Organize layers and groups

The Layers panel is the safest place to find, select, and organize objects when a design becomes crowded or objects overlap.

The representative video demonstrates this exact workflow: Use the Selection Quick Bar to group two selected rectangles.

Verified result: A new selected group contains both rectangles.

Group selected layersUse the Selection Quick Bar to group two selected rectangles.Result: A new selected group contains both rectangles.

Transcript

1. Group the rectanglesChoose Group in the Selection Quick Bar to place both rectangles in one selected group.

Download the tutorial videoDownload English captions

Before you start

• Open the Layers tab in the left panel.
• Switch to the page that contains the objects you want to organize. The list shows layers from the active page.
• Unlock a layer before renaming, reordering, grouping, or ungrouping it.

Use the caret beside a frame or group to reveal its children. Selecting a row selects the same object on the canvas, which is useful when the object is hidden behind another layer.

Rename a layer

1. Find the object in Layers.
2. On a desktop, double-click its name or choose its rename button. On a touch screen, use the visible rename button.
3. Enter a short, descriptive name, such as Card background or Primary button.
4. Press Enter or move focus away from the field to save the name.

Press Escape while the field is open to keep the old name. An empty name is not saved.

Lock or hide a layer

• Choose Lock layer when an object is in the right place and should not be moved or edited accidentally. Choose Unlock layer to edit it again.
• Choose Hide layer to remove an object from the canvas without deleting it. The row stays in Layers, where you can choose Show layer later.

Locking and hiding solve different problems: a locked layer remains visible, while a hidden layer remains in the file but is not shown on the canvas.

Change the layer order

1. Make sure the layer is visible and unlocked.
2. Drag its reorder handle in Layers.
3. Watch the insertion label to confirm whether the layer will be placed before, after, or inside another container.
4. Release when the label describes the placement you want.

The order controls which overlapping object appears in front. You can also open the object’s menu and choose Bring to front, Bring forward, Send backward, or Send to back for a predictable one-step move.

If no insertion label appears, release without dropping, expand the destination container, and try again. A cancelled or very small drag leaves the current order unchanged.

Group and ungroup objects

1. Select two or more editable objects that have the same parent. For example, select two layers that are both directly on the page or both directly inside the same frame.
2. Open the selection menu and choose Group.
3. Rename the new group so its purpose is clear.

To separate it again, select the group and choose Ungroup. The children keep their current appearance and return to the group’s parent.

Tip

A group keeps objects together for selection and movement. A component is for reuse and linked instances; grouping does not turn objects into a component.

Recover from a mistake

• If a layer moved to the wrong level, choose Undo immediately. Expand the intended parent before trying the drag again.
• If Group is unavailable, make sure at least two unlocked objects are selected and that they are siblings under the same page, frame, or group.
• If Ungroup is unavailable, select the group row itself rather than one of its children.
• If an object seems missing, check whether its eye control is off, expand its parent, and confirm that you are on the correct page.
• If rename or reorder controls are unavailable, unlock the layer first.

Current limitations

• Layers can be reordered only while they are visible and unlocked.
• Objects with different parents cannot be grouped in one action. Move them under the same parent first.
• The panel is scoped to the active page; use Pages to reach objects on another page.
• Hiding an object is not a substitute for deleting sensitive content. Hidden objects remain part of the file and can be shown again.