Open a PDF in Acrobat.
Last updated on
Jun 7, 2026
Learn how to view and control the visibility of layers in PDFs using Adobe Acrobat.
PDF layers help you explore complex documents by switching content on or off. Use the Layers panel to show or hide layers, navigate nested layer groups, and control how layers appear on screen, in print, or when exporting.
View PDF layers
Select Layers from the right-side panel to open the Layers panel.
Tip
If Layers isn’t visible, select Menu > View > Show/Hide > Side panels > Layers.
Select the eye icon next to a layer to show or hide it.
Expand nested groups, if present, to manage layers inside a group.
Note
A lock means the layer is informational and cannot be hidden.
Control layer visibility
Open the Layers panel in the PDF.
Select Options in the Layers panel.
Choose one of the visibility controls:
- List Layers For All Pages — Display every layer in the document.
- List Layers For Visible Pages — Display only layers on the pages currently in view.
- Reset To Initial Visibility — Restore the default visibility state.
- Apply Print Overrides — Preview the document using print-based visibility settings.
- Apply Export Overrides — Preview the document using export-based settings.
- Apply Layer Overrides — Display all layers regardless of individual settings.
Select or clear the eye icon next to any layer to temporarily override its visibility.
To permanently save a visibility change, modify the layer’s Default state in Layer Properties.
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