Layers
Layers let you organize a complex board into stackable, independently-controlled groups. Hide the layers you don't need, lock ones you don't want to edit by accident, and reorder them to bring content forward or send it behind other elements.
Opening the Layers Panel
Click the Layers icon in the right-sidebar toolbar. The panel shows one row per layer with the following controls:
Layer name
Double-click or press F2 to rename (max 250 characters)
Eye icon
Toggle layer visibility
Lock icon
Toggle layer lock (prevents edits to elements on that layer)
Row grip / drag
Reorder — drag a row to move the layer up or down the stack
Actions menu (⋮)
More actions: Rename, Set active, Duplicate, Delete
Default Layer
Every new board starts with a pre-created Default Layer:
It cannot be deleted — it is always present as a safety net.
It cannot be hidden or locked if no other visible or unlocked layer exists
It can be renamed like any other layer.
Create a Layer
Click the + Add Layer button in the Layers Panel. A new layer is created above the currently active one and automatically becomes active. Layers are auto-named sequentially ("Layer 1," "Layer 2," etc.).
Active Layer
Exactly one layer is active at a time. New elements you add to the canvas are placed on the active layer.
To set a layer as active:
Click the layer name in the panel, or
Open the ⋯ context menu → Set as Active Layer
Only one layer can be active at a time. If no layer is explicitly selected, the Default Layer is active. A hidden layer cannot be set as active — make it visible first.
Show / Hide
Click the eye icon on a row to hide the layer. Hidden layers don't render on the canvas, and you can't select elements on them.
You cannot hide the last visible layer. There has to be at least one layer visible on the board.
Connectors are hidden automatically if either their owner layer or any endpoint layer is hidden.
Lock / Unlock
Click the lock icon to lock a layer. Locked layers still render, but the elements on them can't be selected or edited until you unlock.
You cannot lock the last visible unlocked layer. At least one visible layer must remain editable.
A locked layer cannot be set as active.
Key Behaviors & Rules
Active layer = placement target. All new objects (drawn, pasted, or duplicated) are placed on the active layer.
Visibility gating. Objects render only if their layer is visible. Hiding a layer hides its objects and any related connectors.
Connector visibility. A connector is visible only if its owner layer and both endpoint layers are visible. It is editable only if its owner layer and both endpoint layers are unlocked.
Frames. Frames belong to their layer and are hidden or locked with it. Adding a shape into a frame from a different layer does not make the shape part of the frame.
Grouping across layers is not allowed. Objects must be on the same layer to form a group. Moving a group to another layer moves all of its members together.
Undo / Redo. All layer actions (create, rename, reorder, delete, visibility toggle, lock toggle, move objects) are fully reversible as single steps.
Reordering
Drag a row up or down to change stacking order. The top row in the panel is the top of the stack on the canvas (renders over the rows below it).
Canvas rendering order = layer order first (top of the list = front), then element z-order within each layer.
Rename
Double-click the layer name, or
Select the row and press F2, or
Open the actions menu and pick Rename
Names are limited to 250 characters.
Any layer can be renamed at any time, regardless of its visibility or lock state — including the Default Layer.
Duplicate & Delete
From the actions menu:
Duplicate — copies the layer and all its elements to a new layer above the original.
Is always created as visible, unlocked, and active — even if the original was hidden or locked.
Delete — removes the layer. The active layer automatically switches to the next available one. The Default Layer can never be deleted.
Move Objects to a Layer
Select one or more objects on the canvas, then open the context menu → Move to Layer → [Layer Name].
The selected objects are reassigned to the chosen layer; their canvas position and z-order are preserved.
The target layer becomes active after the move.
Locked layers appear with a lock icon and are not selectable as targets
Hidden layers can be chosen as targets — objects are assigned, but stay invisible until the layer is made visible.
If only one layer exists, "Move to Layer" is disabled.
Presentation Mode
In Presentation Mode, the Layers Panel is view-only. You can open the panel and inspect layer names, order, and state, but all editing controls are disabled:
Available:
View the layer list
Change visibility
See visibility and lock state indicators
Collapse or expand the panel
Disabled:
Add, delete, or rename layers
Lock state
Reorder layers
Move objects between layers
Open the ⋯ context menu
Related
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