Select the Artboard tool from the toolbar, or press Shift + O.
Last updated on
Oct 28, 2025
Learn how to lock objects on artboards in Illustrator to prevent accidental selection or edits.
In multi-artboard files with many layers of content, locking an artboard keeps its objects protected from accidental moves or edits, so you can work safely on other areas of your design.
Select the artboard you want to lock.
Right-click or control-click (macOS) the selected artboard, choose Lock Artboards, and then select one of the following options:
- Lock Selected
- Lock All Except Selected
- Lock All
Alternatively, you can go to the Artboards panel, select an artboard, and select to lock the artboard.
Go to the Artboards panel, and deselectto unlock an artboard.
Tip
You can check whether an artboard is locked in the Artboards panel.appears next to the artboard name when it’s locked, and the space is blank when the artboard is editable.
