Verify Which Objects a PCB Keepout Actually Restricts

A keepout outline can look convincing while restricting only some object types or only one layer. Copper pours, tracks, pads, or vias may therefore remain permitted where the designer intended a broader exclusion. Review the keepout’s properties and effective behavior before relying on its appearance.

Altium’s object-specific keepout documentation describes configurable restrictions for different copper objects. Use the settings supported by the actual software version, and distinguish an electrical keepout from a reference drawing or a separate component-clearance requirement.

State the physical reason for the restriction

Identify whether the region protects an antenna field, a mounting interface, an isolation boundary, a sensor area, or another defined requirement. Specify the relevant layers and object types from that requirement. The same outline may need different restrictions in different designs.

Record whether the keepout belongs to a component footprint or to the board. A footprint-contained region may move or change side with the component, while a board-level restriction should remain tied to its own mechanical reference.

Inspect scope explicitly

Do not assume that an object drawn on a layer named Keepout is automatically an active constraint. Inspect its actual object type and properties. Similarly, a component courtyard can communicate assembly spacing without implementing every intended copper restriction.

Test the intended behavior in a copy

1. Try representative restricted objects inside the region.
2. Try objects that should remain permitted.
3. Check each relevant copper layer.
4. Refill polygons and run the applicable design checks.
5. Remove test geometry and inspect the production design.

Use both interactive and batch checks where they matter to the workflow. A router avoiding the area does not prove that a manually placed fill or imported geometry is excluded. Inspect existing copper as well as new routing behavior. For a component-owned keepout, repeat the check after moving the component to the opposite board side. Confirm that the intended layer restriction follows the physical requirement rather than merely preserving the previous layer number.

Close the review by recording the requirement, its implementation, and any intentional exceptions. If a restriction cannot be represented directly, define an additional review method instead of implying that the keepout enforces it automatically. The scope-test guide offers the same inclusion-and-exclusion approach for other PCB constraints.