Group by Artboard

Script for Adobe Illustrator

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Description

Group by Artboard is an Adobe Illustrator script that automatically groups all objects on selected artboards. This powerful automation tool helps you organize your artwork by creating groups for each artboard's contents, optionally naming each group after its corresponding artboard.

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Key Features

Flexible Artboard Selection: Process all artboards, only the active artboard, or select specific artboards from a list using modern icon button toggles
Smart Search & Filter: Quickly find artboards by name using the built-in search functionality with clear button
Interactive Preview: Double-click any artboard in the list to zoom and preview it before processing
Visual Preview Mode: Enable preview to see dashed bounding boxes around content that will be grouped
Automatic Naming: Option to rename groups with their artboard names for better organization
Intelligent Grouping: Handles various scenarios including empty artboards, single items, and already-grouped content

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Use Cases

Organize complex multi-artboard documents
Prepare files for export or handoff
Batch process artboards for consistent structure
Clean up artwork before sharing with team members
Create named groups for easier layer panel navigation

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Installation

1. Download the Group by Artboard.jsx script file.

2. Place the script in your Adobe Illustrator Scripts folder:

⮑ Mac: /Applications/Adobe Illustrator <Version>/Presets/<Language>/Scripts

⮑ Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator <Version>\Presets\<Language>\Scripts

3. Restart Adobe Illustrator if it's already running.

4. Access the script via File > Scripts > Group by Artboard.

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Alternative: You can run the script without installation by dragging and dropping the .jsx file directly onto an open Illustrator document.

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Using the Script

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Open Your Document

Launch Adobe Illustrator and open a document with one or more artboards
If no document is open, the script will prompt you to open one

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Run the Script

Go to File > Scripts > Group by Artboard
Or drag and drop the .jsx file onto your document
The script dialog window will appear with multiple options:

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➊ Select Artboard Range

Choose one of three options using the icon buttons:

All Artboards: Process every artboard in the document (fits all artboards in view)
Active: Process only the currently active artboard (zooms to active artboard)
Selected: Select specific artboards from the list

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➋ Select Artboards (Selected Mode)

When using Selected mode:

The artboard list shows two columns: artboard number (#) and name
Click to select a single artboard
Hold Cmd (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) to select multiple artboards
Hold Shift to select a range of artboards
The currently active artboard is pre-selected by default

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2.1 Use Search (Optional)

Type in the Search field to filter artboards by name
Click the ✖ button to clear the search and restore the full list
Search is case-insensitive and matches partial names
Search is only available in Selected mode

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2.2 Preview Artboards (Optional)

Double-click any artboard in the list to zoom to it
This helps verify you're selecting the correct artboards

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➌ Additional Options

Enable Visual Preview (Optional)

Check "Preview" to see dashed red bounding boxes around content that will be grouped
Preview updates automatically when you change artboard selection
Preview boxes are removed when you click OK or Cancel

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Choose Naming Option

Check "Rename Group as Artboard" to name each group after its artboard (recommended)
Uncheck to create unnamed groups

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➍ Execute and Review Results

Click OK to start processing
Watch the progress bar at the top of the dialog
A completion dialog shows which artboards were processed
Click Cancel to close without making changes

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Workflow Tips

Visual Preview: Enable the Preview checkbox to see exactly what will be grouped before processing
Preview First: Use the double-click preview feature to verify artboard contents before processing
Use Search: For documents with many artboards, use the search function to quickly find specific ones
Name Your Groups: Enable "Rename Group as Artboard" for easier identification in the Layers panel
Process Incrementally: Start with a few artboards to verify results before processing all
Icon Button Modes: Click icon buttons to switch between All, Active, and Selected modes - the view automatically adjusts

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☻ Conclusion

Group by Artboard streamlines your Illustrator workflow by automating the tedious task of organizing artboard contents into groups.

Whether you're working with a single artboard or managing complex multi-artboard projects, this script saves time and ensures consistent document structure.

