To turn layers on and off in a PDF, open the Layers panel in a PDF editor that supports layers (in Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Reader it is one of the side panels; menu names vary by version) and click the eye icon next to a layer to hide or show it. That change is temporary and resets when you close the file. To save a PDF with certain layers off, Acrobat Pro lets you change each layer's default state in Layer Properties, or you can print the PDF to a new PDF with the unwanted layers hidden, which produces a flat copy without them. If you see no layers at all, the PDF was exported without layer information.
What are PDF layers?
PDF layers (technically "optional content groups") are named groups of content inside a PDF that a viewer can show or hide. Drawings exported from CAD often carry their layers into the PDF, so a reviewer can switch off furniture, dimensions, hatching or a consultant's services to see the part they care about. Layers do not change the drawing; they only control what is visible and, depending on settings, what prints.
How to turn layers on and off, by program
| Program | Where the layers are | Can you toggle them? |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Acrobat / Acrobat Reader | Layers panel in the side panels | Yes, eye icon per layer; Pro can change the saved default state |
| Foxit PDF Editor and Reader | Layers panel | Yes |
| PDF-XChange Editor (Windows) | Layers pane | Yes |
| Web browsers (Chrome, Edge) | No layers panel | No; the PDF shows its default visibility |
| Apple Preview | No layers panel | No |
| Ncored | Detects that a PDF has layers | Not yet; layer toggling is on the roadmap |
How to save a PDF with layers turned off
Hiding a layer with the eye icon is a view setting and is not saved. Two ways to make it stick:
- Change the default state (Acrobat Pro). In the Layers panel, open Layer Properties for the layer and set its default state to off. The PDF then opens with that layer hidden for everyone, but the content is still inside the file and anyone can switch it back on.
- Make a flat copy. Hide the layers you do not want, then print the PDF to a PDF printer (for example Microsoft Print to PDF on Windows, or Save as PDF on Mac). The new file contains only what was visible and has no layers. Use this when the hidden content must not be passed on.
If the hidden content is confidential, a flat copy is the safer choice, because a hidden layer is still in the file. For content that must be removed permanently, use redaction instead.
Why can't I see layers in my PDF?
- The PDF was exported without layer information. Many CAD and BIM exports flatten everything by default or by setting.
- The viewer has no layers panel. Browsers and Apple Preview show the PDF but not its layers. Open it in a PDF editor that supports layers.
- The PDF was printed or flattened somewhere along the way. Printing to PDF, some compression tools and "flatten" functions remove layers.
- The layers were empty. CAD programs usually skip layers that contain no plotted objects.
How to export a PDF with layers from CAD and BIM
| Program | Setting |
|---|---|
| AutoCAD | The DWG To PDF driver includes layer information by default; it is controlled by "Include layer information" in the plotter's custom properties, or the Layer information option when using Export to PDF |
| ArchiCAD | "Export Layers to PDF" in the PDF options (also in the Publisher's document options); only layers that are visible and contain elements are exported |
| Revit | The built-in PDF export (since Revit 2022) offers no layer option in the versions we checked; layered PDFs from Revit usually come through third-party PDF drivers or plug-ins |
Menu names change between versions, so check your own version's help if a setting is not where you expect it.
Layers and file speed
Layers themselves add little to file size, but layered CAD exports are often the heaviest drawings in a set, with dense hatching and xref content on many layers. If a layered set is slow to scroll and zoom, the problem is usually the number of vector paths, not the layers. See vector vs raster PDF drawings. Ncored, the PDF editor we built in our architecture studio, opens heavy layered sets from AutoCAD, Revit, and ArchiCAD fast and keeps them smooth on Windows and Mac. It detects layers, but switching individual layers on and off is not available yet. More on the layered PDF page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn on layers in a PDF?
Open the Layers panel in a PDF editor that supports layers, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, and click the empty box next to the layer to show it.
How do I turn off layers on a PDF?
In the Layers panel, click the eye icon next to the layer. The change lasts until you close the file unless you change the layer's default state in Acrobat Pro.
How do I save a PDF with layers turned off?
Either set the layer's default state to off in Acrobat Pro's Layer Properties, or hide the layers and print to a new PDF, which produces a flat copy without them.
Why can't I see layers in a PDF?
The PDF was probably exported without layer information, or the viewer you are using (a browser or Apple Preview) has no layers panel.
Related: how to convert PDF to DWG in AutoCAD, what is an xref, Microsoft Print to PDF missing or not working.