Frequently Asked Questions

What is Novaboard?

Novaboard is a browser-based pixel art studio designed for creating sprites, animations, and game art. It runs entirely in your browser with no installation required.

Does Novaboard cost anything?

The web version is free, with no subscriptions or hidden costs. The desktop app is a one-time $14.99 purchase, no subscription.

Is there a desktop app?

Yes, for Windows, macOS and Linux. It adds native file handling: Save ( Ctrl+S ) writes straight to disk instead of downloading through the browser, Save As ( Ctrl+Shift+S ) opens the export dialog on the project file so you can pick where it lands, and there is an Open Recent list. Save is desktop only, and a few defaults differ because browsers reserve the plain combos: on the web, New File is Ctrl+Alt+N and Ctrl+0 fits the file to the view, while the desktop menu uses Ctrl+N and Ctrl+0 for 100% zoom. Everything else works the same in both versions.

Does Novaboard work offline?

Yes. Novaboard is a Progressive Web App. It needs an internet connection the first time you open it, but once it has loaded it keeps working without one, so you can draw offline. You can also install it to your home screen or desktop and run it like a native app.

Where is my work saved?

Your work is saved locally in your browser's storage. Use File → Export to save files to your computer. For important work, always export backups as PNG or Aseprite files.

How do I undo or redo?

Press Ctrl+Z to undo and Ctrl+Shift+Zor Ctrl+Y to redo. Every action (strokes, layer changes, transforms) is a reversible step in the file's history. Undoing and then drawing again starts a new branch rather than throwing the old one away: open the History panel from the clock button in the status bar, and the branch you left is a card in the left gutter, showing the newest version on it. Clicking any version puts your file back on it.

How do I draw a straight line?

Use the Line tool ( L ). Click to set the start point, drag to the end point, and release. Hold Shift to snap to 45° and isometric (26.565°) angles.

How do I pick a color from my canvas?

Hold Alt and click on any pixel to sample its color. This works with any tool active. Alternatively, press I to switch to the Color Picker tool.

How do I change the brush size?

Use -or [ to decrease and =or ] to increase brush size. You can also hold D and drag left/right to adjust size visually. Ctrl+scroll wheel also works.

How do I get pixel-perfect lines?

Turn on Pixel-Perfect in the tool options row, or press P to toggle it for the active tool. It drops the extra corner pixels that diagonal lines otherwise leave behind, at any brush size. The Brush, the Eraser and the Curve tool each remember their own setting; press it from a tool that has no such option and you land on the Brush with it switched on. Spray ( Shift+B ), Dither ( Alt+B ), Scatter ( Shift+Alt+B ) and Shading are separate tools and don't use the toggle.

How do I draw perfect circles or squares?

Hold Shift while using the Circle or Rectangle tool to constrain proportions. This creates perfect circles and squares instead of ellipses and rectangles.

How do I enable symmetry drawing?

The symmetry buttons sit in the tool options row, next to the rest of the current tool's options. There are four independent axes: vertical, horizontal, and the two diagonals. Turn on any combination of them, and move the axes off the canvas center if you need to.

How do I move a selection?

After making a selection, press T for the Transform tool, then drag the selection. Use arrow keys for precise 1-pixel movements. Press Enter to commit.

How do I add to or subtract from a selection?

Hold Shift while selecting to add to the current selection. Hold Altor Right Click to subtract from it, or Shift+Altor Shift+Right Click to keep only the overlap.

How do I flip or rotate my artwork?

Select the area you want to transform (or use Ctrl+A to select all), then use:

• Shift+H — Flip horizontal
• Shift+V — Flip vertical
• Ctrl+R — Rotate 90° clockwise
• Ctrl+Shift+R — Rotate 90° counter-clockwise

How do I deselect?

Press Escor Ctrl+D to remove the current selection.

How do I create an animation?

Draw your first frame, then press Ctrl+Enteror Alt+Nor Alt+5 to add a frame at the end of the timeline. A new frame holds the last keyframe until you either draw on it or press Shift+Enteror Alt+6 to give it a keyframe of its own. Navigate between frames with ,or ← and .or → . Press Enter to preview.

