Drag the Object name and release the mouse button when you view a black insertion mark in the desired position.
- Illustrator User Guide
- Get to know Illustrator
- Introduction to Illustrator
- Workspace
- Workspace basics
- Create documents
- Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
- Accelerate workflows using the Contextual Task Bar
- Toolbar
- Default keyboard shortcuts
- Customize keyboard shortcuts
- Introduction to artboards
- Manage artboards
- Customize the workspace
- Properties panel
- Set preferences
- Touch Workspace
- Microsoft Surface Dial support in Illustrator
- Undo edits and manage design history
- Rotate view
- Rulers, grids, and guides
- Accessibility in Illustrator
- Safe Mode
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- Use the Touch Bar with Illustrator
- Files and templates
- Tools in Illustrator
- Tools at a glance
- Select tools
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- Text tools
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- Modify tools
- Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
- Quick actions
- Illustrator on the web (beta)
- Illustrator on the web (beta) overview
- Illustrator on the web (beta) FAQ
- Troubleshooting issues FAQ
- Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the web (beta)
- Create and combine shapes on the web
- Add and edit text on the web
- Apply colors and gradients on the web
- Draw and edit paths on the web
- Work with cloud documents on the web
- Invite collaborators to edit on the web
- Illustrator on the iPad
- Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
- Workspace
- Documents
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- Drawing
- Type
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- Basics
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- Drawing
- Drawing basics
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- Draw pixel-perfect art
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- Draw simple lines and shapes
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- Draw and edit flares
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- Simplify a path
- Symbolism tools and symbol sets
- Adjust path segments
- Design a flower in 5 easy steps
- Create and edit a perspective grid
- Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
- Use objects as symbols for repeat use
- Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
- Measurement
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- Color
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- Select objects
- Layers
- Group and expand objects
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- Align, arrange, and move objects on a path
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- Scale, shear, and distort objects
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- Enhanced reshape workflows with touch support
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- Type
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- Create bulleted and numbered lists
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- Import and export text
- Format paragraphs
- Special characters
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- Character and paragraph styles
- Tabs
- Find missing fonts (Typekit workflow)
- Arabic and Hebrew type
- Fonts | FAQ and troubleshooting tips
- Creative typography designs
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- Line and character spacing
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- Spelling and language dictionaries
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- Composers for Asian scripts
- Create text designs with blend objects
- Create a text poster using Image Trace
- Create special effects
- Web graphics
- Drawing
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- Import
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- Troubleshooting
Learn how Illustrator stacks objects and how to change the stacking order.
Illustrator stacks successively drawn objects, beginning with the first Object drawn.
If you've overlapping objects, the stacking order (also called painting order) of objects determines the display order, and the stacking order depends on the drawing mode you use.
Add new objects in the stacking order
You can add new objects to the stacking order using the Draw Normal mode or Draw Behind mode:
Use Draw Normal mode
Select the Draw Normal mode to add a new Object on top of the selected layer.
Use Draw Behind mode
Select the Draw Behind mode to add a new Object behind the selected layer.
The artwork you view at the beginning of the Layers panel is at the front of the stacking order, and the artwork you view at the end of the Layers panel is at the back of the stacking order. Objects within a layer are also stacked similarly. You can control the display of overlapping objects by adding multiple layers to your artwork.
Change the stacking order using the Layers panel
Follow any of these options to change the stacking order using Layers panel:
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Go to Object > Arrange and select Bring to Front, Bring Forward, Send Backward, Send to Back, or Send to Current Layer.
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To reverse the order of items in the Layers panel, hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (macOS) and select the item names, and then select Reverse Order from the Layers panel menu.
Note:To reverse the order of items, they must be at the same level in the layer hierarchy.
Change the stacking order using Arrange options
Follow any of these options:
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Select the object you want to move and then select Object > Arrange > Bring To Front or Object > Arrange > Send To Back to move an object to the top or bottom position in its group or layer.
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Select the object you want to move and then select Object > Arrange > Bring Forward or Object > Arrange > Send Backward to move an object by one object to the front or one object to the back of a stack.
You cannot move a path, group, or collective element to the top position in the Layers panel—only layers can reside at the beginning of the layer hierarchy.
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