Illustrator Script – Split Paths into Layers in Adobe Illustrator

Automate Your Workflow: Split Paths into Layers in Adobe Illustrator

If you’ve ever worked with complex vector artwork in Adobe Illustrator, you know how messy things can get — dozens (or hundreds) of paths stacked inside a single layer. Editing, animating, or exporting these elements individually becomes a nightmare.

That’s exactly why I wrote a small Illustrator Script (JSX) that automatically converts all paths inside a layer into their own separate layers — keeping their original names intact.

Whether you’re preparing assets for motion design in After Effects, creating layered exports for a web project, or just trying to stay organized, this script will save you tons of manual effort.

💡 What the Script Does

The script:

1. Checks your currently active layer.
2. Collects all paths and page items under it.
3. Creates a new layer for each path, using the path’s name as the new layer name.
4. Moves the path into its new layer, maintaining all attributes (colors, strokes, transformations).
5. Ensures layer names are unique (adds suffixes if duplicates exist).

Once you run it, you’ll end up with a beautifully organized Layers panel — one path per layer, ready for animation, export, or individual manipulation.

⚙️ How to Use the Script

1. Open your Illustrator document.
2. Select the layer that contains the paths you want to split.
3. Go to
   File → Scripts → Other Script…
   and choose the .jsx file containing the script below:

// Illustrator ExtendScript (JSX)
// Moves every top-level pageItem from the active layer into its own new layer,
// using the pageItem's name as the new layer name (adds suffix if necessary).
// Run with the layer you want to split set as the active layer.

if (app.documents.length === 0) {
    alert("No open document.");
} else {
    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    var srcLayer = doc.activeLayer;
    if (!srcLayer) { alert("No active layer."); }
    else {
        // Collect items first to avoid modifying collection while iterating
        var items = [];
        for (var i = 0; i < srcLayer.pageItems.length; i++) {
            items.push(srcLayer.pageItems[i]);
        }

        for (var i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
            var it = items[i];

            // Determine base name for new layer
            var baseName = it.name && it.name.length ? it.name : (it.typename + "_" + (i+1));

            // Ensure unique layer name
            var newLayerName = baseName;
            var suffix = 1;
            while (layerExists(doc, newLayerName)) {
                newLayerName = baseName + "_" + suffix;
                suffix++;
            }

            // Create layer and move item there
            var nl = doc.layers.add();
            nl.name = newLayerName;

            try {
                it.move(nl, ElementPlacement.PLACEATBEGINNING);
            } catch (e) {
                // fallback: assign layer directly
                try { it.layer = nl; } catch (e2) { /* ignore */ }
            }
        }

        // Optional: keep original layer but empty. Notify user.
        alert("Converted " + items.length + " item(s) from layer \"" + srcLayer.name + "\" into separate layers.");
    }
}

// Helper: check if a layer with given name exists
function layerExists(doc, name) {
    try {
        doc.layers.getByName(name);
        return true;
    } catch (e) {
        return false;
    }
}

// Illustrator ExtendScript (JSX)
// Moves every top-level pageItem from the active layer into its own new layer,
// using the pageItem's name as the new layer name (adds suffix if necessary).
// Run with the layer you want to split set as the active layer.

if (app.documents.length === 0) {
    alert("No open document.");
} else {
    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    var srcLayer = doc.activeLayer;
    if (!srcLayer) { alert("No active layer."); }
    else {
        // Collect items first to avoid modifying collection while iterating
        var items = [];
        for (var i = 0; i < srcLayer.pageItems.length; i++) {
            items.push(srcLayer.pageItems[i]);
        }

        for (var i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
            var it = items[i];

            // Determine base name for new layer
            var baseName = it.name && it.name.length ? it.name : (it.typename + "_" + (i+1));

            // Ensure unique layer name
            var newLayerName = baseName;
            var suffix = 1;
            while (layerExists(doc, newLayerName)) {
                newLayerName = baseName + "_" + suffix;
                suffix++;
            }

            // Create layer and move item there
            var nl = doc.layers.add();
            nl.name = newLayerName;

            try {
                it.move(nl, ElementPlacement.PLACEATBEGINNING);
            } catch (e) {
                // fallback: assign layer directly
                try { it.layer = nl; } catch (e2) { /* ignore */ }
            }
        }

        // Optional: keep original layer but empty. Notify user.
        alert("Converted " + items.length + " item(s) from layer \"" + srcLayer.name + "\" into separate layers.");
    }
}

// Helper: check if a layer with given name exists
function layerExists(doc, name) {
    try {
        doc.layers.getByName(name);
        return true;
    } catch (e) {
        return false;
    }
}

Why This Matters for Designers

• Speed: What could take minutes or hours manually is now done in seconds.
• Precision: No more dragging elements by hand or misplacing layers.
• Consistency: Great for projects that need matching structure across multiple files.
• After Effects Prep: Ideal when exporting layered Illustrator files for motion graphics.

This little automation can make a big difference if you frequently work with complex artwork, templates, or motion assets.

🪄 Pro Tip

Combine this with other scripts like:

• Rename Layers Sequentially
• Export Each Layer as PNG/SVG
• Batch Convert to Separate Artboards

By stacking simple scripts, you can build your own smart Illustrator automation pipeline — perfectly tailored to your creative workflow.

📦 Download & Customize

You can copy the code above into a text editor (like VSCode or Sublime), save it as
SplitPathsToLayers.jsx, and place it inside your Illustrator scripts folder:

Windows:
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator [version]\Presets\en_US\Scripts

macOS:
/Applications/Adobe Illustrator [version]/Presets/en_US/Scripts

After restarting Illustrator, it will appear under the File → Scripts menu.

🚀 Wrap-Up

Automation doesn’t replace creativity — it amplifies it.
By turning repetitive Illustrator chores into one-click actions, you can focus more on what matters: design, motion, and storytelling.

If you’re a designer who likes things clean and efficient, give this script a try.
Your Layers panel will thank you.