Frequently Asked Questions

Procreate

What's the latest version of Procreate? 

The current version of Procreate for iPad is 5.3.6. It requires iPadOS 15.4.1 or newer to install.

Is Procreate supported on my iPad? 

The current version of Procreate is supported on the following iPad models:

  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th generation)

  • iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation)

  • iPad Pro 10.5-inch

  • iPad Pro 9.7-inch

  • iPad (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th generation)

  • iPad mini (5th and 6th generation)

  • iPad mini 4

  • iPad Air (3rd, 4th and 5th generation)

  • iPad Air 2

How do I update Procreate? 

To update Procreate, open the App Store and tap on your profile picture in the top right to access your Account menu. You’ll see a list of updates available. Tap the Update button next to Procreate to update the app. If you're not sure whether your app is up to date, open your copy of Procreate and, in the Gallery, tap the word ‘Procreate’ in the top left corner to view your version number.

Why can't I download Procreate? 

Many of the additions and changes in the latest version of Procreate are based on the latest iPadOS technologies. If you have problems updating Procreate, make sure your iPadOS version is up to date.

My iPad isn't supported by the latest iPadOS version. Can I still get Procreate? 

We do everything we can to make older versions of Procreate available for users running older iPad models, but this is limited by App Store behaviour.

If you’re unable to download Procreate from the App Store, this workaround may help you obtain a compatible version:

  1. Purchase Procreate as a gift through the App Store, and send the gift purchase to your own email.

  2. Redeem the purchase using the link in your email.

  3. This will allow you to download a compatible version of Procreate from the Purchased section of your App Store account.

Does Procreate have any in-app purchases? 

We used to, but not anymore. You won’t have to worry about any additional costs after your initial purchase.

Can I use 3D objects from the Procreate Model pack for my own work to sell online? 

The 3D objects in the downloadable Procreate Model pack are not available for any form of commercial use. You are welcome to paint on them and share your work on social media, but you cannot use any of the Model pack objects for your own licensing or sale. This includes any and all private, commercial or NFT sales.

Why is Procreate crashing? 

If you experience a crash, let us know via the Procreate Support Form.

In the meantime, we recommend trying a hard reboot of your iPad as this sometimes helps with smaller software issues. To do this, press and hold your Home and Power button at the same time until your iPad restarts. If your iPad uses Face ID, press and quickly release the volume up button, press and quickly release the volume down button, then press and hold the Power button until a restart is initiated.

How do I use Procreate? 

You should first check out our Beginners Series, a collection of short videos developed specifically for users that have never used Procreate. If you want to deep-dive into particular features, then refer to our Procreate Handbook and check out our Learn to Procreate Series. You can also contact our Support Team for any questions you may have.

Are there any tutorials I can watch? 

Check out our Beginners Series, a collection of short videos we have developed specifically for users that have never touched Procreate. It’s worth a watch for seasoned Procreate users too as we teach some really useful tricks. We also recommend watching our Learn to Procreate Seriesfor a more in-depth look at our tools.

How do I fill with color? 

Procreate’s fill tool is called ColorDrop, and it's as simple as dragging the color from the top right of the canvas and dropping it wherever you want it to go. The color will flow to the edges of your linework. At this point the option to Continue with Recolor will appear. Recolor is a way to quickly color multiple areas without having to drag the color from the top right corner to the canvas again.

If your color floods beyond the edges of an object, try to adjust the ColorDrop Threshold by holding down after moving your color onto the canvas and swiping left or right. If you don’t want to fill the layer your linework is on, tap the Reference button in the Layer Options menu. You can now ColorDrop to another layer using the bounds from your Reference Layer.

For a step-by-step video tutorial, see How to Fill an Area using ColorDrop in Procreate.

ColorDrop always fills my entire canvas! What's wrong? 

It sounds like your ColorDrop Threshold is set too high. Drag your color from the top right and keep your finger held on the canvas to adjust your Threshold. Slide it to the left to reduce the amount of area your ColorDrop fills. Procreate will remember your new Threshold setting and apply it to the next fill.

Why is my filter not applying? 

Check that you are using your filter in Layers or Pencil mode. If you are using Pencil filters, you must first make a mark before the filter will appear and become active.

What’s the difference between Layer and Pencil Filters? 

Layer filters apply the effect across the entire layer of a canvas. Pencil filters are applied only when and where you paint on the layer. On iPads that don't support Apple Pencil a filter will always apply on the entire layer.

Why don’t I have FacePaint? 

FacePaint is available on iPads that have an A12 chip or higher, or a TrueDepth camera. If your iPad doesn’t have these the ‘Face’ button will not appear on your Reference Companion, and you won’t be able to use FacePaint.

Where is Private Layer? 

Tap Actions > Add and then swipe left over Insert a File, Insert a Photo, Take a Photo to reveal ‘Insert a private file’, ‘Insert a private photo’, or 'Take a private photo'.

Why is my Time-lapse pixelated? 

By default the quality will be set to 1080p and Good. Try out a few different settings to find which one best suits you. You can change your Time-lapse recording quality when creating a new custom canvas and navigate to Time-lapse settings.

The best possible quality you can select is 4K and Lossless. Be aware though that this will also create larger Procreate files. Any canvas you create after making changes will record the Time-lapse with the settings you last selected until you change them again.

