Layers and Z-Order Management
Control the stacking order of shapes, toggle visibility and locking, and reorder layers with drag-and-drop in the layers panel.
When building infographics with many overlapping shapes, controlling which shape appears in front of another is essential. The layers panel gives you precise control over z-order (stacking order), visibility, and locking for every shape on the canvas.
The Layers Panel
The layers panel appears in the right-hand menu. In infographic mode, it is in the Layers and Styles tab (the default tab). In standard diagram mode, it is in the General tab.
Per-Shape Controls
Every shape row in the layers panel provides three inline controls.
| Control | Icon | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | Eye | Toggle whether the shape is visible on the canvas. Hidden shapes remain in the document and are included in exports unless explicitly excluded. |
| Lock | Lock | Prevent the shape from being moved, resized, or deleted. Locked shapes show an amber highlight in the layers panel. |
| Delete | Trash | Remove the shape from the canvas permanently. Disabled when the shape is locked. |
Drag-and-Drop Reordering
The most powerful feature of the layers panel is drag-and-drop reordering. Drag any shape to a new position to change its z-order.
Group Management in the Layers Panel
Groups appear as collapsible headers in the layers panel. Group members are displayed indented below their header. See the Shape Grouping guide for details on creating and managing groups.
Availability
| Feature | Infographic Mode | Standard Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Layers panel | Yes (Layers and Styles tab) | Yes (General tab) |
| Z-order reordering | Yes | Yes |
| Visibility toggle | Yes | Yes |
| Lock toggle | Yes | Yes |
| Group management | Yes | Yes |
| Shape effects | Yes | No |
| Rotation | Yes | No |
| Opacity slider | Yes | No |