PDF Layer Manager (OCG)
See the layers (Optional Content Groups) of a PDF and change them: show or hide a layer, rename it, lock it, merge it into the page, or delete it with what is on it.
About This Tool
PDF Layer Manager lists the layers of a PDF, known as Optional Content Groups (OCG), and shows which are switched on. Layers are used in technical drawings, maps and print files to keep parts of the content, such as dimensions or labels, apart so that they can be shown or hidden.
The eye beside a layer sets whether it is shown when the file is opened; a reader can still switch it in its own panel unless you lock it. The pencil renames a layer. "Merge into the page" takes a layer off the list and leaves what is on it on the page, always shown. The bin deletes a layer together with what is on it: its text, shapes and pictures leave the file, and the page is left as it looked with the layer hidden. You can also add an empty layer for another program to put content on; this tool does not move what is on a page onto a layer. Click "Save changes" when you are done.
The file is read locally in your browser and is not uploaded.
How to Use
Upload Your PDF
Add a PDF that contains layers (OCG).
View Layers
The layers of the document are listed, each with an eye that shows whether it is shown when the file is opened.
Change the Layers
Press the eye to show or hide a layer, the pencil to rename it, the lock to stop readers switching it. Merge a layer into the page, or delete it with its content. Every change is made to the same document, one after another.
Save and Download
Click "Save changes", then download the file. The file you uploaded is not touched.
Use Cases
Technical Drawings
See which layers a CAD export carries, such as dimensions, annotations or alternative views, and set which of them are shown when the file is opened.
Map Layers
Hide or show the layers of a map PDF, such as topography, roads and labels, before you pass it on or print it.
Layers Not to Send
Delete a layer you do not want to send, such as review notes or a draft stamp, together with what is on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are PDF layers (OCG)?
Optional Content Groups (OCG) are layers in a PDF that can be shown or hidden. They are commonly used in CAD drawings, maps, and complex documents.
Why does my PDF show no layers?
Not all PDFs contain layers. Layers are typically added during PDF creation from design software or CAD applications.
Will layer changes affect the original content?
Showing, hiding, renaming and locking a layer change only how it is listed: its content stays in the file, and a hidden layer can be shown again by anyone. To take content out for good, delete the layer with its content. A few files weave a layer into the text around it in a way that cannot be undone safely; the tool then says so and changes nothing.