Procreate Setup

iPad · Apple Pencil · Brushes

Set up Procreate on your iPad, start to finish.

From the App Store to a brush library that feels like yours. This guide walks you through installing Procreate, getting the Pencil to feel right, finding and importing brushes, and setting up each kind of brush, from pencils and inking pens to paint, airbrush, texture, lettering and stamps.

Start the guide Jump to setting up brushes
  1. 1Check your iPad and Pencil
  2. 2Install Procreate
  3. 3Dial in Pencil and gestures
  4. 4Learn the Brush Library
  5. 5Download brush files
  6. 6Import and organize
  7. 7Set up each brush type
Before you start

What you need

A compatible iPad

Procreate is iPad only. There is no Mac, Windows or Android version. Any iPad that runs a current version of iPadOS will work, including the iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air and iPad Pro. The App Store listing shows the exact minimum iPadOS version for the current release.

More RAM means more layers per canvas. An iPad Pro or recent iPad Air gives the most headroom, but a base iPad is a fine place to start.

An Apple Pencil (strongly recommended)

You can draw with a finger, but pressure and tilt need a stylus. Match the Pencil to your iPad:

  • Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (2nd gen) snap magnetically to the side of recent iPad Pro, Air and mini models.
  • Apple Pencil (USB-C) works with every iPad that has a USB-C port, but has no pressure sensitivity.
  • Apple Pencil (1st gen) is for older iPads with a Lightning port and some base-model iPads.

Check Apple's compatibility page for your exact model before buying. Third-party styluses work, but pressure support varies.

Space and an Apple ID

The app itself is small, but canvases and brush sets add up quickly. Keep at least a few gigabytes free. You will need an Apple ID with a payment method to buy Procreate. It is a one-time purchase with no subscription.

Optional but nice

  • A matte screen protector for a paper-like feel.
  • A stand or case that props the iPad at an angle.
  • iCloud Drive turned on, so brush files you download sync to the Files app.
Step 1

Install Procreate

  1. Update iPadOS first

    Open Settings → General → Software Update and install anything waiting. Procreate's newest release often needs a recent iPadOS, and updating first avoids a confusing "not compatible" message.

  2. Pair your Apple Pencil

    For a magnetic Pencil, snap it to the side of the iPad and tap Connect. For a USB-C or 1st-gen Pencil, plug it into the iPad's port and tap Pair. You only have to do this once.

  3. Buy and download Procreate

    Open the App Store, search for Procreate, and look for the developer name Savage Interactive. Tap the price, confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your password, and wait for the download.

    Watch out for look-alike apps with similar names and icons. The real one is by Savage Interactive. Procreate Pocket is the separate iPhone version, and Procreate Dreams is a separate animation app.

  4. Open it once

    Launch Procreate. You land in the Gallery, which shows a few sample artworks. Tap the + in the top right to create a new canvas and pick Screen Size to start drawing right away.

Step 2

Settings that make the Pencil feel right

Everything here lives under the wrench icon: Actions → Prefs. Five minutes now saves a lot of frustration later.

Pressure & Smoothing

Actions → Prefs → Pressure & Smoothing. Drag the curve to change how hard you need to press. Pulling the middle up makes light strokes thicker. Pulling it down makes the Pencil feel firmer. Draw a few test strokes until thin and thick come naturally.

Raise Stabilization a little if your lines look shaky. Leave Motion Filtering low unless you draw a lot of smooth, long curves.

Gesture Controls

Actions → Prefs → Gesture Controls. Useful defaults to turn on:

  • QuickMenu → Touch and hold for a radial menu of your favorite tools.
  • Eyedropper → Touch and hold to pick colors straight from the canvas.
  • General → Disable Touch actions if your palm keeps making marks. Only the Pencil will draw.

Interface

In Prefs, switch Right-hand interface if you want the sidebar sliders on the right. Try Light interface if you prefer a bright UI, and lower Brush cursor if the outline distracts you.