Why is my Time-lapse not exporting? 

If your Time-lapse recording is extremely long this can sometimes happen. We can help you extract the Time-lapse video if you send us the .procreate file via Support Form.

How do I connect my Apple Pencil? 

Procreate fully supports the Apple Pencil. As long as you've paired your Apple Pencil with a compatible iPad, it will simply work with Procreate - no further steps needed.

If you have a 1st Generation Apple Pencil it will work with an iPad Pro 12.9" (1st & 2nd generation) iPad Pro 10.5", iPad Pro 9.7”, iPad (10th, 9th, 8th, 7th & 6th generation), iPad Air 3, and iPad mini 5. To pair it, plug the Lightning connector on the end of your Apple Pencil into the Lightning port on the bottom of your iPad, then tap Pair in the dialog box that appears.

If you have a 2nd generation Apple Pencil it will work with an iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th generation), an iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Generation) or an iPad Air (4th and 5th generation). To pair it, attach your Apple Pencil to the magnetic strip on the right-hand side of your iPad Pro. If you're still having trouble, don't hesitate to reach out via the Support Form.

Can I use a stylus with Procreate? 

Since Procreate 5.3 we no longer support third-party styli. Apple Pencil just keeps getting better and other stylus providers have critically scaled back their production and maintenance. As we're unable to provide a quality experience for these styli we'll be removing support in this update.

The Logitech Crayon is designed using Apple Pencil technology and performs many of the same tasks, except registering pressure sensitivity. Logitech Crayon is compatible with all iPads released in 2018 or later.

How do I adjust pressure sensitivity? 

Procreate’s pressure can be adjusted in two ways: per brush or universally. To adjust pressure for an individual brush, tap your selected brush and open Brush Studio, then adjust the Pressure sliders in the Apple Pencil tab.

Procreate’s Pressure Curve affects all pressure response throughout the app, and can be edited in Actions > Prefs > Pressure and Smoothing > App Pressure Sensitivity. The horizontal axis controls the pressure required to make a mark, ranging from soft on the left, to hard on the right. The vertical axis controls the opacity, ranging from 0% at the bottom and 100% at the top. Drag the curve to adjust how Procreate responds to your personal painting style.

What's the biggest canvas I can make? 

There are actually two limits on canvas sizes in Procreate, both imposed by the hardware of the iPad model you're using.

The limit on total canvas size can be found by multiplying the two dimensions of any of the below maximum sizes. For example, the 12.9" and 11" M2 and M1 iPad Pros and the iPad Air 5 can create a canvas up to 134,217,728 pixels total - around 134 megapixels.

The other limit is on any single dimension - width or height. The iPad (5th Generation), iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 can create canvases up to 8,192 pixels in either direction, and for the iPad Pro models this limit is increased to 16,384 pixels. You can create a canvas of any size and ratio in Procreate as long as it doesn't exceed the width/height limit for your particular device. For example, on the 12.9" and 11" M1 iPad Pros (updated to iPadOS 15 or later), you can make any canvas provided neither side is longer than 16,384 pixels and the total size of the canvas doesn't exceed 134 megapixels.

Here are the maximum canvas sizes by device in pixel:

  • iPad Pro 12.9" M1 and M2, iPad Pro 11" M1 and M2, and iPad Air (5th generation) on iPadOS 15 or later: 16,384 x 8192 or 11,585 x 11,585

  • iPad Pro 12.9", iPad Pro 11", and 10.5"; iPad Air (4th generation), iPad mini (6th generation), iPad (10th generation) on iPadOS 15 or later - 16,384 x 4,096 or 8,192 x 8,192

  • iPad Pro 9.7", iPad (6th and 7th generation), iPad mini (5th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation) - 8,192 x 4,096 or 16,384 x 2,048

  • iPad (8th and 9th generation) - 7327 x 7327

  • iPad (5th generation), iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 - 8,192 x 4,096

How do I import fonts to Procreate? 

In Procreate we support .ttf, .ttc and .otf font files.

You can import fonts into Procreate four ways:

  1. Within the Files App, drag and drop your fonts to Files App > On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts.

  2. Drag and drop your fonts from the Files App directly to Procreate in the Gallery or Canvas.

  3. Connect your iPad to a Mac and use iTunes file sharing to copy fonts into Procreate > Fonts. This is a great way to quickly import large quantities of fonts.

  4. While editing text styling, using the 'Import Font' button will allow you to import a single font from the Files App.

To view all installed fonts, open the Files App. Under Locations, select: On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts. Any fonts imported to Procreate will be stored here.

How do I delete imported fonts? 

To delete imported fonts, open the Files App and navigate to On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts. You will see a list of all the fonts you have imported. Swipe left on the font you want to remove and tap 'Delete'.

To delete multiple fonts at a time, follow the instructions above to navigate to the list of imported fonts. In the top right corner of the screen tap 'Select'. You can then select multiple fonts in the list by tapping them one by one. To remove all selected fonts, tap 'Delete' in the bottom right corner.

How do I use QuickShape? 

