Use the Effects panel (Window > Effects) to specify the opacity and blending mode of objects and groups, isolate blending to a particular group, knock out objects inside a group, or apply a transparency effect.

Blending Mode

Specifies how colors in transparent objects interact with the objects behind them. (See Specify how colors blend.)

Opacity

Determines the opacity of an object, stroke, fill, or text. (See Set the opacity of an object.)

Level

Tells you the Object, Stroke, Fill, and Text opacity settings of the object, as well as whether transparency effects have been applied. Click the triangle to the left of the word Object (or Group or Graphic) to hide or display these level settings. The FX icon appears on a level after you apply transparency settings there, and you can double-click the FX icon to edit the settings.

Isolate Blending

Applies a blending mode to a selected group of objects. (See Isolate blending modes.)

Knockout Group

Makes the opacity and blending attributes of every object in a group knock out, or block out, underlying objects in the group. (See Knock out objects within a group.)

Clear All button

Clears effects—stroke, fill, or text— from an object, sets the blend mode to Normal, and changes the Opacity setting to 100% throughout the object.

FX button

Displays a list of transparency effects. (See Apply transparency effects.)