> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-1/designer-properties-panel.md).

# Designer Properties panel

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://352477438-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFCWMxradHcVjURnrXSYX%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-a69e80f80b589ada8b23520db07f53f698b7316b%2Fproperties-panel-overview.jpg?alt=media" alt="The Designer Properties panel with the Layer tab active: the Style"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

The **Properties** panel is where you adjust everything about the part of a graphic you have selected in the Designer — its look, position, motion, audio, variables, effects, and transitions. Select a layer, group, or conductor on the [Workspace](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-1/designer-workspace-overview.md) or in the [Timeline](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-1/designer-timeline-overview.md), and its settings appear here. With nothing selected, the panel reads "Select a layer in the design to see its properties here."

The panel is context-sensitive: the tabs it shows depend on what you’ve selected, so you only ever see the tabs that apply to the current object.

{% hint style="info" %}
**On scope:** This article is about the **Designer** Properties panel — what you see inside the Designer while editing a graphic. The playout main view has its own, separate Properties panel (Live Values, Values Grid, and so on); for that one, see [Properties panel](/get-started/chapter-index-2/properties-panel.md).
{% endhint %}

## Layer and Global

The panel has two top-level tabs:

* **Layer** — settings for the object you’ve selected: a single layer, a group, or a conductor. This is where you spend most of your time, and it holds the sub-tabs described under [The Layer tabs](#the-layer-tabs).
* **Global** — scene-wide settings that apply to the whole graphic rather than to one layer: its variables and its lighting and camera. See [The Global tabs](#the-global-tabs).

## The Layer tabs

When you select a layer or other object, the **Layer** tab shows a context-sensitive set of sub-tabs. Not every tab appears for every selection — the "appears for" note on each tab tells you when to expect it.

### Style

The look of a text or shape layer, built up as a stack of style elements — fonts, fills, gradients, outlines, shadows, bevels, and extrusions. Appears for a paragraph or shape. See [Add styles to design layers](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-2/add-styles-to-design-layers.md).

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://352477438-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFCWMxradHcVjURnrXSYX%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-e5fe4bb5ef275a041f8098bd78f2bd9fa11d95df%2Fproperties-style-tab.jpg?alt=media" alt="The Style tab: the font toolbar above the Style Settings stack"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

### Transform

Position, rotation, scale, and anchor point, plus the keyframes that animate them, and per-layer extras such as opacity, column width, clipping, and Object Following. This is the bulk of what used to be the single **Motion** tab. Appears for a paragraph, shape, or group. See [Customize a design layer’s transform and additional properties](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-2/customize-motion-and-additional-properties.md).

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://352477438-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFCWMxradHcVjURnrXSYX%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-6274d2e410b00bd8b3c62842a60b029cf04fa71f%2Fproperties-transform-tab.jpg?alt=media" alt="The Transform tab: Position"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

### Variables

The **text**, **pattern**, and **visibility** variables a layer exposes, and how they’re wired to a data source. Color and image variables aren’t here — those live on the **Style** tab, embedded in the style design. Appears for a paragraph, shape, or group; a **Text Variable** applies only to a paragraph, not a shape. See [Create variables in graphics](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-4/create-variables-in-graphics.md).

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://352477438-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFCWMxradHcVjURnrXSYX%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-90ce165a9fd4a1f2b2019f3b9e1ea9497f9b152f%2Fproperties-variables-tab.jpg?alt=media" alt="The Variables tab: Variable Settings with Text Variable"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

### Special

NTX features and layer-specific behaviors — crawling text, rolling credits, looping, data graphs, and live-video variables. Appears for a paragraph or shape.

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://352477438-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFCWMxradHcVjURnrXSYX%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-910fbf36e173b6b51d236171a2973f42057940fe%2Fproperties-special-tab.jpg?alt=media" alt="The Special tab: the NTX Feature selector"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

### Audio

Attach an audio file — a WAV or MP3 — that plays when this layer plays, so you can pair a sound effect with a title’s motion. Browse to the file, and set how loud it plays with **Audio Level**. Appears for a paragraph.

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://352477438-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFCWMxradHcVjURnrXSYX%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-5b4365e79a4341780b7b96e143fb1e3195521b5a%2Fproperties-audio-tab.jpg?alt=media" alt="The Audio tab: the Audio File chooser and Audio Level"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

### Effects

What a layer does beyond its base look: add and tune **effects** and animations, set a **Blending mode** for how the layer composites with what’s behind it, and assign masking — mark a layer as a mask, or pick which mask a layer is **Masked by**. Appears for a paragraph, shape, or group. See [Add effects to design layers](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-3/add-effects-to-design-layers.md).

