Lock and unlock layers
Written by Figma Man
Updated at June 19th, 2025
- Administration – Figma Learn
- Figma Design – Figma Learn
- Get started – Figma Learn
- FigJam – Figma Learn
- Community – Figma Learn
- Help – Figma Learn
- Work across Figma – Figma Learn
- Courses, tutorials, projects – Figma Learn
- Figma Slides – Figma Learn
- Figma Buzz – Figma Learn
- Figma Make – Figma Learn
- Figma Sites – Figma Learn
Table of Contents
Before you start
Who can use this feature
Anyone on any team or plan has access to the layers Panel in the Editor.
Only users with can edit access can lock and unlock layers.
Lock layers to prevent them from being moved in the canvas, or protect them from accidental edits. When you lock a layer, you can't interact with or move it around in the canvas. You can still select a locked layer in the Layers Panel or adjust any properties of the layer.
If you lock a parent frame or group, then any child layers of that frame or group will also be locked. It's not possible to unlock child layers without unlocking the parent. Learn about parent and child relationships →
Note: It's possible to select locked layers via the right-click menu. Right-click on the layer, choose Select layer, then select the layer from the options. Locked layers have a padlock next to them.
Keyboard shortcuts
- Mac: ⌘ Command ⇧ Shift L
- Windows: Ctrl Shift L
Canvas
- Right-click on the layer in the canvas.
- Select Lock or Unlock from the options.
Layers Panel
- Hover over the layer in the Layers Panel until the appears.
- Click the padlock to lock the layer. Figma will close the padlock next to the layer in the Layers Panel.
- If this is a frame or group, then any children of that frame/group will also be locked.
- You will no longer be able to edit the layer in the canvas.
- Click the padlock again to unlock the layer.
Tip! You can lock/unlock multiple layers at once. Click on the or and drag across the layers you want to update.