How to add a new artboard in Illustrator

Open the Artboard tool by pressing Shift+O, or click the Artboard tool in the left toolbar (it looks like a rectangle with a corner mark). Click anywhere on your canvas to create a new artboard, or click and drag to set its size and position. Illustrator will add the artboard to your document and number it automatically.

If you want to create an artboard with specific dimensions before you start drawing, use the Artboard tool and then enter width and height values in the control panel at the top of the screen. You can also choose a preset size — click the preset dropdown in the control panel to select from phone, tablet, print, or web dimensions.

Each new artboard appears as a separate page in your document. You can have as many artboards as you need in a single file, which is useful when designing multiple versions of the same layout or creating a set of related graphics.

Key Takeaways

  • The Artboard tool (Shift+O) lets you create new artboards by clicking on the canvas or dragging to set a custom size.
  • You can set exact dimensions and choose from preset sizes like phone, tablet, or print in the control panel before drawing.
  • The Artboards panel on the right shows all artboards in your document and lets you rename, reorder, and delete them.
  • Each artboard exports separately, so you can save multiple designs from one file without copying and pasting between files.

Resizing and moving artboards after you create them

With the Artboard tool still selected, click on an existing artboard to select it. You will see resize handles at the corners and edges. Drag any handle to change the artboard size, or drag the artboard itself to move it to a different position on the canvas.

If you need to return an artboard to a standard size, select it with the Artboard tool and choose a preset from the control panel at the top. This is faster than dragging handles if you want a phone-width artboard or a standard print size.

Using the Artboards panel to organize multiple designs

Open the Artboards panel by going to Window > Artboards, or look for it in the right sidebar if it is already open. The panel shows a thumbnail of each artboard in your document. Double-click any thumbnail to center that artboard on your screen, which is useful when you have many artboards and need to jump between them quickly.

Right-click any artboard in the panel to rename it, delete it, or duplicate it. Renaming artboards helps you keep track of what each one contains — for example, "Mobile Home", "Tablet Home", "Desktop Home" makes it clear which design is for which screen size. You can also drag artboards up and down in the panel to reorder them, which changes the order they export in.

Duplicating artboards to create variations

Right-click an artboard in the Artboards panel and select Duplicate Artboard. Illustrator will create an exact copy with the same size and position, placed next to the original. This is faster than creating a new artboard and resizing it when you want to design multiple versions of the same layout.

After duplicating, you can move the copy to a different position on the canvas using the Artboard tool, then edit the content inside it. The duplicate is a separate artboard, so changes to one do not affect the other.

Exporting multiple artboards as separate files

When you export a document with multiple artboards, Illustrator can save each one as a separate file automatically. Go to File > Export As, choose your format (PNG, JPG, PDF, or SVG), and click Export. In the export dialog, check the box that says "Use Artboards" or "All Artboards" depending on your format.

Illustrator will create a numbered file for each artboard — if your document is called "designs.ai" and has three artboards, you will get "designs-1.png", "designs-2.png", and "designs-3.png". This saves time when you need to deliver multiple versions or screen sizes as separate image files.

Aligning and distributing artboards on the canvas

If you have several artboards and want them spaced evenly, select multiple artboards in the Artboards panel by holding Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and clicking each one. Then go to Object > Artboards > Fit All Artboards in Window to see them all at once, or use the Align panel (Window > Align) to space them evenly.

You can also select all artboards by pressing Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac) while the Artboard tool is active. This is helpful when you want to move your entire layout — for example, if you created artboards too far to the left and need to shift them all right together.

Deleting artboards you no longer need

Select an artboard with the Artboard tool or right-click it in the Artboards panel and choose Delete. Illustrator will remove the artboard and any content inside it. If you delete an artboard by mistake, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac) to undo.

You must always have at least one artboard in your document, so Illustrator will not let you delete the last one. If you want to start fresh, create a new artboard first, then delete the old one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I copy content from one artboard to another without duplicating the whole artboard?

Yes. Select the content you want to copy with the selection tool (V), press Ctrl+C (Windows) or Command+C (Mac) to copy, click on the destination artboard, and press Ctrl+V or Command+V to paste. The content will appear in the same position relative to that artboard.

What happens to my content if I resize an artboard?

Resizing an artboard does not move or delete the content inside it. If you make the artboard smaller, content that extends beyond the new edges will still exist but will be hidden when you export. You can resize the artboard again to reveal it, or delete the content manually if you do not need it.

Can I set different artboard sizes in the same document?

Yes. Each artboard can have its own dimensions. Use the Artboard tool to select one artboard, set its size in the control panel, then select a different artboard and change its size independently. This is useful when designing for multiple devices or formats in one file.

How do I see all my artboards at once?

Go to View > Fit All Artboards in Window, or press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+J (Windows) or Command+Option+Shift+J (Mac). Illustrator will zoom out and position all artboards so you can see them together on the screen.

Do artboards affect file size or export quality?

Artboards themselves do not increase file size — only the content inside them does. When you export, each artboard exports at the quality settings you choose, regardless of how many artboards are in the document.