Upload your image
Start with a JPG, PNG or WebP up to 24 MB, at least 512 × 512 pixels. The clearer the boundaries between elements, the cleaner the split.
ONE FLAT IMAGE. SEPARATE LAYERS.
Separate an Image Into Layers with AI
Upload a JPG, PNG or WebP and AI separates the picture into transparent layers you can move, hide or recolor — the subject, the objects around it, and a background rebuilt behind them. Export a layered PSD or a ZIP of PNG layers.
Mode
Upload Image
0/5Upload Image
JPG, PNG, or WebP up to 24MB.
Auto
Up to 10 layersChoose how many editable visual groups AI should create first. Auto stays within 10 layers — more layers take longer to separate. You can split mixed layers again after reviewing the result.
Sample:
Exports transparent PNG layer files and a ZIP package for editing.
Each generation uses 20 credits.
00Original
Logo & Poster Layers
Example: A flat graphic separated into logo, text, icons, effects, and background layers for fast redesign.
How do you separate an image into layers?
There are three ways to split an image into layers: AI separation in about a minute, masking by hand in Photoshop, or a color-based split that only works on flat graphics. Here is what each route gives you, and what it costs.
| AI layer separation | Manual masking in Photoshop | Color or selection split | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | Up to 10 transparent layers, named and stacked | Whatever you mask, one layer at a time | Flat regions of similar color |
| Area behind objects | Repainted automatically | You clone or paint it back yourself | Left empty |
| Time per image | 60–120 seconds | 30–60 minutes | Minutes, on simple art only |
| Skill needed | None | Masking and retouching | Basic selection tools |
| Best for | Photos, posters, product shots, illustrations | Hair, fur, glass, anything needing pixel control | Logos, flat vectors, screenshots |
| Cost | Credits per run, no software to install | A Photoshop license plus your time | Free in most editors |
How to separate layers in Photoshop by hand
If you would rather do it yourself, the manual route is five steps.
Expect 30–60 minutes for a busy image. The AI route above does the same job in about a minute, and you can still retouch the result by hand afterwards.
Separate an image into layers in three steps
Upload one flat image, let the model separate it, then export the layers you need.
Let AI separate the layers
Subjects, objects, text-like graphics and shadows become up to 10 transparent layers in 60–120 seconds, with the background repainted behind them.
Review and export
Step through the layers one by one, then download a layered PSD, transparent PNGs or a ZIP. Layers come back near 0.4 MP at the original aspect ratio.
What each kind of image splits into
The same run behaves differently depending on what you feed it.
Posters and ad creative
Headline, product, props and background usually land on separate layers, so you can rebuild the layout or swap the copy.
Image to PSD
Product photos
The product, its shadow and the backdrop separate — which is what you need for marketplace images and ad sizes.
Background Splitter
Character art
The figure separates from the scene, and larger parts such as hair or outfit can land on their own layers.
Character to Layers
Logos and flat graphics
Symbol, lettering and decorative shapes come apart, though connected strokes may stay grouped.
Logo to LayersWhat you can do once the layers are separated
Separate layers turn a finished picture back into editable parts.
Replace the background
Drop the subject onto a new scene without cutting it out again, and keep the original background as its own layer.
Image Background ChangerBuild parallax and motion
Export foreground, midground and background separately, then animate them at different speeds.
Image to PSDShip regional variants
Swap the text layer for each market while the artwork underneath stays untouched.
PSD to JPGReuse single elements
Pull one product, prop or character out of an old composition and use it in the next one.
AI Layer ExtractorWhen layer separation struggles
Some pictures separate cleanly, others need a tidy-up afterwards. Here is where it gets hard.
Soft edges
Hair, fur, glass, smoke and motion blur obscure the boundary between one layer and the next.
Low resolution and heavy compression
Small files, strong JPEG artefacts and elements sharing a color with their background all separate less confidently.
Text and vectors
Every layer is pixels, so a headline comes back as an image of text rather than live type, and a logo as pixels rather than vector shapes.
Separating an image into layers: FAQ
How do I separate an image into layers without Photoshop?
Upload the image here and the layers come back in 60–120 seconds, with no software to install. Open the exported PSD in Photopea, GIMP, Affinity Photo or Krita if you want to keep editing without a Photoshop licence.
Is it free to separate an image into layers online?
Creating an account is free and the files you export carry no watermark. Each separation run spends credits from your balance; the pricing page lists the packs and what each one covers.
How many layers should I ask for?
Two layers usually split the subject from the background. Four to six start isolating props, text blocks and shadows. Ten is worth it only on busy compositions — a high count on a simple picture produces fragments you then have to merge.
What file types and sizes can I upload?
JPG, PNG and WebP, up to 24 MB and at least 512 × 512 pixels. Photographs, posters, product shots, game art, social graphics and AI-generated images are all sensible inputs.
How long does one run take?
Most images finish in 60–120 seconds. Busier compositions and higher layer counts sit at the slower end of that range.
What resolution are the separated layers?
Layers come back near 0.4 megapixels at the original aspect ratio, as RGBA images with real transparency. That is a working resolution for composition and motion, not a full-resolution replacement for masking the original file.
Does the background get filled in behind the subject?
Usually yes. When an object is lifted onto its own layer, the background layer comes back with the gap repainted, so moving or deleting the object does not leave a hole. How convincing the fill looks depends on how busy that area was.
Is this the same as removing the background?
No. Background removal hands you one cutout and discards the rest. Layer separation keeps the whole picture — subject, objects, shadows and a rebuilt background — as separate layers, so removing a background becomes something you do after separation.
Can I edit the text after separating the image?
You can move, hide or mask the layer a headline sits on, but you cannot retype it. Fonts cannot be recovered from a flattened picture, so text arrives as pixels.
What happens to the images I upload?
Uploads and results stay in your workspace for 30 days so you can reopen or download them, and you can delete a generation yourself at any time. The privacy policy has the full detail.
START WITH ONE IMAGE
Separate your next image into layers
Upload a JPG, PNG or WebP and download a layered PSD, transparent PNGs or a ZIP.
Separate an image