An apparatus for separating printing plates which are separated from one another in a stack, preferably individually by intermediate layers, has a lifting device for raising a printing plate or an intermediate layer from the stack. The apparatus further has a separating device for the intermediate layers, in particular as a constituent part of a loading device of a unit for setting images on printing plates. The separating device is configured as a rocker which can be pivoted onto the lifting device and can be pivoted away from the lifting device and contains suction elements and one drivable transport roller. An adhering intermediate layer is pulled off from the printing plate with the suction elements, and the intermediate layer is transported away with the transport roller.