How to Create a New Artboard in Figma

Artboards—known in Figma as frames—are essential containers that help structure your design projects. Whether you’re designing screens for a mobile app, website, or presentation, frames help you stay organized and work efficiently. In this article, we’ll walk you through how to create a new artboard (frame) in Figma, step by step.

🎯 What Is an Artboard in Figma?

In Figma, an “artboard” is technically called a Frame. It’s a flexible space where you can place your design elements. You can use frames to:

Design multiple screens side by side
Set responsive constraints
Export specific parts of a design
Manage layouts for different devices

🛠 How to Create a New Artboard (Frame)

There are multiple ways to create a new frame in Figma. Here’s the easiest method:

✅ Method 1: Using the Frame Tool

Open your Figma file or start a new one.
Select the Frame Tool by pressing F on your keyboard, or clicking the frame icon in the toolbar (it looks like a hashtag or pound symbol #).
You’ll see options in the right-hand panel for common device sizes like iPhone 13, iPad, Desktop, etc.
Click one of those presets, or click and drag on the canvas to draw a custom-sized frame.

✅ Method 2: Use the Menu

Go to the top menu bar: Insert → Frame.
Choose a preset from the right panel or manually draw the frame on your canvas.

📐 Pro Tip: Rename Your Frame

After you create a frame, rename it to something meaningful (e.g., Home Screen, Login Page). You can double-click the layer name in the left sidebar or use Cmd/Ctrl + R to rename it quickly.

🔁 Duplicating Existing Artboards

If you’re designing multiple screens with similar layouts, it’s smart to duplicate your frame:

Select the frame and press Cmd/Ctrl + D
Or use Alt + Drag to duplicate while positioning it

This maintains consistency and speeds up your workflow.

📤 Exporting Artboards

Each frame (artboard) can be exported individually:

Select the frame
Click the Export section at the bottom of the right-hand panel
Choose the format (PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF)

✅ Summary

Creating artboards—called Frames in Figma—is one of the first things you’ll do in a new design project. They’re simple to create, easy to manage, and form the backbone of your layout. Use the F key or toolbar icon to get started, and take advantage of presets for device-based design.