A group above your image
Your original layers are left untouched underneath, so hiding the group shows the original for comparison.
Split an Image into Layers in Photoshop
LayerGrab for Photoshop is a panel that splits the open document into separate, named pixel layers with AI and adds them as one group above your image, so you can edit a flat picture as if it had been built in layers.
Photoshop 24.2 or laterOne undo stepNamed layer group
Release status
The Photoshop plugin is in testing and will be listed on the Adobe Creative Cloud Marketplace. The web app works today with the same account and exports a layered PSD you can open in Photoshop.
How it works in Photoshop
1
Open your image
Open the flat image in Photoshop as an 8-bit RGB document.
2
Click Split into Layers
In the LayerGrab panel, optionally type what to separate, then click the button. The panel shows each step and the seconds elapsed.
3
Keep working
The split runs for about a minute outside Photoshop, so the app stays usable while you wait.
4
Edit the new group
A group named LayerGrab appears at the top of the layer stack with every element on its own named layer.
What it puts in your file
One undo step
The whole split is recorded as a single history state, so one Undo removes it completely.
Layers in place
Each element is placed at its original position and scaled to your document size, over a background with the hidden areas filled in.
Requirements
- Adobe Photoshop 24.2 (2023) or later, on Windows or macOS
- An 8-bit RGB document; convert other modes first
- A LayerGrab account with credits
- An internet connection while the split runs
When not to use it
- Recovering the original designer’s file: fonts, masks and effects are not restored.
- Keeping cast shadows: they are not separated and can look missing after you move an element.
- Editing text as type: text arrives as a pixel layer.
The plugin runs the same AI as the web app and uses the same account and credits. Want the layers as files instead of inside Photoshop? Export them as a layered PSD or single PNGs from the web app.
Frequently asked questions
Can Photoshop split an image into layers automatically?
Photoshop's own tools can select a subject or remove objects, but they do not split a whole flat image into one layer per element with the background rebuilt. The LayerGrab plugin adds that as a single button inside Photoshop.
Does the plugin change my original layers?
No. It only adds a new group above them. Hide or delete the group to get back to exactly what you had.
Why does it need 8-bit RGB?
The AI works on 8-bit RGB images, and converting inside the plugin would silently change your document. If your file is CMYK or 16-bit, the panel tells you which menu item converts it.
Does it use the same credits as the web app?
Yes. You sign in once in the browser and the plugin uses the same account, plan and credits as layergrab.com.
Last updated 2026-09-28