Paint a stroke on your canvas, and hold your finger at the end of the stroke. QuickShape will automatically snap your stroke into a shape or a straight line. Continue to drag to adjust your shape, or release and tap the Edit Shape button in the notification bar for further adjustments. You can customize how you invoke QuickShape in your Gesture Controls, available from the Prefs tab of the Actions menu.

Where has layer opacity gone? 

We removed layer opacity from Adjustments in Procreate 5X. But, you can still adjust Opacity on the Layer itself. Do this by either tapping two fingers on the layer or tapping Blending Mode on the layer (N by default).

Tapping two fingers on the layer will allow you to adjust Opacity in a similar way to Adjustments previously. Tap two fingers > Layer then swipe left or right on your canvas to adjust the blue Opacity bar at the top of your screen. Once accepted, this change will be permanent.

To change Opacity in Blend Mode, tap N on your desired layer to bring up the Blend Mode menu. At the top of the menu is an Opacity slider, swipe left or right to reduce or increase Opacity. Using the Blending Mode option allows you to revert or alter the change later.

Can I create 3D models with Procreate? 

In Procreate 5.2 you can paint on imported 3D models, but you won't be able to create your own 3D models in Procreate. To download some default 3D model go to Actions > Help > Download 3D model pack.

My default 3D models have gone, how do I get them back? 

You can re-download our 3D model pack at any time by going to Actions > Help > Download 3D model pack.

Where can I find 3D resources? 

Tap the What’s New tab in the top right of your Gallery to download default 3D models to start working with, go to Actions > Help > Download 3D model pack.

I can’t see any 3D options in Procreate, do I have a wrong version? 

3D options will only appear in your Actions Menu after you've imported a compatible 3D model. You’ll get a 3D model starter pack you can download by tapping the What’s New tab in the top right of your Gallery, or go to Actions > Help > Download 3D model pack.

I can’t properly paint on my 3D model. What am I doing wrong? 

The 2D wrap of your 3D model may not be properly mapped. Try a few different models and see which ones work the best.

Just because a model has UV maps and will import into Procreate, it does not mean that these maps can be painted on with ease, or at all. If you’re using a downloaded model from the internet, it’s important to remember that the modeler may not have taken 3D painting into account, so there might be gaps or overlapping parts in the UV maps or the model may have been made without any maps at all.

We've put together a selection of high quality 3D models you can download in the What’s New tab in the top right of your Gallery, or go to Actions > Help > Download 3D model pack.

What 3D formats can be imported into Procreate? 

Procreate supports two of the most commonly used 3D file formats: USDZ and OBJ.

Why can’t I import my 3D model? 

There may be a few reasons why your model is not importing. Make sure you’re using a supported file format (.USDZ or .OBJ) and are importing a model with a UV unwrap.

Where is my 3D painting Time-lapse? 

Procreate currently doesn’t support time-lapse recording for 3D painting.

What 3D materials does Procreate respect in 3D? 

You can paint three different kinds of textures onto 3D models in Procreate: Basic Color (Albedo), Metallic and Roughness.You can paint each of these individually by tapping the cube icon in your Layers Panel, and selecting which one you’d like to edit.

Roughness and Metallic textures work on a grey scale, just like applying a Layer Mask in any normal 2D document. You can also edit all three of these textures at once using material brushes, which can be applied to any brush in Brush Studio Settings.

Procreate also respects Normal Maps and Ambient Occlusion added to models in other software, but you can’t edit these in Procreate. You will only see these when you use the Share Textures to export out a 3D models maps through Actions (wrench icon) > Share.

Can I use 3D painting on my iPad? 

iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 do not work with 3D painting in Procreate as their chips are incompatible. All other new 5.2 features are fully supported on these devices though.

Where did Pressure Curve go? 

Pressure Curve is still in Actions Menu (wrench icon) > Prefs. The tab has been renamed though and is now in Pressure and Smoothing with the global stabilization settings.

Why can’t I use Pencil filters anymore? 

Filters now default to Layer Adjustments upon activation. If you want to use Pencil Filters instead, tap the filter name in the top notification bar of the canvas when you are in any selected filter's interface. You can now swap seamlessly between Layer and Pencil Filters.

What Accessibility features does Procreate have? 

Learn everything about our newly added Accessibility features and how to use them in our Procreate Handbook.

Where can I activate more Accessibility features? 

You’ll find our new Accessibility section in iPadOS Settings > Procreate > Accessibility. Here you’ll find Single Touch Gestures Companion, Color Description Notifications, Feedback sounds, and Tap Assistance for Initial Touch Location Support.

Why can’t I paint when VoiceOver is turned on? 

You can set up a shortcut to quickly turn VoiceOver on and off. Set up a VoiceOver shortcut by going to iPadOS Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut then select VoiceOver. To learn more about iPadOS’ Accessibility Shortcuts, visit this Apple Support page.

What languages are supported in Procreate? 

We currently fully support English, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese for the Procreate website, community and social media platforms. We offer customer care in English and Simplified Chinese.

Procreate is also translated into Spanish, German, Turkish, Russian, Korean, Italian, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Hindi, Polish, Thai, and Traditional Chinese. If you're running version 5.3.5 or later, you'll also be able to use Procreate in Indonesian and Malay.

To change your Procreate language head to iPadOS Settings > Procreate > Preferred Language. If this option doesn't appear for you try changing your iPad language first, then the Preferred Language tab should appear.