How do I change the animation speed?

Type a new number into the fps field in the timeline footer, on the right under the frame columns. The readout beside it shows the current frame and the elapsed time.

What is onion skinning?

Onion skinning shows ghost images of previous and next frames overlaid on your canvas. This helps you create smooth animations by seeing how frames relate to each other. Toggle it from the onion skin button in the timeline footer, and use the small chevron next to it for range and color settings. Simple mode hides it.

How do I export an animated GIF?

Go to File → Export, select GIF as the format. The animation will be exported with your current frame timings.

How do I add a new layer?

Press Shift+N or click the "+" button in the Layers panel footer. New layers are added above the currently selected layer.

How do I merge layers?

Select the layers you want to merge in the Layers panel, then right-click and choose "Merge Down" or "Merge Selected."

What are draft layers?

Draft layers are visible while editing but are excluded from exports. They're useful for sketches, guides, or reference images you don't want in the final output. See Draft Layers for details.

What file formats does Novaboard support?

Novaboard supports 30+ import and 30+ export formats, including PNG, GIF, APNG, WebP, Aseprite (.aseprite/.ase), PSD, ORA, Pixelorama (.pxo), VOX, and sprite sheets. See Import & Export for the full list.

How do I export a sprite sheet?

Open File → Export, pick Animation, then choose a sprite sheet format (PNG, JPEG, WebP, or BMP sprite sheet). The Sheet section then lets you set the layout (horizontal, vertical, or a grid with a column count) and the padding between cells.

How do I open an Aseprite file?

Use File → Open ( Ctrl+O ) or drag and drop the .aseprite/.ase file onto Novaboard. Open accepts every format Novaboard can import, not just its own .nova files. All layers, frames, and palette data are preserved.

Can I export to Aseprite format?

Yes. Go to File → Export, pick Project, then select Aseprite (.aseprite) as the format. This preserves all your layers, frames, and animation data.

How do I hide all the panels?

Press ` to toggle all panels at once, giving you a clean canvas view. Press ` again to restore them.

How do I zoom in on my artwork?

Use the scroll wheel, Ctrl+=or Scroll Up / Ctrl+-or Scroll Down for free zoom, or press number keys 2 - 7 for preset zoom levels (100% to 3200%). Press Ctrl+0 to fit the canvas to your view, or 1 for Full Size Preview, which hides every panel and fits the file to the whole window while staying editable. Hold any of those zoom keys instead of tapping it and you get a peek: let go and you are back on the exact view you left.

How do I pan around the canvas?

Hold Spaceor Middle Click and drag to pan, or drag with the middle mouse button. The Pan tool does the same with a plain left-drag.

What is the command palette?

Press Ctrl+Shift+P to open the command palette. It gives you quick access to all Novaboard commands and actions without navigating menus.

Can I customize keyboard shortcuts?

Yes. Press Shift+? to open the keyboard shortcuts editor, where you can rebind any shortcut, add multiple bindings for the same action, or reset everything back to defaults. Shortcuts match physical key position, so your bindings work across non-US keyboard layouts. See Keyboard Shortcuts.

Can I open more than one file at a time?

Yes. Every open file is a tab in the editor's tab bar. Open another from the file grid or with Quick Open ( Ctrl+P ) and it lands as a new tab; opening a file that is already open switches to its tab instead of duplicating it. Drag a tab to the edge of the editor area to put two files side by side, up to four groups on desktop and two on iPad. Closing the last tab takes you back to the file grid. See Interface.

How do I see the same file at two zoom levels?

Use View → Split View, or Split View on a tab's right-click menu. It opens a second view of the file you are in, marked "(2)" in its tab, and each view keeps its own zoom, pan, view rotation and tile mode, so one pane can sit at 1600% while the other shows the whole sprite. It is one file underneath: draw in either and both update, and undo is shared. On desktop the same right-click menu has Pop Out to New Window, which moves a view into its own window and returns it to the dock when you close it.

What is the badge in the corner of the canvas?

