Artboards are the backbone of efficient design work in Adobe Illustrator. They let you manage multiple designs, layouts, or screen sizes in a single document—perfect for projects like branding suites, social graphics, or multi-page print jobs.

By mastering artboards, you can streamline your workflow, reduce errors, and easily export exactly what you need. In this guide, you’ll learn not just the basics, but also pro tips for managing, customizing, and exporting artboards like a seasoned designer.

Ready to speed up your Illustrator projects? Let’s dive in.

Step-by-Step Guide: Managing Artboards in Illustrator

1. Create a New Document With Multiple Artboards
   • Go to File > New.
   • In the dialog, set the Number of Artboards.
   • Adjust Spacing and Arrangement if you want a grid or row setup.
   • Click Create.
2. Add Artboards to an Existing Document
   • Select the Artboard Tool (Shift+O) from the toolbar.
   • Click and drag anywhere on your canvas to create a new artboard.
   • Or, use the control panel to click New Artboard.
3. Resize and Move Artboards
   • With the Artboard Tool active, click any artboard.
   • Drag to move it, or use the handles to resize.
   • For precise sizing, enter values in the Properties panel.
4. Duplicate Artboards (and Their Content)
   • With the Artboard Tool, hold Alt/Option and drag the artboard to duplicate it (content copies too).
   • Or, in the Artboards panel (Window > Artboards), right-click an artboard and choose Duplicate Artboard.
5. Rename Artboards for Organization
   • Open the Artboards panel.
   • Double-click the artboard name and type a new name (e.g., “Facebook Cover,” “Logo Horizontal”).
   • Clear names make exporting and managing easier.
6. Rearrange Artboards
   • Drag artboards in the Artboards panel to reorder them.
   • Use the Artboard Tool to manually reposition them on the canvas.
   • For auto-arrangement, click the Rearrange All Artboards button in the Artboards panel.
7. Align and Space Artboards Evenly
   • With multiple artboards selected, use the Align options in the top bar.
   • Or, use Object > Artboards > Rearrange for grid/row layouts.
8. Set the Active Artboard
   • Double-click any artboard with the Artboard Tool to focus on it.
   • The active artboard is highlighted, and exports will use it by default if you choose “Export Selected Artboard.”
9. Export Artboards Individually or in Batches
   • Go to File > Export > Export for Screens (best for web/UI).
     • Select artboards to export as separate files.
     • Set export formats (PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF).
   • For PDF, go to File > Save As > Adobe PDF, and select “All” or “Range” of artboards.
   • For legacy export, use File > Export > Export As and tick “Use Artboards.”
10. Delete or Merge Artboards
    • In the Artboards panel, select and click the Trash icon to delete.
    • To merge artwork, simply move content between artboards, then delete the empty ones.

Pro Tips & Workflow Improvements

• Template Artboards: Create a blank template with pre-sized artboards for recurring projects (e.g., social media kits, icon sets).
• Custom Artboard Presets: Save custom sizes as presets when creating new documents for faster setup.
• Shortcut Power: Quickly toggle the Artboard Tool with Shift+O. Use arrow keys for nudge-move when repositioning.
• Select Artboard Content: Click the Select Artboard button in the control bar to select everything on an artboard instantly.
• Artboard Guides: Drag guides onto an artboard—they only appear on that artboard, helping with precise layouts.

Advanced Use Case: Batch Export With Multiple Sizes

Want to export the same artwork in several sizes (e.g., app icons)?

1. Duplicate your design to multiple artboards.
2. Resize each artboard for target dimensions.
3. Use Export for Screens to export all artboards at once—naming and organizing is automatic!

Bonus: Use Illustrator’s Asset Export panel to export individual elements from each artboard at multiple resolutions.

Troubleshooting & Common Mistakes

• Artboard Overlap Warning: If you overlap artboards, exports may combine or crop artwork. Rearrange or resize to avoid.
• Exporting Only Part of Artwork: Make sure the artwork is fully within the artboard boundary; otherwise, it may be cut off.
• Naming Errors in Exports: If you don’t rename artboards, exported files may have generic names (e.g., “Artboard 1”), causing confusion.
• Performance Drops With Too Many Artboards: Illustrator can slow down with dozens of large artboards. Close unused documents and keep artboard count reasonable.
• Export for Print vs. Web: Always check resolution (ppi/dpi) in Document Raster Effects Settings when prepping artboards for print vs. digital use.

Conclusion

Mastering artboards in Illustrator gives you serious speed and flexibility for any design project—whether you’re delivering dozens of social posts, branding suites, or a multi-page PDF. Now you know how to add, manage, rename, and export artboards with confidence.
Want to go even deeper? Try learning about Illustrator’s Layers panel or explore Asset Export for even more control.