# Shadows

**URL:** https://www.sketch.com/docs/symbols-and-styles/styling/shadows/ | **Last updated:** 2026-04-07

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Shadows and Inner Shadows appear as separate sections in the Inspector. They have the same controls but work in different ways — Shadows render outside a layer, while Inner Shadows render inside.

You can apply shadows to shapes, text, frames, graphics, and groups. You can also apply multiple shadows to the same layer and control their colors, blending modes, X and Y positions, blur radius, and spread.

In groups you can only apply one shadow, and it applies to the layers inside the group, not to the group itself.

## Adding and removing shadows

Select a layer, frame, or group, then head to the **Shadows** or **Inner Shadows** section in the Style panel of the Inspector. Click to add a shadow.

To remove a shadow, disable its toggle switch, then click next to the section title.

![An image showing multiple inner shadows and their settings in the Inspector](https://cdn.sketch.com/docs/styling/inner-shadows.jpg)
*Stack multiple inner shadows on one layer to build up depth and detail*

## Shadow controls

Each shadow has these controls:

- **X** and **Y** offset the shadow from the layer and can be positive or negative.
- **Blur** sets the blur radius in pixels.
- **Spread** (+ or -) sets the distance in pixels to expand or contract the shadow in all directions.

You can right-click a shadow row to copy its color value in popular formats — [see which formats are available](/docs/symbols-and-styles/styling/the-color-panel#copying-color-values).

## Changing shadow types

To change a Shadow to an Inner Shadow (or vice versa), right-click on the shadow in the Inspector and choose **Change to Inner Shadow** or **Change to Drop Shadow**.

You can also [copy and paste styles](/docs/symbols-and-styles/styling/fills/#copying-and-pasting-styles) or [reorder style properties](/docs/symbols-and-styles/styling/fills/#organizing-style-properties) across any style type.