I’ve accidentally deleted a canvas! How do I get it back? 

There currently isn’t a recently deleted folder in Procreate. This is why Procreate warns you that this action cannot be undone when you go to delete an artwork.

We strongly recommend making regular backups of your iPad using either iCloud or iTunes (Finder if you're using macOS Catalina or later), as well as exporting important artworks in the Procreate file format to a cloud service or hard drive.

Learn how to backup your data in Procreate.

Why do my CMYK colors look different in other programs? 

Procreate is currently based on a three channel color engine (RGB), which is why we can’t recreate a true four channel CMYK experience. When you print from Procreate or a Procreate exported file without opening it in another program, your colors will match a CMYK result. You may experience some color alterations when importing artworks into other programs that are based on a four channel color CMYK engine.

Why do the colors of my color wheel look extremely dull? 

You may have set your canvas to a CMYK color profile. CMYK is the industry standard for 4-color printing of magazines, newspapers, and other physically printed material. It also has the most limited number of colors so it can reproduce from screen to paper accurately and tends to have much duller colors. You should use CMYK when planning on printing your artwork later, and work with sRGB color profiles on artworks intended for online.

How come I can only paint in black and white? 

This can happen when you import a greyscale image to the Gallery, as Procreate will adopt the color profile for the newly created canvas. If you create a new Screen Size canvas from your Gallery, you should be able use colors on your canvas again. You can import a black and white image into an already created canvas and the canvas will keep your initial defined color profile. This can be done in your canvas in the Actions menu (wrench icon) > Add > Insert a photo.

How can I move a canvas out of a Stack? 

To move a canvas out of a Stack, hold a finger down on the canvas in question until you can move it around freely. Then use a second finger to tap out of the Stack back to your Gallery and place the canvas anywhere you like.

If you would like to move multiple canvases use Select in the top right to select, then hold down on one canvas for a moment and then try to move it around. You should see the canvases group together, ready to be moved out of the Stack.

Why do my images lose quality with transform? 

When you resize an image some quality loss is unavoidable due to Procreate being an entirely raster-based program. Raster format images blend pixels together to form a larger image. They're size-constrained because of a consistent PPI (Pixels Per Image). When a raster image is enlarged, the pixels get larger too, and individual pixels stretch to the point of visibly distorting, causing what appears as ‘pixelation’.

The same happens when you reduce image size or rotate an object so it doesn’t fit neatly into the raster grid. The word raster has to be taken literal here, as every canvas is put together by tiny little squares in a grid. Each square in the grid represents one pixel. If you rotate an object less or more than 90 degrees, the pixels will not fully fit into a square and will be cut off as soon as they commit to the transformation, losing pixel information. With each pixel cut off, you lose more and more information leading to a decline in quality.

I can only draw straight lines, what is going on? 

This could be happening for two different reasons. One of your layers is still set to Drawing Assist, or you have Assisted Drawing settings active universally. First head into the Actions Menu (wrench icon) > Prefs > Gesture Controls > Assisted Drawing and make sure that no settings here are activated. If they are, make sure to turn them off.

If this doesn't work, open your Layers menu and check all layers for the word Assisted. If you find one, tap the Layer and turn Drawing Assist off.

Where is StreamLine? 

We've added an entire Stabilisation tab to Brush Studio, so StreamLine, and all other stabilisation tools can now be found under Stabilisation in Brush Studio. There is also a universal app setting in Actions Menu > Prefs > Pressure & Smoothing.

GIF exports change my colors, why is that? 

This is likely connected to the limited GIF color palette, which can only hold a maximum 250 colors at a time. If you’re creating animations with complex color or different levels of opacity, try exporting in the Animated MP4 or Animated PNG file formats.

Why don’t I have hover on my iPad? 

Hover works exclusively on the 2022 iPad Pro models with M2 chip as their new screen technology is needed to make this feature work. You will be able to use the 2nd Generation Apple Pencil without having to purchase a different one.

Do I need a new Apple Pencil to use hover? 

As long as you are using a 2nd Generation Apple Pencil it will work with hover. The technology for hover is in the screens themselves, which is why it is a feature exclusive to the 2022 iPad Pro models.

How can I turn off hover? 

You can switch off the effects from hover in iPad Settings > Apple Pencil and toggle off Show Effects when using Pencil.

Why does Procreate cut parts of my artwork after transform? 

Canvas size limitations are in place to make sure the app runs smoothly and doesn’t use up too much active memory. This means that objects in Procreate can only exist within the canvas borders. If you commit a transformation with parts of the object outside of the canvas, they will be cut off to fit the canvas.

Why Procreate files can’t go into old versions of Procreate? 

Procreate 5.3 and Procreate Pocket 4.0.8 both come with an updated version to the .procreate file format. This new file format will mean you can load and export artworks more quickly, and see an increase in performance and stability. Artworks opened in Procreate 5.3 or Procreate Pocket 4.0.8 are not backwards compatible with older versions of the software. You’ll need to update to the latest version to be able to open the updated file format.

Where has Recolor gone? 

