The default sizes in Illustrator can be easy to work with but often cause issues in print. It is generally preferred to have a customized size to fit your needs. This article dives into how you can resize in Illustrator. 

You can resize both the Artboard and the images by entering values manually or by entering specific dimensions according to your needs. 

To learn more about these processes, please continue reading. 

How To Resize The Artboard In Illustrator

Illustrator allows you to change the size of the artboard using two ways. The first method is based on your intuition, while the second method requires accuracy and gives you a precise result. 

Resize Artboard In Illustrator Manually

To resize the artboard manually in Illustrator:

1. Open up Illustrator.
2. Go to your tools panel and look for the Artboard tool. If you cannot find it press the Shift + O keys or the Command + O keys in Mac. 
3. Once this tool is selected, a selection will appear around the entire artboard. 
4. There are handles in all four corners and handles in the center of the four lines around the artboard. 
5. To preserve the aspect ratio of your artboard, press and hold Shift or Command while dragging one of the corner handles. 
6. To scale from the center, press and hold the Shift and Alt or Command and Option keys while dragging one of the corners of the artboard. 
7. The handles in the center of the lines on the sides help reduce the width by dragging them left or right. 
8. The handles in the center of the top and bottom lines can help you reduce the artboard’s height by dragging the handle upwards or downwards. 

Resize Artboard In Illustrator With Specific Values

For further accuracy for projects that need it, you can input specific values to resize the artboard. To do so follow the instructions given below. 

1. Open the document, select the Artboard tool, or hit Shift + O/ Command + O. 
2. A control panel will appear on the top with the options labeled X. Y, W, and H.
3. To adjust without changing the aspect ratio, lock the option between W and H. If you wish not to preserve the aspect ratio, unlock the option. 
4. Input the values of your choice in the panels and the artboard will adjust accordingly. 

For further insight into adjustments, you can make to the artboard, watch this video: 

How To Resize An Image In Illustrator

Images can be resized according to your preference once you have made them in a different size. There are three ways to do it, and we shall dive into all of them. 

Resize Image Manually

To resize the image manually:

1. Select the image. 
2. Press and hold the Shift or Command key and drag one of the corners handles that appeared around the image. 
3. Release your cursor when you are done with the adjustment. 

Resize Image In Illustrator Without Losing The Quality

The method used above may compromise the quality of the image by blurring the edges out. To resize the image while preserving its quality, go through the detailed steps below. 

1. Select the image.
2. In the options that appear in the panel on top, go to Image Trace.
3. In the drop-down menu that appears, select the high-fidelity photo option.
4. An option titled Expand will appear in the same panel; click it. 
5. Once this is done, you can press and hold Shift or Command and drag one of the handles on the image to increase the size. 

Resize Image In Illustrator Using A Specific Value

For exactness and accuracy, you may input a specific dimension you wish your image to be. To do so, follow along with the guided steps that are given below. 

1. Open up the document with the image in it. 
2. Look for the ruler that shows up on the top of the canvas and the left side. 
3. Right-click on the ruler and change the unit of measurement to what you prefer. The options include inches, pixels, centimeters, points, millimeters, and picas. 
4. Once adjusted, go to the selection tool and make a selection of the image. 
5. Right-click on the selection and select Group. This is important to ensure cohesion in the resizing process. 
6. Now go to Windows and then to Transform. 
7. A window will open up with the options X,Y,W, and H. Enter your desired value in terms of the unit of measurement that you picked. 
8. Hit OK when complete.
9. The image will be resized. 

Conclusion

Two main elements in Illustrator may need to be adjusted for a specific size: the artboard and the image. We have given you a comprehensive guide to achieving this easily.