Layer accepts files in a lot of places — the chat composer, the board, the generation form, and reference sets. This article covers the ways to get a file into Layer and how it's used once it's there.
Ways to upload a file
Attach it in chat — use the composer's attach icon, or drag a file directly into the chat.
Drop it on the board — drag a file from your computer straight onto the session board to import it as an asset.
Paste from your clipboard — copy an image from another app or from within Layer, then paste it directly into the composer or board.
Record directly — capture audio or video from your webcam and microphone and upload it on the spot.
Bring in something you already made — open your Library, find the asset, and import it into your current session.
Using an asset as a reference
Once a file is on your board or in a reference set, you can point the Agent at it in a few ways:
@-mention a reference set in chat to bring in everything it contains.
Attach an image directly to a message to guide a single generation.
Select an asset on the board — the Agent automatically picks up whatever's selected as context for your next request.
For building a reusable, named collection of references rather than a one-off attachment, see Using reference sets.
Cross-modality references
You're not limited to using an image as a reference for another image. Layer supports pulling a reference across modalities:
View a 3D model from a different angle and extract that view as a 2D image to use as a source for a new generation.
Pull a single frame from a video and use it as a reference image — see Creating consistent videos with Select Video Frame.
Turn a still image into video or 3D directly from the lightbox.
File types
Layer accepts common image formats (PNG, JPG) for reference images — PNG is recommended when your image has transparency, since transparency is preserved. Video and audio files can be dropped in the same way and used as reference or source material appropriate to what you're generating.
What's next
Build a reusable reference collection → Using reference sets
Make your first thing → Generate your first asset
Drive a generation directly → Generate and edit assets directly