Accessing Layer Symbology Options

All symbology changes are made per layer within the Layer Properties options in QGIS.

Included in this tutorial:

• Accessing Layer Symbology Options

Software version in examples: QGIS-LTR 3.40.5-Bratislava

Tutorial Data: The tutorial includes demonstration with sample data available here.

Credits: Sally Kaye and L. Meisterlin (2025)

This tutorial demonstrates accessing the symbology options within a vector layer’s properties.

Accessing Layer Symbology Options

A layer’s symbology options are included within its overall Properties.To open the Layer Properties window, right-click the name of a layer in the Layers Panel and click Properties at the bottom of the menu.

To access the symbology options, select the Symbology tab on the left side of the Properties window. Here, you can view and change the symbology options for the specific, chosen layer. 

navigating to the symbology window

To view and change symbology options for a different layer, click OK to close the Layer Properties window and access the Layer Properties of the next layer in the same manner. 

TIP: You can also bring up symbology options by double-clicking on the symbol swatch next to the layer name in the Layers Panel.