How to Use Layers in xTool Studio

You've probably heard people say layers are really useful, but you might not be sure how to use them in xTool Studio. This guide explains the layer system and where it fits into your workflow.

Layers do three main jobs. They let you change the settings of lots of items at once, they let you control the order things are processed, and they keep your project organized so it's easier to see what's what. I'll show you each one with real examples, including engraving and scoring in one go, engrave then cut, and an embossed coin with a cleaning pass.

Jump to: Layers are colors · Bulk edit settings · The layer panel · Engrave and score in one job · Engrave, then cut · Rename your layers · Emboss plus a cleaning pass

1. In xTool Studio, a layer is a color

I dropped four Christmas designs from xTool's Elements library onto the canvas: a bell, a stocking, a gingerbread man and a snowman. Imagine you're making your own Christmas decorations on coasters.

The color of each item is its layer. Mine came in blue (they're usually black), and because they're all the same color, they're all on the same layer.

2. Change the settings of a whole layer at once

Normally you might click each item and set its settings one by one. If you want them all to engrave exactly the same way, there's a quicker route.

1. Look at the bottom left of the workspace. There's a colored dot for each layer in your project.
2. Click the blue dot. Every item on that layer is selected.
3. On the right it says the power is mixed, because they all have their own settings.
4. Now set the settings once. I used One-click set and then changed the speed. Every item on the layer gets the same values.

Click each item afterwards and you'll see they all have the new settings. You can still adjust any of them individually, but for me that gets confusing. Selecting by layer and changing by layer is much simpler.

3. Give items their own layers, and the layer panel

You won't always want everything on the same settings. When you don't, give items their own layer: right-click the item and pick a color from the bottom of the menu. I made the bell red, and a second dot appeared at the bottom left.

At the bottom left of the left-hand toolbar there's an icon that looks like stacked sheets of paper. Click it to open the Layer panel. It lists your layers (by color) and the objects in your project, and you can select each layer from there.

Why is that useful? Say you're working on stainless steel and want each design to come out a slightly different color. Put each one on its own layer and set each layer's settings to suit. You can even pick a layer color that matches the result you're going for, so it's easy to see on screen.

4. Engrave and score in one job

Here's a nice trick on wood: engrave a design, then score a line around the outside of it to add contrast. In my older tutorials I did that as two separate jobs. With layers, you can do it in one.

1. Put your design in the middle of the workspace and set it to Engrave.
2. Copy and paste it, and set the copy to Score.
3. Put the copy on a different layer (I made it green) so you can tell them apart, then place it exactly over the original.

The Layer panel now shows two layers, and their order matters. You can drag a layer up or down in the list, and that's how you decide what gets processed first. I put green (score) at the top so it scores first, then red engraves.

To make Studio follow that order:

1. Click the small arrow next to Process at the bottom right to open Processing settings.
2. Change Processing path from Auto planning to User defining. Auto planning decides the order for you, and it might not be the order you want.
3. Turn on By layer.

Now it processes from the top layer down. Click Process, open the path preview and press play. You can watch it score around the outside first, then fill in the engraving. Both jobs in one session, which saves time.

5. Engrave, then cut it out

The same idea works for cutting. Say you want to engrave a design on plywood and then cut it out as a keychain:

• Draw a rectangle around the design for the outline, put it on its own layer (blue) and set it to Cut.
• Add a small circle for the keychain hole, put it on another layer (green) and set that to Cut too.

Because they're separate layers, the long outline cut and the small hole can have different cut settings. (The settings I used in the video were just for the demo, not ones to copy.)

The order matters here. You want to engrave first while the material is still solid, then cut the keychain hole, and only then cut the whole piece out. If the outline cut first, the piece could move before the rest is done. So drag the layers into that order: engrave at the top, then the keychain hole, then the outline.

With User defining and By layer still on, the preview shows it engraving first, then cutting the keychain hole, then the outline. Everything in one process, no manual changes in between.

6. Rename your layers

To get even more organized, right-click a layer in the Layer panel and choose Rename. I renamed mine Engrave Layer, Outline Cut and Keychain Cut. On a simple design you can probably tell what's what anyway, but on a busy project, or one you engrave again and again, it makes a big difference to know exactly what each layer does at a glance.

7. Emboss, then a cleaning pass

One last example. You've probably heard people talk about a cleaning pass. It's a lower power, faster pass that takes a thin layer off the top to shine things up, without damaging the engraving.

1. Import your depth map for the coin, set the mode to embossing and choose your material (I picked a brass coin).
2. Put it on its own layer and rename it Embossed Coin.
3. Draw a circle exactly the same size as the coin, set it to Engrave with your cleaning settings, put it on another layer and rename it Cleaning Pass.
4. Drag Cleaning Pass below Embossed Coin in the Layer panel.
5. Check User defining and By layer are on, then preview the path.

It embosses the coin first, and as soon as that's done, it runs the cleaning pass. Again, the settings in the video were only for the demo, so don't copy them. For real values, my free Laser Settings Library has settings I've tested on xTool machines.

Has anything changed since?

I filmed this in November 2025, and layers still work the same way. A couple of newer xTool Studio features pair well with them: Batch resize makes lots of designs the same size in one go, and directional box selection lets you grab exactly the items you want on a busy canvas. Both are in my xTool Studio update guide.

Your turn

That's layers 101. If you're new to Studio, start with my beginner's walkthrough. And if you know a better way to use layers, or a clever trick I haven't covered, share it in the comments on the video.