You can rearrange artboards (which function as slides) in Illustrator using the Artboards panel or directly on the canvas. Here's how:
Method 1: Using the Artboards Panel
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Open the Artboards Panel: Go to
Window > Artboards. This will display a list of all your artboards. -
Rearrange: Click and drag the artboard names within the Artboards panel to change their order. The artboard order in the panel reflects the order in which they'll be exported or printed.
Method 2: Rearranging on the Canvas (Using the Artboard Tool)
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Select the Artboard Tool: Click on the Artboard tool in the Tools panel (it looks like a rectangle with corner handles). Alternatively, press
Shift + O. -
Ensure "Move/Copy Artwork with Artboard" is Enabled: When using the Artboard tool, make sure that in the Control panel (at the top of your screen), the "Move/Copy Artwork with Artboard" option is enabled. This ensures that the artwork on each artboard moves along with the artboard.
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Click and Drag: Click and drag the artboard you want to move. You can use Smart Guides (
View > Smart Guides) to help you align artboards as you reposition them. -
Adjust Artboard Numbers (If Necessary): After moving the artboards, the numerical order in the Artboards panel might not reflect their new positions on the canvas. If you need to renumber them according to their arrangement, you can manually reorder them within the Artboards panel as described in method 1. While Illustrator doesn't automatically renumber based on the visual arrangement after moving with the Artboard tool, the Artboards panel always dictates the export/print order.
Important Considerations:
- Artwork Association: Always ensure that "Move/Copy Artwork with Artboard" is enabled when rearranging artboards directly on the canvas to avoid leaving artwork behind.
- Export/Print Order: The order of artboards in the Artboards panel determines the export order (e.g., when saving as a multi-page PDF) and printing order.
- Smart Guides: Using Smart Guides (
View > Smart Guides) is highly recommended for precise alignment when rearranging artboards on the canvas.
