The source file is gone
You only have a final JPG, PNG, screenshot, or exported ad. Rebuilding the layout by hand wastes the highest-skill part of a design workflow.
Image-to-layers workspace
Turn flat images into working files.
Flat images should not be dead ends. Upload a PNG, JPG, or AI-generated image. Unlayer AI separates text, subjects, objects, shadows, and background into editable layers you can move, rewrite, export to PSD, or hand off to Figma.
Portable outputPSD, ZIP layers, and Figma-ready handoff.
Semantic layersText, subjects, objects, shadows, background.
Practical recoveryRebuilds a useful layer stack, not the original hidden source file.
flat.png
split into editable layers
Semantic layersA single raster lifts apart into movable text, subject, object, shadow, and reconstructed background layers.
background.fill.png
subject.person.png
text.editable.json
Why this matters
The hard part is not making images. It is editing the one you already have.
Most image tools optimize for generation, background removal, or editing inside one closed canvas. Unlayer AI focuses on one job: turning a flattened image into a portable working file your team can edit and export.
The AI image is close, not finished
Regenerating the entire image for one broken word or object usually changes everything else. Layer recovery lets you repair the part that failed.
Background removal is too shallow
A cutout helps with one foreground subject. Real editing needs text, object, shadow, product, and background layers with reconstructed hidden areas.
How it works
One upload. A usable layer stack.
Upload one flat image, recover a semantic layer stack, and export it to the editor your team already uses.
Upload a flat image
Start from JPG, PNG, screenshot, or AI-generated image. Keep the original as the source of truth.
Detect semantic layers
Identify text blocks, subjects, products, supporting objects, shadows, and background regions.
Reconstruct hidden areas
Fill background gaps behind moved subjects or removed objects so edits do not expose holes.
Inspect confidence
Show uncertain edges and text regions clearly. Users should know what is inferred and what is exact.
Export the working file
Download transparent PNG layers, a manifest, PSD-ready files, and later Figma or Canva handoff.
Use cases
Built for repair, reuse, and handoff.
Use it when you already have the image and need a specific downstream edit, not another full regeneration.
AI image cleanup
Fix broken text, awkward props, and small composition errors without starting over.
Marketing variants
Turn one static ad into reusable elements for sizes, copy variants, and campaign reviews.
Lost source files
Recover enough structure from a flattened export to keep editing when the PSD, Figma, or Canva original is missing.
Motion and parallax prep
Separate foreground, midground, background, shadows, and text into transparent assets for animation.
Exports
Export to the tools you already use.
Use Unlayer AI as the recovery step, then continue in Photoshop, Figma, Canva, After Effects, or an internal pipeline.
Layer ZIP
Transparent PNG layers plus a JSON manifest for position, size, order, confidence, and labels.
PSD-ready file
A familiar handoff for designers who want to continue in Photoshop or compatible editors.
Figma handoff
A structured layer package that can become a plugin import flow after the SaaS loop proves demand.
Why Unlayer AI
Not another generic AI image editor.
Choose Unlayer AI when the output needs to leave the web editor and become part of a real production workflow.
Decision pointUnlayer AIGeneric image editor
Output philosophyPortable working files for external toolsClosed editor or one-off generated image
Layer modelText, subject, objects, shadows, background, confidenceForeground cutout or canvas-native grouping
Best userDesigners, marketers, founders, ecommerce, motion teamsCasual image edits inside one tool
Popular workflows
Explore common layer workflows.
Start with the workflow closest to your problem: recover layers, export to PSD, split objects, repair AI images, or compare Canva-native editing with portable output.
Image to Layers Online - Editable Layer Export
/image-to-layersConvert a flat image into editable layers online. Separate subjects, text, objects, and backgrounds, then export transparent layer assets for design workflows.
Image to PSD Layers - Convert JPG or PNG
/image-to-psd-layersCreate PSD-ready layers from JPG, PNG, and AI-generated images. Separate editable subjects, text, objects, and backgrounds for Photoshop workflows.
Separate Image into Layers - Text, Objects, Background
/separate-image-into-layersSeparate an image into layers so each subject, text block, object, shadow, and background can be moved, hidden, edited, or exported.
AI Image Layer Separator for Generated Images
/ai-image-layer-separatorUse AI to separate generated images into editable layers. Fix text, move subjects, remove objects, and export layer assets for creative tools.
Canva Magic Layers Alternative for PSD and Figma
/compare/canva-magic-layers-alternativeCompare Canva Magic Layers with a portable image-to-layers workflow built for PSD export, Figma handoff, ZIP layers, and professional editing pipelines.
FAQ
Know what layer recovery can and cannot do.
A flattened image cannot reveal its original design file. Unlayer AI focuses on reconstructing a practical layer stack you can inspect, adjust, and export.
What is Unlayer AI?
Unlayer AI is a workflow for turning a flattened image into editable layers. The goal is to recover a useful working file from a JPG, PNG, screenshot, or AI-generated image.
How is this different from background removal?
Background removal usually isolates one foreground subject. Unlayer AI aims to separate the whole composition into semantic layers such as text, subject, object, shadow, and background.
Can it recover the original PSD or Figma file perfectly?
No. A flattened raster does not contain the original source structure. The product rebuilds a practical layer stack that is useful for editing, export, and handoff.
Who is this for?
It is for people who need to edit an existing image without rebuilding it: designers, marketers, ecommerce operators, founders, AI creators, and motion designers.
What exports matter first?
The strongest first exports are transparent layer ZIP with manifest and PSD-ready output. Figma and Canva integrations should come after the SaaS upload and export loop is validated.
Have a flat image you need to edit?
Send the image problem you want solved: broken AI text, a missing PSD, an object that needs moving, or a static ad that needs variants.