How to View & Reorder Layers in PowerPoint

How To Look At Layers In PowerPoint

Updated on:

May 25, 2026

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Use this interactive demo to learn how to view and reorder layers in PowerPoint using the Selection Pane.

Quick summary

The Selection Pane in PowerPoint lets you view all objects on a slide as individual layers and quickly reorder them by dragging. Access it via the Shape Format tab to take full control of overlapping elements.

Steps

Navigate to the Shape Format tab in the PowerPoint ribbon.
Click Selection Pane to open the layers panel.
Review the side panel that appears, listing all objects on the slide.
Select any item in the list and drag it up or down to change its layer order.

📌 Why this matters

Understanding how to manage layers in PowerPoint is essential for creating polished, professional presentations. The Selection Pane gives users full visibility into every object on a slide, making it easy to control stacking order, hide elements, and resolve overlapping issues. This feature saves significant time when working with complex slide layouts containing multiple shapes, images, and text boxes. Mastering layer management in PowerPoint helps presenters deliver cleaner, more visually consistent decks.

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