Z-Order (Stacking Order)
Control which object renders in front when objects overlap. Four commands adjust the z-order: Bring to Front, Bring Forward, Send Backward, and Send to Back.
Z-order determines how objects overlap within the same layer. Objects with a higher z-order render on top of objects with a lower z-order. The z-order commands are in the right-click context menu and accessible via keyboard shortcuts.
Bring to Front — Ctrl+Shift+]
Moves the selected object to the highest z-order position in its layer, rendering it on top of all other objects on that layer.
Bring Forward — Ctrl+]
Moves the selected object one step higher in z-order, placing it in front of the next object up.
Send Backward — Ctrl+[
Moves the selected object one step lower in z-order, placing it behind the next object down.
Send to Back — Ctrl+Shift+[
Moves the selected object to the lowest z-order position in its layer, rendering it behind all other objects on that layer.
Send Backward
Choose Send Backward (or press Ctrl+[ / Cmd+[) to move the object one position down. This is useful when a newly placed shape is covering an existing design element and you only need to nudge it behind one other object without disturbing the rest of the stack.
Send to Back
Choose Send to Back (or press Ctrl+Shift+[ / Cmd+Shift+[) to drop the object behind every other object on its layer. Use this for background fills, site boundary polygons, or any element that should always sit at the bottom of the visual stack.
Z-order only reorders objects within the same layer. If an object is still hidden after Bring to Front, the object covering it is on a higher layer. Open the Layers panel and drag the layer upward to fix the ordering between layers.
When multiple objects are selected, all of them move together — their relative order to each other stays the same, but as a group they rise or fall relative to the unselected objects on the layer. This is handy for keeping a label positioned above its associated shape while pushing both behind a different element.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+] / Cmd+] | Bring Forward |
| Ctrl+[ / Cmd+[ | Send Backward |
| Ctrl+Shift+] / Cmd+Shift+] | Bring to Front |
| Ctrl+Shift+[ / Cmd+Shift+[ | Send to Back |
Frequently Asked Questions
I used Bring to Front but the object is still hidden. What went wrong?
The object covering it is on a higher layer. Z-order commands only reorder objects within a single layer — they cannot move an object above objects that are on a different layer. Open the Layers panel and move the layer that contains your object above the layer that contains the covering object.
Where do I find z-order commands in the UI?
Right-click a selected object to open the context menu, then hover over Order. The submenu shows Bring to Front, Bring Forward, Send Backward, and Send to Back, each with its keyboard shortcut listed alongside it.
Can I apply z-order commands to multiple selected objects at once?
Yes. Select multiple objects with Shift-click or a drag selection, then apply any z-order command. All selected objects move together as a unit — their order relative to each other is preserved, but as a group they rise or fall against the rest of the layer.
Does z-order affect how objects print or export to PDF?
Yes. The PDF and image exports faithfully render objects in their z-order — objects with a higher z-order are drawn on top, exactly as they appear on the canvas. If a label is hidden behind a shape in the canvas view, it will also be hidden in exports.
Is there a way to see the full stacking order of all objects on a layer?
The Layers panel shows the layer hierarchy but does not list individual object positions within a layer. The most reliable way to inspect and adjust the exact stack is to select objects one by one and use Bring Forward / Send Backward to step through the order.