Google Mixboard has shut down. It was an experimental Google Labs concepting board, and Google said that after 28 September 2026 Mixboard would be taken offline and all user data, including boards, generated images and prompts, would no longer be accessible. Shared board links now show a shutdown notice, and Google says the data is permanently deleted from its servers.
If you've searched for Mixboard and found it gone, that's why. Here's what Mixboard was, exactly what Google said would happen to your work, and where to go now if you used it for mood boards, product ideas or social content.
What Mixboard was
Google launched Mixboard as an experimental, AI-powered concepting board to help you explore, expand and refine ideas. It started as a public beta in the US, and Google invited users to join its Discord community for updates on Mixboard and other Labs experiments. You could:
- Start a project from a text prompt or a ready-made board.
- Bring your own images or generate new ones with AI.
- Edit boards in plain language using Google's Nano Banana image model, to make small changes or combine images.
- Use one-click options like regenerate and more like this.
- Generate text based on the images on a board.
Google's help page said a first prompt produced about 15 image blocks, and it accepted .jpg, .png, .heic, .webp, .tiff, .svg and .pdf uploads. You had to be 18 or over and in a supported country.
How people used it
Google's examples were home decor, event themes, new product ideas and DIY projects. The workflow was simple, which is why people liked it:
- Open Mixboard and describe your idea in the prompt box, or pick an example prompt under Explore your ideas.
- Optionally add files: upload from your device, take a photo with the camera, add from Google Drive or import from Google Photos.
- Let it generate a first board of images, then edit blocks in plain language or ask for more like this.
- Add more boards to the same project, rename them or delete the ones you don't need.
- Click Share to send a board, or Export to turn it into a presentation. Google's tip was that more images and text on a board made a better presentation.
Google also warned it might apply usage limits to generations, uploads and board creations, and that repeated policy breaches could get an account suspended.
What Google said about the shutdown
| Question | Google's answer |
|---|---|
| When did it close? | After 28 September 2026 the website was taken offline |
| Can I still open my boards? | No; boards and all Mixboard data are no longer accessible |
| What about shared links? | Shared board URLs and presentations stop working and show a service shutdown notice |
| Is my data kept? | No; boards, generated images, uploaded assets and prompt history are permanently deleted |
| Who do I contact? | Google listed a help address for export questions before the shutdown date |
Google gave users until the shutdown date to keep creating, editing and exporting, and offered a help address for anyone who needed assistance exporting. Google's explanation was short: as an experimental Labs project, Mixboard explored new ways of creative expression, and Google is applying what it learned to future Labs experiments and creative tools.
How the export worked
Before the deadline, Google's steps were to go to the Mixboard projects page, open a project, open its list of boards and choose Download as PNG next to each board, which saved a zip file of that board's images. If you didn't do this before 28 September, the help page is clear that the boards can't be recovered.
What to use instead
Google's own advice is to visit labs.google to find its other active experiments. For the jobs people used Mixboard for, these are the options I'd look at:
| If you used Mixboard for | Try |
|---|---|
| Editing and combining images in plain language | Nano Banana, the Google image editing model Mixboard itself used |
| Mood boards and visual planning for clients | Canva whiteboards, Milanote or Pinterest boards |
| Product or packaging concepts | Nano Banana prompts, then a design tool for layout |
If image editing was your main use, my Nano Banana guide covers the prompts, and is Gemini free explains what you can do on the free plan.
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The lesson for small businesses
Mixboard is a reminder that Labs tools are experiments. They can be brilliant and free, and they can disappear with a few weeks' notice. If a Labs tool becomes part of how you work, export your work regularly, keep the finished files in your own storage, and don't build a client process around something Google describes as experimental.
- Keep a folder in your own cloud storage for anything you make in a beta tool.
- Download finished boards, images or videos the same day you make them.
- Note the prompts that worked, so you can rebuild the result elsewhere.
- Check the tool's help page every few months for shutdown notices.
My verdict
Mixboard was a clever idea that didn't graduate from Labs. If your boards are gone, they're gone, so put your energy into the tools that are still running. For most small businesses, Nano Banana covers the image editing side and a simple board tool covers the planning side.
If you'd like help choosing which AI tools your team should use and setting them up around the way you work, here's how we can work together.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Mixboard shut down?
Yes. Google said that after 28 September 2026 Mixboard would be taken offline and all user data, including boards, generated images and prompts, would no longer be accessible.
Can I recover my Mixboard boards?
No. Google's help page says that after the shutdown you can no longer access your boards, and all user data is permanently deleted from Google's servers.
What happened to shared Mixboard links?
Previously shared board URLs and presentations stopped working after 28 September 2026 and now show a service shutdown notice.
Why did Google shut down Mixboard?
Google described Mixboard as an experimental Labs project and said it's applying what it learned to future Google Labs experiments and creative tools.
What can I use instead of Mixboard?
Google points users to labs.google for its other active experiments. For image editing, Nano Banana, the model Mixboard used for edits, is the closest Google option.