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://352477438-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFCWMxradHcVjURnrXSYX%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-ae410e89f7f7c38fe0079f546819203803fa14cc%2Feffects-tab.jpg?alt=media" alt="The Effects tab: Blending mode"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

### Transitions

The in and out transitions applied to a layer. Appears for a paragraph, shape, or group. See [Add transitions to design layers](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-3/add-transitions-to-design-layers.md).

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://352477438-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFCWMxradHcVjURnrXSYX%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-6de8ea32dc37ae55aa36ebd27fa618d1df8c0356%2Ftransitions-tab.jpg?alt=media" alt="The Transitions tab: the in and out transition stack"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

### Conductor

The parameters for a conductor you’ve added to the graphic — a Crawl, Roll, or Leaderboard. Appears when a conductor is selected. See [Crawl Conductor](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-5/crawl-conductor.md), [Roll Conductor](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-5/roll-conductor.md), and [Leaderboard Conductor](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-5/leaderboard-conductor.md).

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://352477438-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFCWMxradHcVjURnrXSYX%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-2f39a2cff0e64af7e2eaa328a9642bf7d8b27e03%2Fproperties-conductor-tab.jpg?alt=media" alt="The Conductor tab: Conductor Settings"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

### Group

A group’s own settings: its name, plus the **Transform** that positions, rotates, and scales the whole group at once. Appears when a group of layers is selected. See [Group design layers in a graphic](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-2/group-design-layers-in-a-graphic.md).

## The Global tabs

The **Global** tab holds settings that belong to the whole scene rather than to one layer. It has three sub-tabs.

### Variables

Every variable in the graphic, gathered in one place — each with its current value and an **Update Live** toggle. Set or preview all of your values from this one tab instead of selecting each layer in turn.

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://352477438-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFCWMxradHcVjURnrXSYX%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-43ac021091136bb962c959b8f2701b7c2143a79b%2Fproperties-global-variables-tab.jpg?alt=media" alt="The Global Variables tab: each variable with its value and an Update Live toggle"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

### Light & Cam

The scene’s camera and lighting: the camera **Wide Angle** and **Depth Of Field**, and up to three lights (**Light 1**–**Light 3**) with type, direction, color, and brightness. See [Customize lighting and camera settings](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-2/customize-lighting-and-camera-settings.md).

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://352477438-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFCWMxradHcVjURnrXSYX%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-2d962c36dd0a1787a57f3cb5bbd47d6f391c1027%2Fproperties-global-light-cam-tab.jpg?alt=media" alt="The Global Light &#x26; Cam tab: Camera Settings and the three light slots"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

### Design Info

Author, tags, and notes saved into the title design. Under the **Content Information** heading:

* **Author** — who made the design.
* **Design Intents** — semantic tags that describe what the graphic is for, such as `lower-third`, `scoreboard`, or `sponsor`. Workflows and Data Controllers read these tags to discover and connect to the right titles automatically — a data source can bind to any graphic that carries its intent, without wiring each one up by hand. The Shot Launcher can also group shots into tabs by these tags.
* **User Notes** — free-form notes stored with the design.

## What changed in 2026.0

In Captivate 2026.0, the Properties panel was reorganized. The single **Motion** tab from prior versions was broken out into the focused tabs above, so you can find a specific setting without scrolling through one long list.

### Where did my old setting go?

If you can’t find a setting that used to live on the Motion tab:

| Old location                                                | 2026.0 location                                                    |
| ----------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Motion → keyframes, position, scale, rotation               | **Transform**                                                      |
| Motion → audio                                              | **Audio**                                                          |
| Motion → variables panel                                    | **Variables**                                                      |
| Motion → "Crawl" / "Rolling Credits" toggle for text layers | **Special**                                                        |
| Motion → conductor settings                                 | **Conductor** tab (visible when you select the conductor instance) |
| Motion & Data → variable wiring                             | **Variables**                                                      |

Internally, the **Transform** tab is still the old **Motion** editor — only the label changed.

### Why the change

The Motion tab had grown to hold every layer-modifying setting Captivate had — animation keyframes, audio, variables, transition choices. Splitting it into focused tabs keeps each one short and makes it obvious which tab a setting belongs in.

## See also

* [Designer Workspace panel](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-1/designer-workspace-overview.md)
* [Designer Library panel](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-1/designer-library-panel.md)
* [Designer Timeline panel](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-1/designer-timeline-overview.md)
* [Create variables in graphics](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-4/create-variables-in-graphics.md)


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