Recolor now lives in your QuickMenu. To set up Recolor in your QuickMenu, tap Actions > Prefs > Gesture controls > QuickMenu, and toggle any shortcut to activate QuickMenu. Once you’ve invoked QuickMenu on your canvas, press-and-hold the button you want to change. After a moment, the Set Action menu will pop up. Scroll through the list of options and tap Recolor.

Procreate Pocket

What's the latest version of Procreate Pocket? 

The current version of Procreate Pocket for iPhone is 4.0.9, and requires iOS 15.4.1 or newer.

Is Procreate Pocket supported on my iPhone? 

The current version of Procreate Pocket is supported on the following iPhone models:

  • iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max

  • iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max

  • iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max

  • iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max

  • iPhone XS Max, iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone X

  • iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus

  • iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus

  • iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus

  • iPhone SE (1st, 2nd, 3rd generation)

  • iPod Touch (7th generation)

I want the new version of Procreate Pocket. How do I get it? 

You can update Procreate Pocket for free in your App Store. To find apps with available updates, open App Store > Your Apple ID in the top right, then scroll down to find Procreate Pocket and tap Update button.

Does Procreate Pocket have any in-app purchases? 

None - buy the app once, and you get everything.

How do I use Procreate Pocket? It's so confusing! 

Take a look at the Procreate Pocket Handbook! It’s a fully searchable online manual that explains what all the features in Procreate Pocket do, where to find them, and how to use them.

Where can I get more Procreate Pocket brushes? 

The Procreate Discussion boards contain hundreds of user-created custom brushes for Procreate. The Marketplace has links to premium brushes available for sale and the Resources section has many more brushes available to download for free.

Can I create a different canvas size? 

Yes, you can! You'll have a few default canvas sizes available, or tap the Custom Size button to create your own. Maximum canvas sizes will depend on your iPhone model.

What's the biggest canvas I can create in Procreate Pocket? 

Your maximum canvas size depends on your iPhone model. Here's an approximate guide:

  • iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X/XR/XS, iPhone 11/11 Pro/11 Pro Max, iPhone 12/12 mini/12 Pro/12 Pro Max, iPhone 13/13 mini/13 Pro/13 Pro Max, iPhone 14/14 Plus/14 Pro/14 Pro Max: 16384 x 2048 pixels or 8192 x 4096 pixels

  • iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE (1st, 2nd, 3rd Generation), iPhone 7, iPhone 8: 8192 x 2048 pixels

  • iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus: 4096 x 4096 pixels

Why is Procreate Pocket crashing? 

If you experience a crash, let us know via the Procreate Support Form.

In the meantime we recommend trying a hard reboot of your iPhone as this sometimes helps with smaller software issues. To do this, press and hold your Home and Power button at the same time until iPhone restarts. If your iPhone uses Face ID, press and quickly release the volume up button, press and quickly release the volume down button, then press and hold the Power button until a restart is initiated.

How do I fill with color in Procreate Pocket? 

Procreate Pocket's fill tool is called ColorDrop, and it's as simple as dragging the color from the top right of the canvas and dropping it wherever you want it to go. The color will flow to the edges of your linework.

At this point the option to Continue with Recolor will appear. Recolor is a way to quickly color multiple areas without having to drag the color from the top right corner to the canvas again.

If your color floods beyond the edges of an object, adjust the ColorDrop Threshold by holding down on the canvas after performing a ColorDrop and swiping left or right.

If you want to keep the fill layer your linework separate, tap the Reference button in the Layer Options menu on the layer your linework is on. You can now ColorDrop to another layer using the bounds from the linework on your Reference Layer.

For a step-by-step video tutorial, see How to Fill an Area using ColorDrop in Procreate Pocket. How to Procreate ColorDrop

ColorDrop always fills my entire Procreate Pocket canvas! What's wrong? 

It sounds like your ColorDrop Threshold is set too high. Drag your color from the top right and hold it on the canvas to adjust your Threshold by sliding your finger to the left. Your new Threshold will apply to your next fill, even if you Undo this one.

How do I import fonts to Procreate Pocket? 

In Procreate Pocket we support .ttf, .ttc and .otf font files.

We offer three ways to import fonts into Procreate:

  1. Within the iOS Files App, drag and drop your fonts to Files App > On My iPhone > Pocket > Fonts.

  2. Connect your iPhone to a Mac and use iTunes file sharing to copy fonts into Pocket > Fonts. This is a great way to quickly import large quantities of fonts.

  3. Tap on a font file in your iOS Files app, and you'll be presented with the option to open it in Procreate Pocket.

How do I delete imported fonts? 

To delete imported fonts, open the iOS Files App and navigate to On My iPhone > Pocket > Fonts. You will see a list of all the fonts you have imported. Swipe left on the font you want to remove and tap 'Delete'.

To delete multiple fonts at a time, follow the instructions above to navigate to the list of imported fonts. In the top right corner of the screen tap 'Select'. You can then select multiple fonts in the list by tapping them one by one. To remove all selected fonts, tap 'Delete' in the bottom right corner.

How do I use QuickShape? 

Draw a shape on your canvas, but don't lift your finger when you finish the stroke - keep holding it down. After a moment, QuickShape will 'snap' the shape you drew into a clean, geometrically perfect version.

Keep your finger held down and drag to adjust the shape, or release your finger and tap the Edit Shape button in the notification bar to make further tweaks.

