Understanding layer hierarchy is essential for organizing complex designs. The Layers Panel shows all elements in a tree structure, with parent-child relationships that affect rendering order and grouping.
Understanding Z-Order
Elements are rendered from bottom to top:
- Elements at the bottom of the list render first (appear behind)
- Elements at the top of the list render last (appear in front)
This is the opposite of what you might expect—think of it as a stack of papers, with the top element being the paper you see first.
Parent-Child Relationships
Elements can be nested inside groups and frames:
- Groups - Simple containers that move children together
- Frames - Containers with their own size, fill, and clipping
Children are indented under their parent in the Layers Panel. Click the triangle to expand/collapse.
Reordering Layers
Drag and Drop
- Click and hold a layer in the Layers Panel
- Drag it to a new position
- A blue line shows where it will be placed
- Release to drop
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | macOS | Windows/Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Bring to Front | ⌘ + ] |
Ctrl + ] |
| Send to Back | ⌘ + [ |
Ctrl + [ |
| Bring Forward | ⌘ + Shift + ] |
Ctrl + Shift + ] |
| Send Backward | ⌘ + Shift + [ |
Ctrl + Shift + [ |
Use "Bring Forward" and "Send Backward" for fine control. "Bring to Front" and "Send to Back" move elements all the way to the top or bottom of the current parent.
Moving Between Parents
Drag layers to move them into or out of groups and frames:
- Drag onto a group/frame to move inside it
- Drag to the root level to move out of all containers
- Drag between siblings to reorder within the same parent
Drop Indicators
When dragging, watch for visual cues:
- Blue line between layers - Insert at this position
- Blue highlight on container - Move inside this group/frame
- Indentation level - Shows the nesting depth
Selecting in Hierarchy
- Click - Select single layer
- Shift + Click - Select range
- ⌘/Ctrl + Click - Add to selection
- Click parent - Selects parent and all children
Multi-Select Operations
Select multiple layers to:
- Move them together to a new position
- Group them (
⌘/Ctrl + G) - Delete them together
- Apply changes to all at once
Hold ⌘/Ctrl while clicking on the canvas to select through groups directly to the
element. This is faster than navigating the layer hierarchy for deep selections.
Naming Layers
Good naming helps navigation:
- Double-click a layer name in the panel
- Type a new name
- Press Enter to confirm
Use descriptive names like "Header", "Submit Button", or "Profile Avatar" instead of default names like "Rectangle 1".
Layer Icons
Icons in the Layers Panel indicate element type:
- Folder icon - Group
- Frame icon - Frame
- Square - Rectangle
- Circle - Ellipse
- T - Text
- Image icon - Image
- Path icon - Custom path
Collapse All / Expand All
For large documents:
- Right-click in the Layers Panel → Collapse All
- Right-click → Expand All
Alt/Option + Clicktriangle to expand/collapse all nested items