Import Content
Open Add Media to bring photos, files, camera captures, pasted content, URLs, folders, and shared items onto a board.
Import Panel
Section titled “Import Panel”Open the import panel from Add Media, from the compact Add Content menu, or from the canvas contextual menu:
| Source | Description |
|---|---|
| Photos | Photo library picker: select one or many |
| Files | File picker: images, SVGs, videos, PDFs, and text files |
| Capture | Camera (photo and video on iOS; webcam with device selection on Mac) |
| Paste | Clipboard content (images, URLs) |
Platform-Specific Sources
Section titled “Platform-Specific Sources”- Scan Document (iOS/iPadOS): Scan physical documents with the camera.
- Import from iPhone or iPad (Mac): Use Continuity Camera to take a photo, scan documents (multi-page lands as one image per page), or add a sketch from a nearby iPhone or iPad. Use
Board > Import from iPhone or iPad, the From Device button in the Add Media panel, or right-click (Control-click) the canvas. Each opens the device picker; the Take Photo / Scan Documents / Add Sketch options appear only when a device signed in to the same Apple ID is nearby with Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth on.
Additional Methods
Section titled “Additional Methods”- Drag and Drop: Drop images, SVGs, or files from the desktop or other apps.
- Folder Import: Import an entire folder of images, SVGs, or media at once.
- URL Import: Paste a URL to import remote images, videos, or web pages.
- Share Extension: Send images, videos, URLs, text, and files from other apps to ArtDeck on iPhone, iPad, or Mac. See Share Extension.
Import Settings
Section titled “Import Settings”In Board Settings (⌘⇧S), configure:
- Keep Original Images: Import at full resolution (larger files) or optimized.
- Keep Original Videos: Import at original quality or transcode to save space.
Limits
Section titled “Limits”- Maximum 300 items per import operation.
- PDFs up to 300 pages (rasterized at 300 DPI, one image per page).
- Videos in MOV, MP4, or M4V format with H.264, HEVC, or ProRes codecs, plus WebM, AVI, MKV, WMV, and FLV where device codecs support them.
- SVG files import as raster images. SVGZ files and SVGs with external or interactive content are not supported.
- Text files (.txt, .text, .md, .markdown) are imported as text items on the board.
If Import Fails
Section titled “If Import Fails”| Situation | What to try |
|---|---|
| File type is not accepted | Check Supported File Formats and convert the file if needed. |
| Video import stalls or fails | Try an H.264, HEVC, or ProRes version first; very large or unusual codecs may need transcoding outside ArtDeck. |
| Photos or camera access is blocked | Open system Settings and allow ArtDeck access to Photos or Camera. |
| Share Extension does not appear | Enable ArtDeck in the system share sheet, then reopen the source app. |
| A large import is slow | Import fewer items at once or use optimized import settings for media-heavy boards. |