You can move a layer in Canva in two primary ways: by repositioning it on the design canvas or by changing its stacking order relative to other elements.
Repositioning a Layer on the Canvas
This is the most common type of "moving" and involves changing where the element appears visually within your design's boundaries.
- Drag and Drop: Simply click and hold the layer you want to move, then drag it to the desired location on the canvas. Release the mouse button when it's where you want it. Guides will often appear to help you align the element.
- Arrow Keys: Select the layer and use the arrow keys on your keyboard for fine adjustments.
- Position Panel (for Precision): With the layer selected, click the Position button in the top toolbar. Here, you can manually enter exact X and Y coordinates to place the element precisely.
Changing Layer Stacking Order
Moving a layer in this sense means changing whether it appears in front of or behind other elements. This is crucial for controlling visibility and creating depth in your design.
Canva allows you to adjust a layer's depth using the Position panel or the right-click context menu. As mentioned in the reference, you can "just change the position really easily" to control its stacking order.
Here's how:
- Select the Layer: Click the element you want to move forward or backward in the stacking order.
- Use the Position Panel:
- Click the Position button in the top toolbar.
- Under the "Layers" or "Arrange" section (depending on your Canva version), you will find options like:
- Bring to Front: Moves the selected layer to the very top of all other layers. The reference notes you can "move that [layer] the Top If [you] wanted to" using this functionality.
- Send to Back: Moves the selected layer to the very bottom of all other layers.
- Forward: Moves the selected layer one step forward, potentially placing it above the layer directly above it in the current stack.
- Backward: Moves the selected layer one step backward, potentially placing it below the layer directly below it in the current stack.
- Use the Right-Click Menu:
- Right-click on the selected layer.
- Hover over the Layer or Send backward/Bring forward option.
- Choose Bring Forward, Send Backward, Bring to Front, or Send to Back from the submenu.
Changing the stacking "position" this way is fundamental to design, allowing you to layer text over images, place objects behind shapes, and ensure elements are visible in the correct order.
