# 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:
| Control | What It Does | | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | | 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 * [Grouping](/models/work-in-the-app/editor/grouping.md) — boundary-style grouping (unrelated to layers) * [Frames](/models/work-in-the-app/editor/frames.md) — content frames that live on layers --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.ins-pi.com/models/work-in-the-app/editor/layers.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.