You can customize the QuickShape 'snap' delay by using the slider in the Preferences tab of your Actions Menu, or disable it by dragging the slider to the far left.

Why don't I have FacePaint? 

FacePaint is available on iPhones that have an A12 chip or higher, or a TrueDepth camera which includes all iPhones from the iPhone XR onwards.

My brush size and opacity doesn’t change with my stroke. What am I doing wrong? 

3D Touch technology, built into the screens of certain iPhone models, allows you to work with pressure sensitivity in Procreate Pocket using your finger and any non-Bluetooth stylus. All supported iPhone models before the iPhone XR can use 3D Touch.

If your iPhone doesn’t offer 3D Touch, you can select from a range of active styli currently supported by Procreate Pocket. These supported styli will allow you to work with pressure sensitivity:

  • Adonit - Jot Touch 4, Jot Touch Pixelpoint, Jot Script, Jot Script 2, Pixel
  • Wacom - Intuos Creative Stylus 1 & 2, Bamboo Fineline 1, 2, & 3, Bamboo Sketch

The iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max and later do not officially support any third-party styli. Due to the changed OLED screen technology we haven’t found a stylus that delivers a good user experience with any of these iPhones. You can still connect your stylus, but you may run into performance issues. This is why we introduced the pressure slider, which allows your bottom brush slider to be moved while making a stroke on your canvas. This helps adjust the opacity or size of your brush depending on the brush settings when using your finger or a passive stylus.

Why don’t I have Gesture Controls? 

You can learn all about the Gestures you can use in Procreate Pocket in the Procreate Pocket Handbook.

Why can’t I get out of a menu? 

To dismiss your toolbars and menu cards, try swiping down, or to the side over your menu. We’ve designed it like this to minimize the risk of users accidentally tapping out of the menu and having to reenter.

Why am I missing Actions options? 

Try swiping to the left to see all available options in the Actions menu.

Can I connect a third-party stylus? 

On certain iPhone models Procreate Pocket can connect the following styli:

  • Adonit - Jot Touch 4, Jot Touch Pixelpoint, Jot Script, Jot Script 2, Pixel
  • Wacom - Intuos Creative Stylus 1 & 2, Bamboo Fineline 1, 2, & 3, Bamboo Sketch

iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max and later no longer support any third party styli. They can still be connected, however we can't guarantee a good user experience as the styli developers have not updated them to work with newer iPhone models.

Where has Project Canvas gone? 

Project Canvas is now called Projector and can still be found under Preferences in Actions menu.

Can I print my Procreate Pocket artwork? 

If you have an AirPrint enabled printer you can print your artwork directly from Procreate or Procreate Pocket. Simply Share your artwork as a JPG or PNG and tap the Print button on the bottom row of icons. If you want to print your Procreate work professionally, speak with your chosen printing company to determine the ideal file specifications before exporting.

General

I'm new to digital art. Help! 

If you’re brand new to digital art: Hello, welcome! We got you. You should first check out our Beginners Series, a collection of short videos we have developed specifically for users that have never touched Procreate.

If you want to deep-dive into particular features, please refer to our Procreate Handbook and check out our Learn to Procreate Series. You can also contact our Support Team for any questions you may have.

How do I backup my artworks? 

To keep your data safe, create a full backup of your iPad or iPhone using your computer or iCloud. For details on how to do this, check out this Apple article. Restoring from a backup should restore all your Procreate and Procreate Pocket data, including brushes, Brush Sets, palettes, etc.

It's also a good idea to individually back up important artworks. When you export artworks as .procreate files, this format will preserve all your layers and other data.

To easily export multiple artworks at once use the Select option in the Gallery, or Drag and Drop artworks from your Gallery to the Files app. Avoid saving to the Procreate or Pocket folder in On My iPad (On My iPhone), as this will be deleted if you remove Procreate or Procreate Pocket.

Can I sync my work to iCloud? 

Currently, iCloud syncing is not available with Procreate or Procreate Pocket. Given the average size of a Procreate document, multiplied by however many you have in your Gallery, this could rapidly consume your entire iCloud space allowance. We're investigating the possibility of iCloud synching in the future. Currently you can import and export from/to iCloud Drive from Procreate and Procreate Pocket.

Why don’t I have Color History? 

Color History is device-specific and currently only available on 10.2" iPads or larger. Color History is not available in Procreate Pocket due to the smaller screen size of iPhones.

Why is my computer showing different colors to my iPad or iPhone? 

Due to different manufacturing processes, monitor displays vary in color, skewing slightly towards one of the red, green or blue spectrums. Desktop computers may be using a color profile to calibrate your monitor to a certain setting.

These issues are not caused by Procreate or Procreate Pocket. Both our apps output images in pure RGBA. Color variance from monitor to monitor is common. If you're experiencing color shifts, check your monitor color profile; it may need a calibration.

Why does the color change when I export or print my work? 

Procreate and Procreate Pocket support the import and use of Color Profiles so you can view your work in different color gamuts in realtime. This does mean, however, that your exported work may not look the same way outside of Procreate and Procreate Pocket.

Color changes may occur as a result of the profile used and how it is rendered. This might also impact the way exported animations and Time-lapse Replays look outside of Procreate and Procreate Pocket.

Why does Previous Color not work in the Color menu? 

