How to Change Layer Order in Google Slides

To change layer order in Google Slides, click the object, then click Arrange › Order and choose Bring to front, Bring forward, Send backward, or Send to back. You can also right-click the object and use the Order menu, or press Ctrl + Up arrow or Ctrl + Down arrow to move it one layer at a time.

The shortcuts come from Google’s Keyboard shortcuts for Google Slides page and work in Google Slides in a web browser on a computer. Below you will find the menu and right-click steps, every shortcut, how to grab an object hidden behind others, and how to group layered items.

How layers work in Google Slides

Every picture, shape, text box, and line on a slide sits in a stack. Newer items go on top. When two objects overlap, the one higher in the stack covers the one below. Changing the order moves an object up or down in that stack without moving it on the slide.

How to change layer order with the Arrange menu

1. Click the picture, shape, or text box you want to move.
2. Click Arrange in the menu bar, then point to Order.
3. Choose an option: Bring to front puts it on top of everything, Bring forward moves it up one layer, Send backward moves it down one layer, and Send to back puts it behind everything.

Result: the object moves in the stack right away. A Google Docs Editors Product Expert recommends exactly this path for putting text in front of a picture. (To make a layered picture move onto the slide, see how to make a picture fly in on Google Slides.)

How to change layer order with a right-click

1. Right-click the object.
2. Point to Order.
3. Choose Bring to front, Bring forward, Send backward, or Send to back.

Result: the same change as the Arrange menu, with fewer clicks.

Layer order keyboard shortcuts

Google lists these shortcuts for Windows and ChromeOS:

• Bring forward: Ctrl + Up arrow
• Send backward: Ctrl + Down arrow
• Bring to front: Ctrl + Shift + Up arrow
• Send to back: Ctrl + Shift + Down arrow

On a Mac, use ⌘ instead of Ctrl. Some guides list Ctrl + Shift + Up as “bring forward,” but Google’s list shows it moves the object all the way to the front.

How to select an object hidden behind others

• Click the top object and press Ctrl + Down arrow or choose Send to back until the hidden object is exposed, then click it.
• Click an empty spot on the slide (not in a text box) and press Ctrl + A, or click Edit › Select all, to select everything. Then Shift-click to deselect the items you don’t want.

Result: you can grab the object you need without moving the others.

How to group layered objects

1. Hold Shift and click each object you want to keep together.
2. Click Arrange › Group, or press Ctrl + Alt + G (⌘ + Option + G on a Mac).

Result: the objects move and reorder as one unit. To separate them, choose Arrange › Ungroup or press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + G.

Troubleshooting

• Order is grayed out: make sure an object is selected and that you aren’t typing inside a text box. Press Esc and click the object’s edge.
• A background picture won’t move forward: it may be part of the slide’s layout or theme, which always sits behind slide content. Edit it in the theme builder instead.
• Text stays hidden behind a shape: select the shape and choose Send to back, or select the text box and choose Bring to front.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a layers panel in Google Slides?

No. Google Slides doesn’t have a separate layers list, so you use the Order commands or shortcuts.

Can I change layer order on my phone?

The Arrange menu and shortcuts described here are for the computer version. Menus differ in the mobile apps.

Related: How to crop and edit pictures in Google Slides, How to add an arrow or line in Google Slides, and How to convert Google Slides to PDF. To make paper handouts, see how to print 4 slides per page in Google Slides.