What layer groups do and when you need them

A layer group in Procreate is a folder that holds multiple layers together. Instead of having twenty separate layers cluttering your layers panel, you can bundle related ones — all your shadow layers, all your text, all your background elements — into a single folder you can collapse, move, or adjust as one unit.

You need groups when your drawing or design has enough layers that you can't find what you're looking for without scrolling, or when you want to explore the same opacity or blend mode to several layers at once without merging them. Groups are also useful when you're working with a collaborator or returning to a file weeks later — they make it obvious what each section of your work contains.

Groups don't change how Procreate renders your image. They're purely organizational. You can still edit any layer inside a group without ungrouping anything.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a new group by tapping the plus icon in the layers panel and selecting "Group", or by selecting existing layers and swiping them into a group.
  • Drag layers into or out of a group by holding and dragging them in the layers panel — the group will highlight when you're hovering over it.
  • Collapse a group by tapping the arrow next to its name, which hides all layers inside without deleting them.
  • Adjust opacity or blend mode for an entire group by tapping the group itself and using the controls at the top of the layers panel.
  • Rename a group by double-tapping its name in the layers panel so you remember what it contains.

Creating a new group from scratch

Open the layers panel on the right side of your screen. At the top of the panel, you'll see a plus icon (+). Tap it and select "Group" from the menu that appears. Procreate will create a new empty group, usually named "Group" with a number.

The new group appears at the top of your layers panel. You can now drag existing layers into it, or create new layers directly inside it. If you create a new layer while a group is selected, that layer will automatically land inside the group rather than above it.

Moving existing layers into a group

If you already have layers you want to organize, you can move them into a group by dragging. In the layers panel, press and hold on a layer, then drag it over the group folder. The group will highlight with a blue outline when you're hovering over it correctly. Release your finger and the layer slides inside.

You can drag multiple layers at once. Tap one layer, then hold Shift and tap another to select a range, or tap each one individually while holding Ctrl (on iPad with a keyboard) or just tap each one separately. Once you have them selected, drag any of the highlighted layers into the group.

If you want to move a layer out of a group, drag it the same way — press and hold, then drag it above or below the group folder until you see the blue insertion line appear in the right spot.

Collapsing and expanding groups

Each group has a small arrow or triangle next to its name on the left side. Tap that arrow to collapse the group, which hides all the layers inside it and makes your layers panel much cleaner. The layers are still there — they're just hidden from view. Tap the arrow again to expand the group and see all its contents.

Collapsing groups is especially useful when you're working on a different part of your image and don't need to see or adjust those layers. You can still paint on layers inside a collapsed group as long as they're selected — collapsing only affects what you see in the panel, not what you can edit.

Renaming groups so you remember what's inside

By default, Procreate names new groups "Group", "Group 2", and so on. Double-tap the group name in the layers panel to rename it to something more useful like "Shadows", "Character Details", or "Background Texture".

A clear name saves you time later. When you open the file in a week and need to adjust the lighting, you'll know when ready which group to expand instead of clicking through five unnamed folders.

Adjusting opacity and blend mode for an entire group

Tap the group name itself (not the arrow) to select the group. At the top of the layers panel, you'll see the opacity slider and a dropdown that says "Normal" — that's the blend mode. Adjust either one and the change applies to every layer inside the group at once.

This is useful when you've built up a whole section of your image — say, all your shadow layers — and you realize the whole thing needs to be slightly more transparent or needs to blend differently with the layers below. Instead of adjusting each layer individually, you adjust the group once.

Remember that adjusting a group's opacity doesn't change the opacity of the individual layers inside it. If you later move a layer out of the group, it will go back to whatever opacity it had before.

Nesting groups inside other groups

You can create a group inside another group. Drag a group into another group the same way you'd drag a layer. This is useful for very complex images where you have multiple categories — for example, a "Character" group containing "Head", "Body", and "Clothing" subgroups.

Nested groups work the same way as regular groups: you can collapse them, adjust their opacity, and move layers in and out. Just remember that if you adjust the opacity of the outer group, it affects everything nested inside, even if the inner groups have their own opacity settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I merge layers that are inside a group?

Yes. Select the layers you want to merge (they can be in the same group or different groups), then swipe right with two fingers on the canvas, or go to the menu and select "Merge Down". The merged layer stays in whichever group the bottom layer was in.

What happens if I delete a group?

Procreate will ask you to confirm. If you delete the group, all layers inside it are deleted too. If you want to keep the layers but remove the group, drag them out of the group first, then delete the empty group.

Can I lock a whole group so I don't accidentally edit it?

Yes. Tap the group to select it, then tap the lock icon that appears to the right of the group name. All layers inside the group become locked. Tap the lock again to unlock them.

Do groups affect the file size of my Procreate document?

No. Groups are only organizational — they don't add data to your file. Whether your layers are grouped or loose, the file size is the same.