The Previous Color and New Color indicators have changed function in the Color Menu. The indicators have been reassigned. Now the left indicator displays your Primary Color, and the right indicator displays your Secondary Color. These functions only apply to brushes that utilize Color Dynamics with the Secondary Color slider turned up.

Why do my strokes look blurry after I lift off from the canvas? 

When you produce a stroke on the canvas, Procreate and Procreate Pocket render it at an extremely high resolution. Once the stroke is committed to the canvas, they will render in the canvas resolution, which in many cases is lower than the render resolution. This may cause it to look blurry or less sharp in comparison, but it is the correct behavior for the canvas size.

Why can't I mark my canvas? 

There are a few things that can prevent you from marking your canvas:

  • Make sure you haven't accidentally selected Smudge or Erase instead of Paint.
  • Make sure your Opacity slider (the slider on the bottom of your sidebar) isn’t turned all the way down to 1%.
  • Check that the layer you're painting on isn't Alpha Locked.
  • Make sure that the selected color (in the circle at the top right of the canvas) is different to the color of your canvas.
  • Open Actions > Prefs > Gesture Controls, go to the General tab and tap Reset to Defaults.

If you continue having trouble, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Support Team.

Can I print my Procreate artwork? 

If you have an AirPrint enabled printer, you can print your artwork directly from Procreate or Procreate Pocket. Simply Share your artwork as a JPG or PNG and tap the Print button on the bottom row of icons.

If you want to print your Procreate work professionally, speak with your chosen printing company to determine their ideal file specifications.

My custom brushes look different. Why? 

The latest versions of Procreate and Procreate Pocket run on a far more powerful engine that renders brushes differently and calculates more complex brush properties. We’ve done our best to ensure backwards-compatibility with older custom brushes, but it’s possible that different behavior will result.

If you notice that your brush isn’t behaving properly, please head to our Support Page and we’ll do our best to help out.

Where can I get more brushes? 

The Procreate Portfolio community contains thousands of user-created custom brushes for Procreate and Procreate Pocket. The Marketplace board has links to premium brushes available for sale, and the Resources board has many more brushes available to download for free.

Can I delete unwanted brushes? 

You'll always have the default brushes included in Procreate and Procreate Pocket, but you can delete custom brushes. Swipe left across the brush thumbnail in the Brushes popover to see which options are available for a default brush, a duplicated brush, or a custom brush.

How do I SwatchDrop? 

Touch and Hold on the swatch tile within a palette and then drag the swatch onto the canvas to fill.

Why is my Selection tool not working? 

You may have Color Fill active. Check your Selection toolbar and make sure Color Fill is not selected (in Procreate Pocket under Settings).

Is your Handbook available in my language? 

Our Handbooks for Procreate and Procreate Pocket is currently available in English, Simplified Chinese and Japanese. We'd love to be able to provide handbooks and tutorials for all our users in their native languages, but we don't have the resources for this right now. However, we do have a helpful international community on the Procreate Discussions. If you post there, you'll find Procreate users from your region who can answer your questions.

How do I delete artworks from my Procreate Gallery? 

In Procreate for iPad, simply swipe left on any artwork to reveal controls for that piece, including Delete. Alternatively, tap the Select button to enter multiple selection mode. Tap artworks to select them, then tap the Delete button in the toolbar. If you're using Procreate Pocket, check out this section.

How do I make a Time-lapse video of my artwork? 

By default, Procreate and Procreate Pocket record every undoable action (anything that creates an Undo step - each painting stroke, a Transform action, layer adjustments) as a frame of video. To export this video, tap Export Time-lapse Video in the Video tab of the Actions menu. You'll have the choice of exporting the Full Length recording or a 30 Second version. To replay the video right on your canvas, select Time-lapse Replay from the Video tab in the Actions menu. You can control the playback by sliding left or right on the canvas. Once you've exported your video, you can import it into your favorite video editor and slow it down, add music or anything else you like.

You can change your Time-lapse video quality when creating a new custom canvas. To do this, tap the plus int he top right of your Gallery > the icon next to New Canvas > Time-lapse settings. Procreate will then remember this setting for every canvas created in the future, until it is changed again. This will only affect any newly created canvases. Time-lapses already recorded won't be affected by this change.

How does DPI work? 

When you make a new canvas in Procreate, you can set your dimensions in pixels or in a physical measurement (inches, centimeters, or millimeters). Either way, your canvas will always have a DPI. DPI (dots per inch) measures how many pixels occur in each inch of your artwork when you print it. If you create a canvas using a physical measurement, then the DPI controls how large the canvas will be in pixels. If you create a canvas using pixels, then the DPI controls how large it will print.

A higher DPI means more pixels per inch which also means a better quality print. 300dpi is a standard rule of thumb for a print about the size of a magazine page. The smaller the artwork, the greater the pixel density required to produce a high quality print.

The larger your intended print, the less DPI you can have, as it is likely a large work will be viewed from further away and will therefore not need as much fine detail as something to be viewed at arm’s length. A canvas of 2 meters by 1 meter (200cm x 100cm) could produce a great print at 100dpi. Billboards often have a DPI as low as 12 or 15.

Why is my background not transparent after exporting to Photos? 