Apple Pencil shortcuts

In iPadOS Settings → Apple Pencil, set the double-tap to Switch between current tool and eraser. On Apple Pencil Pro, squeeze can open Procreate's QuickMenu and the barrel roll shapes certain brushes.

Step 3

Get to know the Brush Library

Tap the brush icon at the top right of a canvas to open the Brush Library. It is the home of every brush you own.

How it is laid out

  • Left column: brush sets, such as Sketching, Inking, Painting, Textures and Airbrushing. Procreate ships with well over a hundred brushes across these sets.
  • Right column: the brushes inside the selected set. Tap one to select it. Tap it again to open Brush Studio, where you can tune every setting.
  • Pressure & size sliders on the sidebar change size and opacity for the current brush.

Brushes worth trying first

  • Sketching → 6B Pencil for roughs.
  • Inking → Studio Pen or Syrup for clean lines.
  • Painting → Nikko Rull and Round Brush for color.
  • Airbrushing → Soft Brush for shading and glow.

Swipe gestures on a brush

Swipe left on any brush to reveal:

ShareExport the brush as a .brush file.
DuplicateMake an editable copy. Default brushes are safe to tweak this way.
ResetReturn a default brush to factory settings.
DeleteRemove a brush you imported or duplicated.

You cannot delete Procreate's built-in brushes, but you can reset them if you change something by mistake.

Step 4

Find brushes to download

Procreate brushes come in two file types. Everything else about finding them comes down to knowing where artists sell and share.

.brush

One brush. Small file. Imports straight into the set you have open.

.brushset

A whole set of brushes. Imports as its own new set in the left column. This is the usual format for purchased packs.

.zip

Many shops ship brushes zipped. Tap the zip in the Files app to unpack it, then import the files inside.

Official and free

  • Procreate's own site and newsletter release free brush packs from time to time.
  • Many artists share free starter sets on their own sites or on Gumroad with a "pay what you want" price.
  • Search "free Procreate brushset" and look for a direct .brushset download rather than a video.

Paid marketplaces

  • Gumroad: artists sell directly, often with video demos.
  • Creative Market and Design Cuts: large catalogs, frequent bundles.
  • Etsy: huge selection, variable quality. Read reviews first.

What to look for

  • Screenshots of the brushes in use, not just swatches.
  • The Procreate version the set was built for. Newer sets may use features older Procreate versions lack.
  • A license that allows commercial use if you plan to sell your art.

Download on the iPad

Download in Safari on the iPad itself. Files land in Files → On My iPad → Downloads (or iCloud Drive → Downloads). Downloading on a computer works too, but you then need to move the files over via iCloud Drive, AirDrop or a cable.

Step 5

Import brushes into Procreate

There are four ways in. The first one is the easiest and works for almost everyone.

Method A

Tap the file in the Files app

  1. Open the Files app and find your .brush or .brushset. If it is inside a zip, tap the zip first to unpack it.
  2. Tap the brush file once. iPadOS opens it in Procreate automatically.
  3. Procreate switches to the Gallery and shows a brief Imported message.
  4. Open any canvas and tap the brush icon. A .brushset appears as a new set at the top of the left column. A single .brush lands in an Imported set.
Method B

Import from inside the Brush Library

  1. Open a canvas and tap the brush icon.
  2. Tap the + at the top of the brush list on the right.
  3. In Brush Studio, tap Import in the top right.
  4. Pick the file from the Files browser. It drops into the set you had open.

Good for single .brush files when you already know which set you want them in.

Method C

Drag and drop with Split View

  1. Open Procreate, then open Files beside it in Split View or as a Slide Over panel.
  2. Open the Brush Library in Procreate.
  3. Touch and hold a brush file in Files, drag it onto the brush list and let go. You can drag several files at once.
Method D

AirDrop from a Mac or iPhone

  1. On the Mac or iPhone, right-click or share the brush file and choose AirDrop → your iPad.
  2. On the iPad, accept it. When asked which app to open it with, pick Procreate.

