Change your artboard size in the Artboards panel or Document Setup

To change page size in Adobe Illustrator, open the Artboards panel on the right side of your screen. Double-click the artboard you want to resize, and the Artboard Options dialog will open. You can enter new width and height measurements, choose from preset sizes like Letter or A4, or manually drag the artboard edges on the canvas to resize it. If you want to change the document setup for all artboards at once, go to File > Document Setup and adjust the page size there.

The difference between these two methods matters: the Artboards panel changes individual artboards (useful if your document has multiple pages), while Document Setup changes the default page size for the entire file. Most people use the Artboards panel because it gives you more control over which artboards to resize.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the Artboards panel and double-click your artboard to resize it using the Artboard Options dialog.
  • You can enter custom dimensions, select from preset sizes like Letter or A4, or drag the artboard edges directly on the canvas.
  • Use File > Document Setup to change the default page size for the entire document at once.
  • Changing artboard size does not affect your artwork — only the printable or exportable area changes.

Using the Artboards panel to resize a single page

The Artboards panel is the fastest way to change one artboard. Look for it on the right side of your workspace — if you do not see it, go to Window > Artboards to open it. In the panel, you will see a list of all artboards in your document. Click the artboard you want to resize to select it.

Double-click the artboard name in the panel, or right-click it and choose Edit Artboard. The Artboard Options dialog opens. Under Preset, you can choose from standard sizes: Letter, Legal, A4, A3, Tabloid, and others. If you need a custom size, leave Preset blank and enter your width and height in the fields below. Click OK when you are done.

Dragging artboard edges to resize visually

If you prefer to resize by eye rather than entering numbers, you can drag the artboard boundary directly on the canvas. Select the artboard using the Artboard tool (it looks like a rectangle with corner handles, in the left toolbar). When the artboard is selected, you will see corner and edge handles around it.

Click and drag any corner handle to resize both width and height at once. Drag an edge handle to change only that dimension. Hold Shift while dragging to maintain the aspect ratio. This method is useful when you are designing and want to see how your artwork fits the new size in real time.

Changing document setup for all artboards

If your document has multiple artboards and you want them all to be the same size, use Document Setup instead of resizing each one individually. Go to File > Document Setup. The Document Setup dialog shows your current page size under Artboard.

Click the Preset dropdown to choose a standard size, or enter custom width and height values. When you click OK, Illustrator will resize all artboards in your document to match the new dimensions. This is faster than opening the Artboards panel and resizing each page one at a time, but it affects every artboard, so use it only when that is what you want.

Understanding units and orientation

Illustrator measures artboard size in the units you have set for your document. If you see inches but need centimeters, or vice versa, go to File > Document Setup and change the Units dropdown. Common choices are inches, centimeters, millimeters, and points. The unit you choose here applies to all measurements in your document.

You can also change orientation in the Artboard Options dialog or Document Setup. Look for Orientation and choose Portrait (taller than wide) or Landscape (wider than tall). Some preset sizes, like Letter, default to Portrait, but you can flip them if you need Landscape instead.

What happens to your artwork when you resize

Changing artboard size does not move or scale your artwork — it only changes the boundary of what will print or export. If your artwork sits outside the new artboard boundary, it will still exist in your file, but it will not appear on the printed page or in an exported image. You can always move artwork back inside the artboard by selecting it and dragging it, or by resizing the artboard again to include it.

If you want to scale your artwork along with the artboard, you will need to select all your artwork first (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A), then use Object > Transform > Scale to resize it proportionally. This is a separate step from changing the artboard size.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have artboards of different sizes in the same document?

Yes. Each artboard can be a different size. Use the Artboards panel to select and resize each one individually. This is useful when you are designing multiple items — a business card, a letterhead, and a poster — all in one file.

How do I add a new artboard with a specific size?

Use the Artboard tool from the left toolbar, then click on the canvas where you want the new artboard. The Artboard Options dialog opens automatically. Enter your desired size or choose a preset, then click OK.

What if I resize the artboard and my artwork disappears?

Your artwork did not disappear — it is just outside the artboard boundary. Select the Artboard tool, then drag the artboard edges to include your artwork again. Or select your artwork with the Selection tool and drag it back inside the artboard.

Can I change the page size after I have already started designing?

Yes, you can resize at any time. Your existing artwork will stay in place. If the new artboard size does not fit your design, you can move or scale your artwork to fit, or resize the artboard again.