the size, orientation, and name all at once.
Illustrator remembers the last artboard size you used, so if you are adding several artboards of the same size, you only need to set it once.
Exporting artboards as separate pages
When you export your file, Illustrator treats each artboard as a separate page. Go to File > Export As, choose PDF from the format dropdown, and click Export. In the PDF Options dialog, make sure "All Artboards" is checked. Illustrator will create a multi-page PDF with one artboard per page, in the order they appear in the Artboards panel.
If you export as PNG, JPEG, or another image format, you can choose to export all artboards or just the current one. The export dialog will ask which artboards to include. This is useful if you are designing multiple social media graphics or mockups and want each one as a separate image file.
Before you export, check the Artboards panel one more time to make sure they are in the order you want. You can drag them to reorder them if needed — this reordering only affects the export, not your working file.
Moving between artboards while you work
Click any artboard thumbnail in the Artboards panel to jump to it. The canvas will center on that artboard, and any tools you were using stay active. You can also use the keyboard shortcut: hold Option (Mac) or Alt (Windows) and click an artboard number on the canvas itself.
If you want to see all your artboards at once, go to View > Fit All in Window. This zooms out so you can see every artboard in your document. Useful for checking the overall layout or making sure artboards are aligned the way you want them.
Objects you draw on one artboard stay on that artboard. If you want to copy something from one artboard to another, select it, copy it (Ctrl+C or Cmd+C), click the destination artboard, and paste (Ctrl+V or Cmd+V).
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is drawing outside the artboard boundaries without realizing it. Anything you draw outside an artboard will not export with that artboard. If you are working on a multi-page document and something disappears when you export, check whether it is sitting outside the artboard edge. Use View > Fit All in Window to see the full picture.
Another mistake is forgetting to check artboard order before exporting to PDF. The Artboards panel order determines the PDF page order, not the order they appear on your screen. If your pages come out in the wrong sequence, open the Artboards panel and drag them into the correct order, then export again.
Do not confuse artboards with layers. Layers organize objects within an artboard; artboards organize separate canvases. You can have multiple layers on one artboard, and you can have the same layer across multiple artboards. They serve different purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have artboards of different sizes in the same document?
Yes. Each artboard can be a different size and orientation. This is useful when designing a project with mixed formats — for example, a social media kit with an Instagram post (square), a Twitter header (wide), and a Facebook cover (different dimensions) all in one file.
How do I delete an artboard?
Select the Artboard tool, click the artboard you want to remove, and press Delete. Or open the Artboards panel, right-click the artboard thumbnail, and choose Delete. Any objects on that artboard will be deleted too, so make sure you do not need them first.
What happens to objects when I delete an artboard?
Objects on the deleted artboard are removed from the file. If you think you might need them later, copy and paste them to another artboard before you delete. You can also undo the deletion when ready after by pressing Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Cmd+Z (Mac).
Can I rename artboards, and does it change the file name?
Yes, you can rename artboards. Double-click the name in the Artboards panel or in the Artboard Options dialog. Renaming an artboard does not change your file name — it only changes the label you see inside Illustrator. The names do not appear in exports unless you are using a script or plugin.
How do I make sure my artboards export in the right order?
Open the Artboards panel and arrange them in the order you want. When you export to PDF or as separate images, Illustrator uses the order shown in the panel, from top to bottom. Drag artboards up or down in the panel to reorder them before you export.