Multiple brush files can be AirDropped together. Each one imports in turn.

Step 6

Organize your brushes

A library with 40 sets of 30 brushes is slower than a library with the ten brushes you actually use. Spend a little time here.

Make your own sets

  1. In the Brush Library, drag the left column down a little to reveal a + at the top, then tap it.
  2. Name the set, for example Favorites or Inking – Clean.
  3. Open another set, touch and hold a brush, and drag it onto your new set's name. Procreate copies the brush into it. Hold a brush and tap others to grab several at once.

Reorder, rename, merge

  • Drag a set up or down in the left column to reorder.
  • Tap a selected set's name to Rename, Delete, Duplicate or Share it.
  • Drag one set onto another to combine them into one.

Tweak without fear

Swipe left on a brush and tap Duplicate before you edit it. Then tap the copy to enter Brush Studio. The two most useful panels:

  • Stroke Path → Streamline: higher values smooth out wobble for inking.
  • Apple Pencil → Pressure: adjusts how size and opacity respond to pressure for just this brush.

Tap Reset in the Studio if you go too far, or use the Drawing Pad at the top to test strokes before you tap Done.

Keep the defaults tidy

You cannot delete default sets, but you can drag them to the bottom of the list so your own sets sit on top.

Step 7

Set up specific brushes

Every brush in Procreate is a stack of settings you can open and change. This section shows you the Brush Studio first, then walks through setting up each common type of brush: pencil, inking pen, paint, airbrush, texture, lettering and stamp. Each recipe ends with the settings to copy.

Open the Brush Studio

  1. Open a canvas and tap the brush icon to show the Brush Library.
  2. Swipe left on the brush you want to change and tap Duplicate. Always work on a copy so the original stays intact.
  3. Tap the copy once to select it, then tap it again. The Brush Studio opens full screen.
  4. Panels run down the left. The Drawing Pad on the right previews your strokes. Draw there after every change.
  5. Tap Done to save. Tap Cancel to throw the changes away.

To rename the copy, open the About this brush panel at the bottom, tap the name and type a new one. You can also drag a quick signature in the box so the brush is recognizably yours when shared.

What each Brush Studio panel does

PanelControlsReach for it when
Stroke PathSpacing, StreamLine, Jitter, Fall OffStrokes look dotted (lower spacing) or wobbly (raise StreamLine)
StabilizationStreamLine, Stabilization, Motion FilteringYou want smoother lines for inking or lettering
TaperPressure taper, Touch taper, tip size and opacityLine ends should thin out like a real pen
ShapeShape source, Scatter, Rotation, Count, Randomized, AzimuthYou want a different tip, or scattered marks like leaves or stars
GrainGrain source, Moving or Texturized, Scale, Depth, Blend modeAdding paper, canvas or noise texture to a stroke
RenderingRendering mode, Flow, Wet Edges, Burnt EdgesStrokes build up too fast or too slowly when overlapped
Wet MixDilution, Charge, Attack, Pull, Grade, BlurMaking oils, watercolor or any brush that mixes colors
Color DynamicsHue, Saturation, Brightness jitter, Color Pressure, Color TiltYou want color to vary within a stroke
DynamicsSpeed and Jitter for size and opacityFast strokes should get thinner or lighter
Apple PencilPressure and Tilt for size, opacity, flow, bleedThe brush does not respond to pressing harder or tilting
PropertiesMax and min size, max and min opacity, stamp preview, smudgeThe size slider does not go big enough or small enough
MaterialsMetallic, RoughnessPainting on a 3D model
About this brushName, author, signature, Reset, new reset pointRenaming, undoing changes, saving a known-good state

Brush recipes

Start each one from the default brush named, duplicate it, and change only the settings listed. Everything else stays at the default.

