Photoshop: Convert all layers in each Artboard to a Smart Object automatically?

​@andgartis 

You can try the following script:

/*
Artboard Content to Centered Smart Object
https://community.adobe.com/questions-712/photoshop-convert-all-layers-in-each-artboard-to-a-smart-object-automatically-1633971
Stephen Marsh
27th July 2026 - v1.0: Initial release

For every artboard in the active document:
1. Collects the parent artboard's child layers, skipping any that are hidden or locked
2. Selects those layers and converts them into a single Smart Object
3. Renames the Smart Object to match the artboard's name
4. Centers the Smart Object horizontally and vertically within the artboard's bounds
*/

#target photoshop

(function () {

    var  interactiveDebug = false;

    if (!app.documents.length) {
        alert("A document must be open to run this script!");
        return;
    }

    // Preserve user settings
    var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
    var originalDisplayDialogs = app.displayDialogs;
    // Configure user settings
    app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
    app.displayDialogs = DialogModes.NO;
    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    var processedCount = 0;
    var skippedArtboards = [];

    try {
        var artboards = collectArtboards(doc);

        if (artboards.length === 0) {
            alert("No artboards were found in this document.");
        } else {
            for (var i = 0; i < artboards.length; i++) {
                var artboard = artboards[i];
                var result = processArtboard(doc, artboard);
                if (result.success) {
                    processedCount++;
                } else {
                    skippedArtboards.push(artboard.name + " (" + result.reason + ")");
                }
            }

            var summary = "Processed " + processedCount + " of " + artboards.length + " artboard(s).";
            if (skippedArtboards.length > 0) {
                summary += "\n\nSkipped:\n" + skippedArtboards.join("\n");
            }
            alert(summary);
        }
    } catch (e) {
        alert("Script error: " + e.message + (e.line ? " (line " + e.line + ")" : ""));
    } finally {
        // Restore user settings
        app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
        app.displayDialogs = originalDisplayDialogs;
    }


    // Main processing function
    function processArtboard(doc, artboard) {
        // Loop over artboards and collect the appropriate layers
        var candidates = [];
        for (var j = 0; j < artboard.layers.length; j++) {
            var child = artboard.layers[j];
            if (child.visible && !isLayerLocked(child)) {
                candidates.push(child);
            }
        }
        if (candidates.length === 0) {
            return { success: false, reason: "no eligible visible/unlocked layers" };
        }
        // Process the layers...
        // 1. Select all eligible layers inside this artboard
        selectLayersByID(getLayerIDs(candidates));
        // 2. Convert the current selection into a Smart Object
        convertSelectedLayersToSmartObject();
        var smartObject = doc.activeLayer;
        // 3. Rename it to match the artboard
        smartObject.name = artboard.name;
        // 4. Center it within the artboard bounds
        centerLayerInBounds(smartObject, getArtboardBounds(doc, artboard));
        return { success: true };
    }


    ///// Helper Functions /////

    function collectArtboards(doc) {
        var result = [];
        for (var i = 0; i < doc.layers.length; i++) {
            var lyr = doc.layers[i];
            if (lyr.typename === "LayerSet" && isArtboard(lyr)) {
                result.push(lyr);
            }
        }
        return result;
    }

    function isArtboard(layerSet) {
        try {
            if (layerSet.artboardEnabled === true) return true;
        } catch (e) {
            // Ignore DOM call and use the AM check
        }
        try {
            var key = stringIDToTypeID("artboardEnabled");
            var ref = new ActionReference();
            ref.putProperty(charIDToTypeID("Prpr"), key);
            ref.putIdentifier(charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), layerSet.id);
            var desc = executeActionGet(ref);
            return desc.hasKey(key) && desc.getBoolean(key);
        } catch (e2) {
            return false;
        }
    }

    function isLayerLocked(layer) {
        try {
            if (layer.typename === "LayerSet") {
                return layer.allLocked === true;
            }
            return (
                layer.allLocked === true ||
                layer.pixelsLocked === true ||
                layer.positionLocked === true ||
                layer.transparentPixelsLocked === true
            );
        } catch (e) {
            return false;
        }
    }

    function getLayerIDs(layers) {
        var ids = [];
        for (var i = 0; i < layers.length; i++) {
            ids.push(layers[i].id);
        }
        return ids;
    }

