Splitting Images into Layers
Break any thumbnail into separate layers — foreground, background, text — so you can reposition, resize, or edit each element independently.
Layer Split takes a flat image and separates it into individual layers you can manipulate independently — move the person, swap the background, or reposition text elements.
What is Layer Split?
Layer Split uses AI to analyze your thumbnail and break it into distinct visual layers. Each layer becomes a separate element on a canvas that you can:
- Drag to reposition
- Toggle visibility on or off
- Reorder by changing the z-index
- Export as a final composited image
This is especially useful when the AI places an element in the wrong spot and you want to move it without re-generating the entire image.
How to Use Layer Split
Getting Started
- In the Thumbnail Editor, upload or generate an image
- Open the Advanced Tools section
- Click Layer Split to start the splitting process
The AI will analyze the image and return individual layers, each cropped to its content area.
Working with Layers
Once the split is complete, you'll see a canvas at 1280×720 pixels (YouTube's standard resolution) with your layers overlaid:
- Click on a layer to select it — you'll see a highlight border
- Drag a selected layer to move it around the canvas
- Toggle visibility using the eye icon in the layer panel
- Reorder layers to control which elements appear in front
Resolution Handling
Layer Split preserves your original canvas resolution. Even though the AI may process images at a smaller internal resolution, all layers are automatically scaled up to match 1280×720. This means:
- Your exported image will always be at YouTube-standard quality
- Layer positions and sizes are correctly mapped to the full-resolution canvas
- No quality loss from the splitting process
Exporting
When you're happy with the layer arrangement, click Export to flatten all visible layers back into a single 1280×720 image that's ready for YouTube.
Tips
- Layer Split works best with images that have clear visual separation between elements — distinct foreground subjects, text, and backgrounds
- For images with overlapping elements, some layers may include parts of other elements
- You can split, rearrange, export, and then continue editing with the AI editor
- Combine Layer Split with inpainting to fix specific areas after repositioning