Controlling the stacking order of items
When two or more items overlap, each is either positioned in front of or behind the other item. The term “stacking order” refers to the front-to-back relationship of the various items on a page. Each item you create occupies its own level in the stacking order. Every new item you create becomes the front item.
The Item menu includes commands that let you control item stacking order.
- Choose Item > Send to Back to move an item to the back of the page or layer.
- Choose Item > Bring to Front to move an item to the front of the page or layer.
- To move an item one level backward in the page or layer on Mac OS, press Option and choose Item > Send Backward. On Windows, choose Item > Send Backward.
- To move an item one level forward in the page or layer on Mac OS, press Option and choose Item > Bring Forward. On Windows, choose Item > Bring Forward.
Note: In a document with layers, the layers themselves are in a particular stacking order; within each layer, each item has its own relationship to the stacking order. When you use the Send to Back, Send Backward, Bring to Front, and Bring Forward commands (Item menu), the stacking order of the items is altered within the layer.
Note: To activate an item that is hidden behind other items, select the Item tool 
and press Command+Option+Shift/Ctrl+Alt+Shift while you click repeatedly at the point where multiple items overlap. Pressing Command+Option+Shift/Ctrl+Alt+Shift while clicking will successively activate items from the front of the stacking order to the back.
and press Command+Option+Shift/Ctrl+Alt+Shift while you click repeatedly at the point where multiple items overlap. Pressing Command+Option+Shift/Ctrl+Alt+Shift while clicking will successively activate items from the front of the stacking order to the back.Parent topic: Manipulating items