Pencil

Sketch pencil with real tilt shading

Start from Sketching → 6B Pencil

  1. Apple Pencil → Tilt: set Angle to about 30° so tilt kicks in when you lean the Pencil. Raise Size under Tilt to 60–80% so the side of the tip shades wide. Raise Gradation to 60% for a soft edge when tilted.
  2. Apple Pencil → Pressure: Size around 40%, Opacity around 70%. Light pressure gives faint construction lines, hard pressure gives dark marks.
  3. Grain: keep Texturized so the paper tooth stays put as you scribble. Scale 60–80% for finer tooth.
  4. Properties: Maximum size 25% so you never accidentally get a fat pencil.
  5. Rendering: leave on Light Glaze. Overlapping strokes build gently, like graphite.
Inking

Clean inking pen with sharp tapers

Start from Inking → Studio Pen

  1. Stabilization: StreamLine 40–60% for comics-style line work, 20% for sketchy ink. Leave Stabilization at 0 unless you draw very slowly.
  2. Taper: drag both ends of the Pressure taper slider inward a little. Turn on Tip animation so you can watch it on the pad. Raise Size taper so ends come to a point.
  3. Apple Pencil → Pressure: Size 60–80%. Opacity at 0 so ink is always solid black.
  4. Stroke Path: Spacing as low as it will go. Dotted edges on curves mean spacing is too high.
  5. Properties: set Minimum size to 2–3% so hairlines are still visible, Maximum size to 15%.
  6. Rendering: Intense Glaze keeps overlapping lines a consistent solid.
Painting

Oil or gouache brush that mixes color

Start from Painting → Nikko Rull or Round Brush

  1. Wet Mix: this panel makes paint behave like paint. Dilution 10–20% (how thin the paint is). Charge 60–80% (how much paint is loaded on the brush). Pull 30–50% (how far it drags existing color). Grade 30% for softer mixing.
  2. Rendering: set the mode to Uniform Blending or Intense Blending. The Glaze modes do not mix.
  3. Shape: turn on Azimuth so the bristle shape follows the direction you tilt. Set Rotation to follow stroke.
  4. Grain: Moving grain with a bristle texture gives streaks that follow the stroke. Depth 30–50%.
  5. Apple Pencil → Pressure: Size 30%, Flow 50%. Press harder to lay more paint, not just a bigger mark.
  6. Color Dynamics: a little Stroke Hue jitter (3–5%) and Brightness jitter (5%) keeps big flats from looking flat.
Airbrush

Soft airbrush for shading and glow

Start from Airbrushing → Soft Brush

  1. Apple Pencil → Pressure: Opacity 90–100% and Flow 60%. Pressure should control how much paint lands, not size. Set Size to 0–10%.
  2. Rendering: Light Glaze with Flow around 20–30%. Low flow is what makes an airbrush buildable.
  3. Shape: keep the default soft circle. For a tighter edge, duplicate again and pick Hard Airbrush as your base instead.
  4. Properties: raise Maximum size to 100% so one pass can shade a whole figure.
  5. Dynamics: leave jitter at 0. Any jitter shows up as grain in smooth gradients.
  6. Tip: set the layer blend mode to Multiply for shadows or Add for glows rather than changing the brush.
Texture

Grainy texture brush with your own paper

Start from Textures → Tarmac or any brush you like

  1. Grain → Grain Source → Edit → Import: choose Import a Photo (a photo of paper, concrete or canvas) or Source Library for Procreate's built-in textures. A square, seamless, high-contrast image works best. Tap Invert if the texture paints the gaps rather than the grain.
  2. Grain → Grain Behavior: Texturized locks the texture to the canvas like real paper. Moving drags it with the stroke, better for fabric or wood grain.
  3. Grain: Scale 50–100% (bigger numbers mean bigger texture). Depth 70–100% for strong texture, 30% for subtle tooth. