AutoCAD LAYER command
Shortcut: LAOrganise
Opens the Layer Properties Manager, where layers are created, coloured, assigned lineweights and plot styles, and locked, frozen or turned off.
Syntax
LAYER → new / rename / set colour, linetype, lineweight, plot stateStep by step
- Type LA and press Enter.
- Create a layer and name it to your project standard, such as A-WALL or S-BEAM.
- Set colour, linetype and lineweight, which drive how it plots.
- Use Freeze for layers that should not regenerate, Off for temporary hiding, Lock to keep visible but unselectable.
- Clear the Plot column for construction layers you never want on paper.
A minimal layer set
A-WALL (white, 0.35 mm), A-DOOR (green, 0.18), A-DIMS (yellow, 0.13), A-TEXT (yellow, 0.13), X-REFS (grey, no plot). Everything on layer 0 is what makes a drawing unusable to the next person.
Common mistakes
- Drawing everything on layer 0 — reserve it for block geometry that should inherit its parent layer.
- Overriding colour and lineweight per object instead of by layer, so nothing plots consistently.
- Purging layers still referenced by a block definition and assuming the purge failed.
Questions
What is the difference between freezing and turning off a layer?
Both hide the layer. Freeze also excludes it from regeneration, which is faster in large drawings, but thawing forces a regen. Off is better for quick toggling.
How do I stop a layer from plotting?
Clear the plotter icon in the Plot column of the Layer Properties Manager. The layer stays visible on screen but is left off paper and PDF output.