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1 comment

Great script. Thanks

Mdesign - January 21, 2026

Group by Artboard

Version: 1.0.3

Updated: February 10, 2026

Download Group by Artboard

1.0.0 – Initial release.
1.0.1 – Replaced radio buttons with compact icon buttons for a cleaner interface. Selecting a range option now automatically zooms the view to show all artboards or the active artboard for better visual context.
1.0.2 – Added a Preview checkbox that displays red dashed bounding boxes around content that will be grouped, allowing you to visualize the grouping operation before executing it.
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Tested on MacOS:
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- Adobe Illustrator 2023 (27.0)
- Adobe Illustrator 2024 (28.1)
- Adobe Illustrator 2025 (29.0)
Supported Versions:
- Compatible with Adobe Illustrator CS6 and later, including Adobe Illustrator CC versions.
Operating Systems:
- Works on both macOS and Windows platforms.
End User License Agreement (EULA)
Last Updated: 21.12.2024
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This End User License Agreement (“Agreement”) is a legal agreement between you (“User” or “Licensee”) and Samolevsky.com (“Licensor”) regarding the use of the Adobe Illustrator scripts (“Software”). By downloading, installing, or using the Software, you agree to be bound by the terms of this Agreement.
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1. Grant of License
Licensor grants the User a non-exclusive, non-transferable, and revocable license to use the Software in accordance with this Agreement.
- Free Software: If the Software is provided for free, you may use it for personal or commercial purposes without payment, subject to the restrictions outlined in this Agreement.
- Paid Software: If the Software is provided for a fee, you may use it only after payment has been made in full.
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2. Usage Rights
You are permitted to:
- Install and use the Software on devices you own or control.
- Use the Software in your personal or commercial projects, subject to compliance with this Agreement.
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3. Restrictions
You may NOT:
- Reverse engineer, decompile, or otherwise attempt to discover the source code, underlying ideas, or algorithms of the Software.
- Reuse, incorporate, or integrate any portion of the Software into any other software, product, or project, except as expressly permitted by the Licensor in writing.
- Resell, redistribute, or share the Software, whether in its original or modified form, without prior written consent from the Licensor.
- Claim ownership of the Software or its underlying code.
- Use the Software in any way that violates applicable laws or regulations.
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4. Ownership
The Software and all intellectual property rights therein remain the exclusive property of the Licensor. This Agreement does not transfer ownership of the Software or any intellectual property rights to the User.
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5. Disclaimer of Warranties
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE LICENSOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES, OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
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6. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Licensor shall not be liable for any damages, including but not limited to direct, indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages, arising out of or related to the use or inability to use the Software.
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7. Termination
This Agreement is effective until terminated. Licensor may terminate this Agreement immediately if you breach any term of this Agreement. Upon termination, you must cease all use of the Software and destroy any copies in your possession.
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8. Updates and Support
Licensor is not obligated to provide updates, support, or maintenance for the Software. However, updates may be provided at the sole discretion of the Licensor.
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9. Governing Law
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict of law principles.
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10. Entire Agreement
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Licensor concerning the Software and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous understandings regarding such subject matter.
By using the Software, you acknowledge that you have read this Agreement, understand it, and agree to be bound by its terms.
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For any questions or concerns regarding this Agreement, please contact us at hello@samolevsky.com

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Required Software

Adobe Illustrator

Learn more

Adobe Illustrator is a professional vector graphics software developed by Adobe Inc. It is widely used by designers, illustrators, and artists for creating a variety of digital artwork, including logos, icons, illustrations, typography, and complex design layouts. Illustrator is known for its precision and scalability, allowing users to create high-quality graphics that can be resized without losing clarity. Its features include powerful drawing tools, customizable brushes, advanced typography options, and seamless integration with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications. Illustrator is a go-to tool for creative professionals working on projects for print, web, and multimedia platforms.

🅰 Locating the Scripts Folder
To install a Group by Artboard.jsx script in Adobe Illustrator, you need to place it in the correct directory where Illustrator can recognize it. Follow these steps to locate the Scripts folder:
1. MacOS:
  Open Finder and navigate to:
  Applications/Adobe Illustrator <Version>/Presets/<Language>/Scripts
2. Windows:
  Open File Explorer and navigate to:
  C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator <Version>\Presets\<Language>\Scripts
3. Replace <Version> with your Adobe Illustrator version (e.g., 2025).
4. Replace <Language> with your language folder (e.g., "de_DE" for German, "en_US" for English).
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🅱 Installing the Script
1. Copy the Script File: Copy the Group by Artboard.jsx file to the Scripts folder located in the path above.
2. On some systems, you may need administrator permissions to modify the Scripts folder.
3. Restart Adobe Illustrator: To refresh the scripts menu, close and reopen Adobe Illustrator.
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Explore our complete guide to mastering Adobe Illustrator scripts.
1. Open Adobe Illustrator and ensure a document is active.
2. Go to the top menu bar and select File > Scripts.
3. If the script is installed in the Scripts folder, it will appear in the dropdown list.
4. Click the Group by Artboard script to run it.
5. The Group by Artboard script will execute, and any dialog boxes or results will appear based on the script’s functionality.
☻ Before running any scripts, it’s strongly advised to save your work — especially when working with complex or large documents.

🅰 Locating the Scripts Folder
To install a Group by Artboard.jsx script in Adobe Illustrator, you need to place it in the correct directory where Illustrator can recognize it. Follow these steps to locate the Scripts folder:
1. MacOS:
  Open Finder and navigate to:
  Applications/Adobe Illustrator <Version>/Presets/<Language>/Scripts
2. Windows:
  Open File Explorer and navigate to:
  C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator <Version>\Presets\<Language>\Scripts
3. Replace <Version> with your Adobe Illustrator version (e.g., 2025).
4. Replace <Language> with your language folder (e.g., "de_DE" for German, "en_US" for English).
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🅱 Installing the Script
1. Copy the Script File: Copy the Group by Artboard.jsx file to the Scripts folder located in the path above.
2. On some systems, you may need administrator permissions to modify the Scripts folder.
3. Restart Adobe Illustrator: To refresh the scripts menu, close and reopen Adobe Illustrator.
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Explore our complete guide to mastering Adobe Illustrator scripts.

1. Open Adobe Illustrator and ensure a document is active.
2. Go to the top menu bar and select File > Scripts.
3. If the script is installed in the Scripts folder, it will appear in the dropdown list.
4. Click the Group by Artboard script to run it.
5. The Group by Artboard script will execute, and any dialog boxes or results will appear based on the script’s functionality.
☻ Before running any scripts, it’s strongly advised to save your work — especially when working with complex or large documents.

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