Select and edit layers
Figma-style selection, moving and nudging, grouping, arranging and aligning layers on the stage.
Everything the AI makes is made of layers you can edit by hand: rectangles, ellipses, text, symbols, lines, vector paths, images, video, groups and component instances. Selection on the stage works like in Figma, and every edit goes into a draft you apply as a new version.
Select
- Click
- Select a group. Click again to go inside it
- ⌘ Click
- Select the innermost layer directly
- ⇧ Click
- Add to or remove from the selection
- Drag on empty space
- Marquee selection
- ⌥ Drag
- Marquee even when you start over a layer
- esc
- Drop a multi-selection, then go up one level, then deselect
Selecting a layer anywhere (stage, timeline, Layers tab) gives the stage the keyboard, so ⌫, the arrow keys and ⌘C / ⌘V act on the selection. The timeline scrolls to the selected layer's lane.
Move, resize and rotate
- Drag a layer to move it. Hold ⇧ to lock the axis. A selected layer drags from anywhere inside its box, even where it's transparent or another layer lies on top, so small shapes and thin lines are easy to grab.
- Drag a corner handle to resize; ⇧ keeps proportions.
- Drag the rotation handle to rotate; ⇧ snaps to 15°. An angle ruler shows while you turn.
- Smart guides snap layers to each other and to guides; hold ⌘ while dragging to move without snapping.
- Nudge with the arrow keys: 1 pt, or 10 pt with ⇧.
Vector paths are hit on any visible fill (gradients and stacked fills too), and small shapes on their whole box. Inside an Auto Layout group, a dragged child snaps back to its slot unless it has Absolute position.
Double-click
| Double-click on | What happens |
|---|---|
| A shape (path, rectangle, ellipse) | Opens its points in vector mode (Edit Points). A rectangle or ellipse is converted to a vector path first |
| A text layer | Edits the text in place on the stage |
| An instance | Opens its component for editing |
While you edit points, a click on another layer leaves Edit Points and selects that layer.
Copy, duplicate, arrange
- ⌘C ⌘X ⌘V
- Copy, cut, paste layers. Paste also takes SVG from Figma, images, and Figma links (they import the frame)
- ⌘D
- Duplicate. The copy is named “… copy” and lands 24 pt down and to the right
- ⌫
- Delete, with Undo in the pill for 10 seconds
- ⌘G / ⇧⌘G
- Group Selection / Ungroup
- ⌥⌘↑ / ⌥⌘↓
- Bring Forward / Send Backward
Align and distribute
Stage → Align lines up the selected layers:
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| Align Left / Align Horizontal Centers / Align Right | Lines up the left edges, centers or right edges |
| Align Top / Align Vertical Centers / Align Bottom | Lines up the top edges, centers or bottom edges |
| Distribute Horizontally / Distribute Vertically | Spaces three or more layers evenly |
A single layer aligns to its group, or to the canvas at the top level.
Works with
Troubleshooting
| If this happens | Try this |
|---|---|
| Clicking selects the group, not the layer | Click again to go inside, or ⌘-click to select the innermost layer. |
| Arrow keys step frames instead of nudging | Nothing is selected, or the timeline has keyframes selected. Select the layer on the stage. |
| ⌘V pastes into the chat | The composer has focus. Click the stage first. |