Large canvas FAQ

What's the canvas area in large canvas documents?

A large canvas document provides a canvas area of 2270 × 2270 inches, which is 100 times larger than the default canvas. This lets you create large-scale artwork, such as billboards, signage, and packaging, across multiple artboards.

Can I copy artwork between canvas types?

Yes. You can copy and paste artwork between large canvas and regular canvas documents.

If the artwork exceeds the size limits of a regular canvas document, Illustrator automatically scales it to fit within the available canvas area.

How do I arrange artboards in a large canvas document?

When you create a new document, use the Arrange by Row or Arrange by Column options in More Settings to define the artboard layout.

If the specified arrangement can't fit all artboards within the available canvas area, adjust the layout settings and create the document again.

How do I change the raster effects resolution?

Large canvas documents use a default raster effects resolution of 36 ppi to enhance performance.

To change the resolution:

You can also set the raster effects resolution when creating a new document.

Can I open large canvas files in earlier versions?

When saving for Illustrator versions earlier than 24.0, the artwork scales down. Some editing capabilities may be unavailable, and text layout may change.

To preserve the original document scale and editing capabilities, open the file in Illustrator 24.0 or later.

Can I save a large canvas document as a PDF?

Yes. If you save your PDF using Acrobat 1.5 or earlier compatibility, the artwork appears ten times smaller when opened.

Use Acrobat 1.6 or later compatibility to preserve the correct scale.

Why does my PDF appear smaller in browsers?

Some PDF viewers and web browsers don't recognize the scale information stored in large canvas PDFs, causing the artwork to appear ten times smaller.

When opening the PDF in Illustrator, enable Honor Scale on PDF Import to preserve the document scale.

Can I export PDFs using Asset Export?

Yes. You can export large canvas artwork as a PDF from the Asset Export panel.

If you use Acrobat 1.5 or earlier compatibility, the exported artwork appears ten times smaller. Use Acrobat 1.6 or later compatibility to preserve the correct scale.