It is the edit scope: how many cels your next edit writes. Select several cels in the timeline, or several layers, and drawing, clearing, filling and adjustments apply to all of them in one step, with the badge appearing to say the edit is no longer local. It counts what will really be written rather than what you clicked, so held frames collapse onto the keyframe that governs them and locked layers drop out. That is what a reading like "2 keyframes · 6 frames" means: six cels picked, two actually written. With a single cel in scope the badge stays out of the way. It is also a button: it switches Paint across selection on and off, so you can decide whether the next brush stroke follows the selection or stays on the active layer. See Animation for how to select cels.

How do I manage workspaces and panel layouts?

Workspaces are named containers that each hold their own set of files. Use the workspace selector at the top of the file grid to switch between workspaces, or to create, rename, and delete them. Panel layouts are separate: open the Window → Layouts menu to switch between the built-in Simple and Advanced modes (Simple also hides advanced tools and features, not just panels), or choose Save Layout to store your current panel arrangement (including floating and popout panels) as a reusable preset. See Interface.

What's the difference between RGBA, Indexed, and Grayscale modes?

RGBA is the default mode, offering full 32-bit color with alpha transparency. Indexed mode binds every pixel to a slot in your palette, so editing a palette color instantly recolors every pixel using it. This is ideal for retro or limited-palette work. Grayscale mode restricts the canvas to shades of gray. You can switch modes at any time via Image → Color Mode or the color mode badge in the status bar. Learn more in Color Modes.

How do I add text to my pixel art?

Select the Text tool ( Shift+T ) from the toolbar and click on the canvas to create a text layer. Novaboard bundles 15 pixel-friendly fonts, and you can add your own through the font manager, which reads .ttf, .otf, .woff and .bdf bitmap fonts. Text remains editable until you rasterize it. Simple mode hides the Text tool. See Text Layers.

What are layer effects?

Layer effects are non-destructive visual effects like drop shadow, glow, outline, blur, and color correction. They render in real-time via GPU shaders. Select a layer and open Layer → Layer Effects…, or click the sparkle button in the Layers panel header. Once a layer has effects, its own row grows a sparkle button that reopens them. Simple mode hides the Layers panel buttons. See Layer Effects.

How do I embed one file inside another?

Use Clip Layers. Click the Add Clip Layer button in the Layers panel footer (Advanced mode only) and select the source file. The embedded file plays its animation in sync with the parent. See Clip Layers.

What are decal layers?

Decal layers are an upcoming feature, not yet enabled in the current build. They warp a texture from another file onto the alpha shape of the layer below using anchor-based triangulation. Useful for applying patterns to character sprites. See Decal Layers.

How do I create seamless tiles?

Enable Tile Mode via View → Tile Mode or the command palette. The canvas wraps, so you can paint across edges, and each split view keeps its own tile mode. Simple mode hides it. See Tile Mode.

How does the export dialog work?

You start by saying what you are exporting: Project, Image, Animation, Timelapse, Model, Sprite stack, Palette, Crafts or Engine. That choice decides which formats and which option sections you get, and the preview on the left updates as you change them. Novaboard asks where to save before it encodes anything. The whole combination is remembered with the file, so Repeat Last Export ( Ctrl+Alt+E ) re-runs it without reopening the dialog. See Import & Export.

My drawing looks blurry. How do I fix it?

Make sure you're exporting at 1x scale or using "Nearest Neighbor" scaling. Bilinear/smooth scaling blurs pixel art. When viewing in browsers or image viewers, disable anti-aliasing.

Keyboard shortcuts aren't working.

Make sure the canvas has focus (click on it). Some shortcuts may conflict with browser shortcuts, so try using Novaboard in fullscreen mode or a different browser.

The app is slow or laggy.

Cost follows the number of pixels an action has to touch, so it shows up first on big canvases (4096x4096 is the maximum) and on the operations that cover the whole canvas: bucket fill, magic wand, transforming a full selection, effects and export. Layer and frame count add to it. If it feels heavy, close other browser tabs, stay on a current browser, and work at the size the sprite actually needs instead of a large canvas you scale down later. Large-canvas performance is an ongoing project, so it is worth taking the update prompt when it appears.

I lost my work. Can I recover it?

Novaboard auto-saves to browser storage. If you cleared your browser data, the work may be lost. Always export important projects as files for backup.