Renaming layers (and why names matter)

This article explains how to rename a layer in the editor, how Templified keeps names unique within a folder, and why dynamic layer names also control the key you use in API calls and integrations.

Rename a layer inline

1. In the layer panel, hover over the layer you want to rename. A pencil icon appears on the right side of the row.
2. Click the pencil icon (tooltip: Rename layer). The layer name becomes an editable text field.
3. Type the new name, then press Enter to save or Escape to cancel. Clicking away from the field also saves.

The name updates immediately on the canvas and in the layer panel. Undo (Cmd Z / Ctrl Z) reverses a rename.

Name collisions

Layer names must be unique within the same folder. If you type a name that is already in use by another layer in that folder, the field shows the message "Another layer in this folder already has that name" and the rename is blocked. The same name is allowed in a different folder — uniqueness is scoped per folder, not per template.

If you need two layers to share a name for API purposes (so they receive the same value in a render call), put them in the same folder and give them identical names — Templified merges values across layers that share a name.

Why layer names matter for dynamic layers

For every dynamic layer (a photo layer or text layer marked as a dynamic value), Templified derives an API field name directly from the layer's display name. The API field name is how you pass content into that layer when calling the render API, using Zapier, or building any other integration:

• The layer name is lowercased and any run of non-alphanumeric characters is replaced with a single underscore. For example, a layer named Player Name becomes the field key player_name.
• This field name appears in Settings → API Docs → Template Field Reference for every template, so you can look it up without guessing.

Because the API field name is derived from the layer name, renaming a dynamic layer also changes its field key. If your template has been used to produce images and you rename a dynamic layer, Templified shows a confirmation dialog warning that existing integrations referencing the old field name will need to be updated before you can proceed.

Renaming a layer that is used by an integration

When a template has render history, changing the name of a dynamic layer triggers the Rename Layer confirmation dialog. It shows the current name and the proposed new name, and warns that the API field name will change. You have two options:

• Rename — confirms the change. Any API calls, Zapier Zaps, or webhook payloads that used the old field name must be updated to use the new one.
• Cancel — leaves the layer name as it was.

For templates that are not yet connected to any integration, you can rename freely without restriction.

Related articles

• Working with layers: select, move, group, and delete
• Editor basics: canvas, layers, and the layer panel
• Text layers: fonts, color, alignment, and dynamic values