Layers may be something you are related to, especially if you have ever used other software such as photoshop and illustrator. In Figma, layers will have a similar function. In this tutorial, we will explain What are Layers in Figma.
A Layer will be basically like having a bag. You can store anything in this bag, no matter what. If you have several bags, you can store lots of things in your different bags, and if you need something from them, you can just open the bag and take it. Easy, right?. A layer will sort of store the elements of the project depending on how you organize it. You can then name your layers and place them based on the hierarchy of elements, so they will have infinite space for you to use. Cool bags… layers.
To access the layers menu, simply open the left sidebar. This sidebar will contain not only the Layers panel but also you will find Assets and Pages. To switch fast between panels, press Option+1 for Mac and Alt+1 for Windows.
Pretty much everything. Any Frame, group of shapes, or objects you added during the design process will be visible in the layers panel on the left side of the canvas. You can also determine if a Layer is a Frame or Group or a specific type of Object.
The Layer’s function is vital as it will keep your workflow organized. So in this sense, you can select layers, frames within them, groups, and so on. You can rename layers individually or in groups. You can deactivate their visibility. You can lock/unlock them, and finally -very important for the prototyping phase-, adjust the z-index with layer order.
Remember to be organized when it comes to your workspace. Once you start working with layers, it can become very messy. Therefore, we suggest always naming them properly. This way, you won’t have -ever, ever, ever- a bad experience using Figma. Stay tuned.
