Layers are not properly closed when using more than one layer, so that each layer subsumes all subsequent content. Tested in Adobe Reader 11. I first mentioned this at https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/467005/174577, so I'm basically rehashing all the examples: When \showallmakeup is enabled, all content after \viewerlayer[print] belongs to that layer: \defineviewerlayer[print][state=stop,printable=yes,] \showallmakeup \starttext \viewerlayer[print]{One} more. \samplefile{knuth} \stoptext The same problem as above, demonstrated with \start...stopviewerlayer rather than \viewerlayer: \defineviewerlayer[print][state=stop,printable=yes,] \showallmakeup \starttext \startviewerlayer[print] And then: \stopviewerlayer \samplefile{knuth} \stoptext Rather than two independent layers, the print layer (along with other content) belongs to the view layer. So hiding the view layer hides all content in this document: [view] --- first --- \samplefile{knuth} --- [print] ------ second \defineviewerlayer[print][state=stop,printable=yes,] \defineviewerlayer[view][state=start,printable=no,] \starttext \startviewerlayer[view]{first} \samplefile{knuth} \startviewerlayer[print]{second} \stoptext