    function selectLayersByID(ids) {
        var ref = new ActionReference();
        for (var i = 0; i < ids.length; i++) {
            ref.putIdentifier(charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), ids[i]);
        }
        var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
        desc.putReference(charIDToTypeID("null"), ref);
        executeAction(charIDToTypeID("slct"), desc, DialogModes.NO);
    }

    function convertSelectedLayersToSmartObject() {
        executeAction(stringIDToTypeID("newPlacedLayer"), undefined, DialogModes.NO);
    }


    function getArtboardBounds(doc, layerSet) {
    /* 
    active artboard dimensions, by Rune L-H
    https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/photoshop-2015-artboards-in-scripting/m-p/7276275
    */
        var previousActive = doc.activeLayer;
        try {
            doc.activeLayer = layerSet;

            var ref = new ActionReference();
            ref.putEnumerated(charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt"));
            var desc = executeActionGet(ref);

            var artboardKey = stringIDToTypeID("artboard");
            if (desc.hasKey(artboardKey)) {
                var artboardDesc = desc.getObjectValue(artboardKey);
                var rectKey = stringIDToTypeID("artboardRect");
                if (artboardDesc.hasKey(rectKey)) {
                    var rectDesc = artboardDesc.getObjectValue(rectKey);

                    if ( interactiveDebug) alert("Artboard bounds source: artboardRect (correct path)");
                    return {
                        left: getDescNumber(rectDesc, "left"),
                        top: getDescNumber(rectDesc, "top"),
                        right: getDescNumber(rectDesc, "right"),
                        bottom: getDescNumber(rectDesc, "bottom")
                    };
                }
            }
        } catch (e) {
            // fall through to bounds-based fallback
        } finally {
            try { doc.activeLayer = previousActive; } catch (e2) {}
        }
        var b = layerSet.bounds;
        if ( interactiveDebug) alert("Artboard bounds source: layerSet.bounds FALLBACK (artboardRect lookup failed)");
        return {
            left: b[0].value,
            top: b[1].value,
            right: b[2].value,
            bottom: b[3].value
        };
    }

    function getDescNumber(desc, keyName) {
        var key = stringIDToTypeID(keyName);
        var type = desc.getType(key);
        switch (type) {
            case DescValueType.INTEGERTYPE:
                return desc.getInteger(key);
            case DescValueType.DOUBLETYPE:
                return desc.getDouble(key);
            case DescValueType.UNITDOUBLE:
                return desc.getUnitDoubleValue(key);
            default:
                return desc.getDouble(key);
        }
    }

    function centerLayerInBounds(layer, rect) {

        var artboardCenterX = (rect.left + rect.right) / 2;
        var artboardCenterY = (rect.top + rect.bottom) / 2;
        var b = layer.bounds; // pixel units (ruler set above)
        var layerCenterX = (b[0].value + b[2].value) / 2;
        var layerCenterY = (b[1].value + b[3].value) / 2;
        var deltaX = artboardCenterX - layerCenterX;
        var deltaY = artboardCenterY - layerCenterY;

        if ( interactiveDebug) {
            alert(
                "Artboard rect: L" + rect.left + " T" + rect.top + " R" + rect.right + " B" + rect.bottom +
                "\nArtboard center: " + artboardCenterX + ", " + artboardCenterY +
                "\n\nLayer bounds: L" + b[0].value + " T" + b[1].value + " R" + b[2].value + " B" + b[3].value +
                "\nLayer center: " + layerCenterX + ", " + layerCenterY +
                "\n\nDelta to apply: " + deltaX + ", " + deltaY
            );
        }

        if (deltaX !== 0 || deltaY !== 0) {
            layer.translate(deltaX, deltaY);
        }

        if ( interactiveDebug) {
            var after = layer.bounds;
            alert(
                "Layer bounds AFTER translate: L" + after[0].value + " T" + after[1].value +
                " R" + after[2].value + " B" + after[3].value
            );
        }
    }

})();

1. Copy the code text to the clipboard
2. Open a new blank file in a plain-text editor (not in a word processor)
3. Paste the code in
4. Save as a plain text format file – .txt
5. Rename the saved file extension from .txt to .jsx
6. Install or browse to the .jsx file to run (see below)

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/11/downloading-and-installing-adobe-scripts.html