The fastest way to change your canvas background

Open the File menu, select Document Setup, and look for the Artboard tab. You will see a field labeled Background Color with a white square next to it. Click that square to open the color picker, choose your color, and click OK. The canvas behind your artwork will change when ready.

This method changes the background for the entire document. If you only want to change how the background looks on screen while you work — without affecting what prints or exports — use the View menu instead. Go to View > Hide Print Marks, or use the keyboard shortcut to toggle the canvas color on and off as you work.

The background color you set in Document Setup is what prints and exports with your file. If you want a colored background in your final artwork but do not want it to print, you will need to create a rectangle shape instead and send it behind your other objects.

Key Takeaways

  • Document Setup (File menu) changes the actual artboard background, which will print and export with your file.
  • The View menu lets you change how the canvas appears on screen without changing what your file contains.
  • If you want a background color that does not print, draw a rectangle, fill it with color, and send it to the back layer instead.
  • You can set different background colors for different artboards in the same document by selecting each artboard separately.
  • The background color appears in the exported file only if you export as PDF or print — it does not show in SVG or some other formats.

Changing the background for a single artboard

If your document has multiple artboards, you can give each one a different background color. First, click on the artboard you want to change — the artboard border will highlight in blue. Then open File > Document Setup and change the background color. That color applies only to the selected artboard.

To see all your artboards and their backgrounds at once, go to Window > Artboards. This panel shows every artboard in your document as a thumbnail. Click any thumbnail to select that artboard, then change its background color through Document Setup. This is faster than clicking on the canvas when you have many artboards.

Creating a background that does not print

The background color in Document Setup will print and export. If you want a colored background that stays on screen but does not appear in your final output, create a rectangle instead. Draw a rectangle with the Rectangle tool that covers your entire artboard, fill it with the color you want, and then send it to the back by right-clicking and selecting Arrange > Send to Back.

This rectangle will print and export unless you lock it and then hide it before exporting. To hide it without deleting it, click the eye icon next to the rectangle's layer in the Layers panel. The background will disappear from your export but remain in your file if you need to show it again later.

Another option is to place the rectangle on a separate layer, then delete that layer before exporting. This keeps your working file intact while letting you export without the background color.

Changing how the canvas looks while you work

The canvas is the gray area around your artboard. You can change its color through Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid (Windows) or Illustrator > Preferences > Guides & Grid (Mac). Look for the Canvas Color option and click the color swatch to choose a new shade.

This change affects only how the canvas appears on your screen. It does not change your artboard background, does not print, and does not export. Many designers use a darker canvas color to make their artwork stand out more while working, or a lighter canvas to reduce eye strain.

Exporting with your background color

When you export your file as a PDF, the background color from Document Setup will be included. Go to File > Export As, choose PDF from the format dropdown, and click Export. The PDF will show your artboard background color.

If you export as SVG or PNG, the background color may not appear the same way. SVG files often have transparent backgrounds by default. For PNG, the background color will be included only if you flatten the image before exporting. To flatten, go to Object > Flatten Transparency, but be aware this converts all your objects to raster and cannot be undone — save a copy of your file first.

For print, the background color will print as long as your printer settings are configured to print the full artboard. Check with your print shop if you are unsure whether they will print the background color or only the artwork itself.

Troubleshooting background color problems

If you changed the background color in Document Setup but it does not appear on screen, check the View menu. Make sure Hide Print Marks is not checked — this can hide the background. Also verify that your artboard is selected (the border should be blue) before opening Document Setup, otherwise you may be changing the settings for a different artboard.

If the background color appears on screen but does not print, your print shop may have settings that ignore artboard backgrounds. Contact them before printing to confirm they will include the background, or create a rectangle background instead so you have full control.

If you created a rectangle background and it is covering your artwork, right-click the rectangle layer in the Layers panel and select Arrange > Send to Back. If it still covers your work, you may have locked the layer — unlock it by clicking the lock icon next to the layer name.

Working with transparency and background color

Illustrator treats the background color as part of the artboard, not as a separate layer. This means you cannot select it, move it, or delete it the way you would a shape. If you need a background you can edit or move, use the rectangle method instead.

When you export as PNG with transparency, the background color will not be included — the background will be transparent instead. If you want a colored background in your PNG, flatten the image first or export as a different format like JPEG, which does not support transparency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different background colors on different pages in the same Illustrator file?

Yes, if you use multiple artboards. Each artboard can have its own background color. Select the artboard you want to change, open File > Document Setup, and set the background color for that artboard only. Artboards are Illustrator's way of creating multiple pages in one file.

Why does my background color look different on screen than when I print it?

Your monitor and printer use different color spaces. Illustrator displays colors on screen using RGB, but printers use CMYK. Before printing, go to File > Print and check the Color Management settings. You can also soft-proof your colors by going to View > Proof Setup > Working CMYK to see how the background will look when printed.

Can I make the background transparent instead of a solid color?

The artboard background in Document Setup must be a solid color. If you want transparency, do not set a background color — leave the artboard white or your chosen color, and export as PNG with transparency enabled. The transparent areas will show as a checkerboard pattern in Illustrator while you work.

What is the difference between the artboard background and the canvas color?

The artboard background is the color of your actual document — it prints and exports. The canvas is the gray area around the artboard that you see on screen. Changing the canvas color only affects how your workspace looks and does not change your file.

If I change the background color, will it affect my existing artwork?

No. The background color sits behind everything. Your artwork stays exactly as it is. If you want to remove the background color later, go back to File > Document Setup and set the background to white or no color.