Photos app automatically includes a solid background when your exported canvases bigger than 4900 x 4900px, or smaller than 360 x 360px.

Can I load PSD files in Procreate and Procreate Pocket? 

Yes, you can! PSD files can be imported in the same way as any other image file. If you import a PSD through the import menu in the Gallery, Procreate and Procreate will import and respect all layers, blend modes, and other compatible features. If you import a PSD through the Image tab in the Actions menu, the image will be imported as a flat image.

Why can't I create more layers? 

The layer limits in Procreate and Procreate Pocket exist to prevent the apps from crashing if they try to do more than the devices can handle. These limits vary according to your canvas size and device in use. Try creating a different-sized canvas for a different layer limit.

When creating a new custom canvas, you'll see your Maximum Layer limit when you input your canvas dimensions. You can also access this by swiping left on any custom canvas in the Create menu and tapping Edit.

Why doesn't Procreate / Procreate Pocket have [this feature]? 

It could be for one of several reasons:

  • We don't think it fits in with the core values of Procreate

  • So far, we haven't found an elegant way to do it nicely in a touch environment

  • It's already in development and we haven't told you about it

  • We are still considering the idea and are listening to public discussion

I've got a great idea for a Procreate feature! How do I tell you about it? 

If there's something you'd really like to see in Procreate, add your support to the relevant posts on the Ideas & Suggestions board on the Procreate Discussions. We keep a close eye on these boards and any suggestion that gains enough user support is something we can consider for a future release.

When are you making an Android version of Procreate? 

We would love for everybody to be able to enjoy Procreate, but the fragmentation of the Android marketplace is a complicating factor. We're not ruling it out, but at the moment we're focusing on strengthening and improving Procreate for iOS.

Can I use the art and videos I make in Procreate commercially? 

Any art you create with the tools that come with Procreate and Procreate Pocket by default (brushes and color swatches), including the progress videos, is your content and you can use it however you like. Of course, we'd love it if you let people know that you used our apps to create it. Procreate and Procreate Pocket themselves, their graphics, plus the included example artworks and 3D objects are protected by copyright and may not be used commercially or distributed without permission.

The fonts (Eina 01, Impact, Jack Armstrong BB and Smiley Sans) included in Procreate, and the ones included in iOS are licensed for use within the app only. You can use them for compositing and use within personal artworks. If you would like to use a font in a commercial work, it is your personal responsibility to check whether a suitable license is available for your use.

Why did you make Procreate? 

We made Procreate to fill a need - the ability to create professional, high quality digital art absolutely anywhere. Procreate has evolved massively over the years and the incredible art people are making in Procreate keeps us excited to continue working to make Procreate as great as it can possibly be.

Why on earth did you name it Procreate? 

It was clear when we first saw the iPad that it was going to be a great tool for professionals to create awesome art - and we wanted it to have a memorable name.

Will you feature my art on your Facebook or Twitter? Please? 

We're constantly looking for great art made in Procreate to share with the world. The key to getting noticed is to just keep creating art and sharing it on your Procreate Portfolio, our Facebook page, or by mentioning @procreate on Twitter or Instagram.

Where are you guys from? 

We're based in Hobart, Tasmania (which is part of Australia).

Wait, Tasmania is a real place? 

Yeah, we even have Tassie Devils - just like the cartoon - only they don't go around in little tornadoes. Tasmania is an island of spectacular wilderness and rugged beauty. We named the company after the island. Many years ago, Tassie was the furthest outpost of the British empire - the most savage place on earth.

Education

Is there an education discount for Procreate? Can I buy Procreate in bulk for my classroom? 

A 50% discount is available through Apple School Manager if you buy 20+ licenses. We recommend purchasing Procreate this way for your students, and link it through to a Mobile Device Management (MDM) service. For more information on setting up and distributing apps with Apple School Manager, you might like to refer to this helpful video by Apple Education, or Apple Education's Deployment Guide.

Does Procreate have a student-data privacy policy? 

The Privacy Policy for Procreate and Procreate Pocket can be found here. Procreate doesn’t collect any user data. We strongly believe in not collecting or sharing your data, period. It belongs to you. You can also view this information on our App Store page, where it’s verified that we don’t collect any user data.

Is there an education edition of Procreate? 

No, there is only one version of Procreate. We believe students benefit from equal access to the same tools that professional creatives use.

Is Procreate suitable for young students? 

Procreate is made for artists by artists, so there is an inherent understanding that we never let the tools get in way of the creative process. This is why Procreate's user interface is so minimal, yet fully featured and delightfully natural and simple to use.

This is also why Procreate lends itself so well to being used in the context of Education. It’s simple, but not simplistic. Educators can quickly and easily teach themselves the basics, and we’ve seen students as young as 4 use Procreate with the support of their teachers to make wonderful art in an educational setting.

What support is there for educators using Procreate in the classroom? 

Our Learn with Procreate website has a number of resources that focus on helping K-12 teachers bring creativity into the classroom, right across the curriculum. These include a collection of beginner user guides and lesson ideas which are flexible lesson plans that educators can use as a springboard, to leverage and adapt to align with their teaching outcomes.

You can also connect with our community of educators using Procreate on Twitter @ProcreateEDU, or reach out to our Education Team anytime at education@procreate.art.