A layout stores everything about the chart: symbol, timeframe, indicators and their settings, drawings, colours and the pane arrangement. A template stores only the indicators. Knowing which one you want saves a lot of rebuilding.
The layout name appears in the top toolbar. Clicking the arrow beside it opens the list of all saved layouts; selecting one loads it instantly.
the free plan stores one saved layout. Paid plans store multiple. If you're on free, keep one good layout and use indicator templates for variations — templates aren't subject to the layout limit.
In the layout dropdown, open the three-dot menu next to a layout and choose Make default . New charts and shared links you open will use that setup rather than TradingView's stock chart.