You can change board layers in Altium primarily by manipulating the layer stackup. Here's how:
Within the Layer Stack Manager:
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Open the Layer Stack Manager: Navigate to Design » Layer Stack Manager. This panel allows you to view and modify the layers in your PCB design.
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Selecting a Layer: Click on the layer you wish to move. The selected layer will be highlighted.
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Moving Layers: There are several ways to move layers:
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Right-click and use the Context Menu: Right-click on the selected layer. You'll see options like "Move Layer Up" and "Move Layer Down." Select the appropriate option to reposition the layer.
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Using the Edit Menu: Go to Edit » Layer Up or Edit » Layer Down. This will move the selected layer in the layer stack.
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Drag and Drop (Advanced): In some versions of Altium Designer, you can directly drag and drop layers within the Layer Stack Manager to reorder them. Note: dragging might have limitations depending on layer types and stack-up rules.
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Important Considerations:
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Layer Types: You can only move layers within their respective types (e.g., signal layers can only be moved among other signal layers, and internal planes can only be moved among other internal planes). You cannot intermix layer types without fundamentally changing your board structure.
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Layer Stack Rules: Altium often has built-in rules to maintain a valid layer stackup. This might prevent you from moving a layer if it violates those rules. For instance, you might have dielectric material thickness requirements between signal layers or plane layers.
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Mechanical Layers: Mechanical layers typically don't follow the same ordering restrictions as electrical layers. They are used for documentation, assembly information, and other non-electrical purposes.
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Top/Bottom Layers: The Top and Bottom layers are usually fixed and cannot be easily moved within the layer stack, as they represent the outermost layers of the PCB.
In summary, use the Layer Stack Manager (Design -> Layer Stack Manager), then right-click, use the Edit menu, or potentially drag and drop (depending on your Altium version) to reposition layers within their respective layer type, keeping in mind any stackup rules that might prevent certain moves.
