Format text, images, and effects

The Inspector adapts to the selected layer. Text receives typography controls, images receive fitting and filter controls, and supported shapes and frames receive an Effects list.

The representative video demonstrates this exact workflow: Add a drop shadow effect to a selected rectangle from the Inspector.

Verified result: The selected rectangle shows a drop shadow on the canvas and in the Inspector.

Add a drop shadowAdd a drop shadow effect to a selected rectangle from the Inspector.Result: The selected rectangle shows a drop shadow on the canvas and in the Inspector.

Transcript

1. Open the effects menuChoose Add effect to open the list of available effects.
2. Add a drop shadowChoose Drop shadow to add the effect to the selected rectangle.

Download the tutorial videoDownload English captions

Before you start

• Select one unlocked layer and open the Design tab in the right panel.
• For text formatting, select a text layer. For image controls, select a raster image. For effects, select a supported shape or frame.
• If the wrong section appears, choose the exact layer in Layers rather than a parent group.

Format text

1. Select a text layer.
2. In Layout, choose Auto width, Auto height, or Fixed size for the text box.
3. In Typography, choose a font family, size, weight, and style.
4. Set line height and letter spacing as needed.
5. Choose horizontal and vertical alignment.
6. Optionally change case, text direction, decoration, or list style.

Use Auto width for one-line labels that should grow with their text. Use Auto height for a fixed-width paragraph that should become taller as content wraps. Use Fixed size when both dimensions must remain unchanged.

For a document with missing fonts, choose an available family before judging line breaks. A replacement font can change the width and height of the text.

Fit and filter an image

1. Select an image layer.
2. In Image, choose Object fit:
   • Cover fills the image box and crops overflow.
   • Contain shows the complete image and may leave empty space.
   • Fill stretches the image to the box.
   • Original size centers the source at its original pixel size.
   • Tile repeats the source inside the box.
3. Adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, blur, grayscale, or sepia.
4. Choose Reset filters to return the filter values to their defaults.

The Selection Quick Bar also exposes Object fit for a single selected image. Use its aspect-ratio lock when resizing should preserve the source proportions.

Crop an image

1. Select one editable image.
2. Choose Crop image in the Selection Quick Bar or the image’s menu.
3. Move or resize the crop box over the part of the source you want to keep.
4. Choose Apply or press Enter to commit the crop.

Choose Cancel or press Escape to restore the crop that existed before you entered crop mode. Cover can be enough when you only need the image to fill its box; use Crop when the visible source region must be chosen explicitly.

Add and manage effects

1. Select a supported shape or frame.
2. In Effects, choose Add effect.
3. Choose Drop shadow, Inner shadow, Layer blur, Background blur, Noise, Glass, or Texture.
4. Open the effect row and adjust its settings.
5. Use the row controls to change order, hide the effect temporarily, or remove it.

Drop shadows can be added more than once. Other effect families appear once per object. Shadow controls include offset, blur, spread, color, opacity, and blend mode. Glass combines backdrop blur, saturation, and tint; Texture adds a single-color grain; Noise can use monochrome, duotone, or color modes.

Tip

Background blur and Glass are easiest to judge when there is visible content behind the selected object. Move the object over a contrasting background before fine-tuning the effect.

Recover from an unexpected result

• Choose Undo after an unwanted text, crop, filter, or effect change.
• If text wraps unexpectedly, check the text layout mode, box width, font family, and font size.
• If an image looks distorted, change Object fit from Fill to Cover or Contain, then enable the aspect-ratio lock before resizing.
• If a crop is wrong while crop mode is still open, choose Cancel. If it was already applied, choose Undo.
• If an effect seems invisible, show its row, check its opacity and color, and place the object over content that makes the effect visible.
• If an effect is on the wrong visual layer, use its up and down controls to reorder it.

Current limitations

• The Effects section is currently available for supported shapes and frames, not every layer type.
• Image crop works on one editable raster image at a time.
• Fill object fit intentionally stretches the source; it does not preserve aspect ratio.
• Glass approximates a frosted backdrop and may not match another design application’s refraction exactly.
• Text, image, and effects controls are separate Inspector sections; selecting a parent group can hide the child-specific controls.