How To Hide Everything Outside The Artboard In Adobe Illustrator

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Adobe Illustrator is widely used by professionals as a vector graphics editor. A prominent feature of this software is the artboard, which is a designated workspace for creating designs. Unfortunately, the presence of objects outside the artboard can sometimes be distracting and hinder the progress of your main work. In such cases, you may wonder how to conceal these distractions. Let’s go through the steps together to learn how to hide everything outside the artboard.

Setting Up Adobe Illustrator

To get started, open Adobe Illustrator and create a new document. Make sure your artboard is the size you want it to be. You can adjust this by selecting the artboard tool (Shift + O) and changing the dimensions in the top toolbar.

Hiding Everything Outside the Artboard

There two ways to hide everything outside the artboard in Adobe Illustrator:

  1. Using the Trim View Option

    The easiest method is by using the Trim View option. This feature, introduced in Adobe Illustrator CC 2019, allows you to hide all objects and elements outside the artboard. Follow the steps below to use this feature:

    1. Go to the View menu located at the top of the Illustrator window.
    2. Select the Trim View option. If it already has a checkmark next to it, that means it’s currently activated.

    All objects outside the artboard will vanish, helping you focus solely on your design.

  2. Using the Clipping Mask

    A more traditional method is to use a clipping mask. This method works well in older versions of Adobe Illustrator as well. Follow the steps below:

    1. Create a rectangle that matches the size of your artboard using the Rectangle Tool (M).
    2. Select all elements that you want to mask, including the rectangle you just created.
    3. Go to the Object menu, then Clipping Mask, and click on Make or simply use the shortcut Cmd/Ctrl + 7.

    Your artwork is now clipped to the artboard, hiding everything outside the boundaries of the rectangle.

Conclusion

Adobe Illustrator provides us with several useful tools to keep our workspace clean and focused. By using the Trim View option or a Clipping Mask, you can hide everything outside the artboard. This helps you concentrate on your design without unnecessary distractions. Happy designing!