Using the Layers palette


    You use the Layers palette to list and control 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. For information on using palettes, see Using palettes.

    Illustration of Layers palette with these callouts: A. Selected layer listing B. Sublayer C. Group in sublayer D. Object in sublayer E. Group in top level layer
    Layers palette A. Selected layer listing B. Sublayer C. Group in sublayer D. Object in sublayer E. Group in top level layer

    To view an illustration of the Layers palette that identifies the appearance of selected items, see Selecting objects using the Layers palette.

    Displaying the Layers palette

    Choose Window > Layers.

    Using the Layers palette menu

    Click the triangle triangle icon in the upper right corner of the palette.

    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.

    Expanding layers and groups

    Click the triangle Triangle icon to the left of the layer or group name. If the item is empty, no triangle appears and there is nothing to expand. Click again to collapse the item.

    Selecting layers

    Click the layer name in the Layers palette. Alternatively, Alt+Ctrl-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 to select multiple adjacent layers, or Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) to select multiple nonadjacent layers.

    Once you select a layer listing, it is highlighted and the current-layer indicator current-listing 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 listing.

    Important: Don't confuse selecting layer listings with selecting artwork. For more information on selecting artwork, see Selecting objects using the Layers palette and Targeting layers, groups, and containers.