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Using the Layers palette


    The Layers palette lists all the layers in a document, starting with the frontmost layer. Each layer can contain items such as paths, groups, envelopes, compound shapes, compound paths, and sublayers. You can expand or collapse items in the Layers palette to display or hide their contents.

    Illustration of Layers palette with these callouts: A. Parent layer B. Sublayer C. Group D. Path
    Layers palette A. Parent layer B. Sublayer C. Group D. Path

    Displaying the Layers palette

    Choose Window > Layers.

    Expanding layers

    Click the triangle  the triangle to the left of the layer. If the layer is empty, no triangle appears and there is nothing to expand. Click again to collapse the layer.

    Selecting layers

    Click the name of the layer in the Layers palette. Alternatively, Ctrl-Alt-click (Windows) or Option-Command-click (Mac OS) anywhere in the layer list, and type the name or number of the layer you want to select. (For example, you can type 30 to go to "Layer 30.") Shift-click or Ctrl-click to select multiple contiguous or noncontiguous layers.

    Once you select a layer, it is highlighted and the current-layer indicator  the current-layer indicator appears at the far right of the item in the palette. Any path you create with a drawing or object tool is placed in the selected layer.

    Important: Don't confuse selecting layers with selecting artwork. For more information on selecting artwork, see Selecting artwork in layers.

    Using the Layers palette menu

    Click the triangle  the triangle in the upper right corner of the palette to access commands for working with layers.

    Displaying layer options

    Double-click a layer, or choose Options for "Layer name" from the Layers palette menu. (See Setting layer options.)

    Changing the palette display

    Choose Palette Options from the Layers palette menu. Select Show Layers Only to hide paths, groups, and collective elements in the Layers palette. For Row Size, select an option to specify the height of rows. (To specify a custom size, enter a value between 12 and 100.) For Thumbnails, select a combination of layers, groups, and objects for which to display thumbnail previews.

    Note: Displaying thumbnails in the Layers palette may result in slow performance when you are working with complex files. Turn off layer thumbnails to improve performance.