About the Layers panel
Layers are composited together to form your complete design which shows up on your page.
The panel can be used to build up your design as multiple layers, with each layer devoted to a particular facet (e.g., brush strokes, images, adjustments, as well as vector shape, line and text).
From the Layers panel you can:
- Create or delete layers
- Apply blend modes to layers
- Arrange and reorder layers
- Select layers
- Show and hide layers
- Group layers
- Lock layers
- Clip layers
- Create masks
- Add layer adjustments, effects, and filters
- Tag layers with a choice of colors
- Change the UI display color of all object's path, nodes and handles
- Exclude layer from being a snapping candidate (right-click object only)
- Switch off Auto-scroll (panel scrolls to layer content when it is selected on the page)
- Display layer thumbnails with a solid or checkerboard background
- Determine the size of layer thumbnails
The panel displays the following:
Panel Preferences menu which offers:- Auto-Scroll—when selected (default), the selected object's layer entry immediately comes into view in the Layers panel.
- Checkerboard Background—when selected, layer thumbnails will display with a checkerboard background.
- Show Group Thumbnails—when selected (default), each group layer’s thumbnail displays a preview of all the group’s contents. When deselected, a folder icon is shown instead.
- Compact Group Rows—when selected (default) and thumbnails are set to medium or large size, group layers will be displayed at the small size.
- Small Thumbnails—when selected (default), displays small thumbnails.
- Medium Thumbnails—when selected, displays medium thumbnails.
- Large Thumbnails—when selected, displays large thumbnails.
- Opacity—Adjusts opacity of the selected layer(s).
- Blend Mode—Changes how the applied pixels interact with existing pixels on the layer below. Choose mode type from a pop-up menu.
Blend Ranges—Click to access a dialog for setting the blend ranges, blend gamma and antialiasing settings for the selected layer.
Lock/Unlock—Click to lock or unlock selected items to prevent accidental selection and transformation.
Expand/Collapse—Click to expand/contract the layer, revealing child layers, or group layer to expand the group's content.- Layer entry—The created layer, showing a thumbnail of layer contents and the layer name.
Hide/Show layer—Uncheck to hide the layer; check to make it visible again.
Edit All Layers—Allows selection and editing of layer contents across all layers (rather than the current layer).
Mask Layer—Creates a layer mask to reveal a portion of a layer while the rest of the layer remains hidden.
Adjustments—Adds a non-destructive adjustment layer for tonal and color correction.
Layer Effects—Applies a layer effect to the currently selected layer.
Live Filters—Applies a non-destructive filter layer to add creative effects.
Group Layers—Groups the currently selected layers.
Add Pixel Layer—Creates an empty new pixel layer above the currently selected layer.
Remove Layer—Deletes the currently selected layer.