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_wckdTall_
_wckdTall_
Inspiring
March 27, 2026
Question

How-to change Artboard Background Color via scripting

  • March 27, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 48 views

I have been receiving files with a white background, which can be set to transparent within the artboard panel dropdowns. When I create a new artboard, the default IS transparent, however when I do so through scripting, it shows up as white.

Are there any options to set either the background color of artboards that currently exist, or create a new artboard with a transparent background? From what I’ve read, artboard color is unavailable in the DOM, I’m wondering if it follows similar read only logic of a new document.

 

//Test a new artboard in the current document
var newAB = app.activeDocument.artboards.add([0, 0, 500, -500]);

 

    1 reply

    CarlosCanto
    Community Expert
    CarlosCantoCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 28, 2026

    what’s the plan? replace all existing artboards with new transparent ones?

     

    adding a new artboard remembers the last artboard color in the document, so that’s not an option.

     

    you could however copy/paste artboards.

    Create a new document, it should default to transparent artboards, select Artboard Tool, copy artboard(s), switch to your document, paste()

    _wckdTall_
    _wckdTall_Author
    Inspiring
    March 29, 2026

    Since there is no ability to change the background color, and you must have 1 artboard at all times, yes, I want to replace all with transparent. Copying and pasting would work well enough, and if batching I’d only have to create or open a single file, and copy directly targeting the last artboard. Is there menu command needed to enter artboard editing mode?

     

    I’ll give it a shot next week.

    CarlosCanto
    Community Expert
    CarlosCantoCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 29, 2026

    yes!

    // select Artboard Tool (Shift + O)
    app.selectTool("Adobe Crop Tool");

     

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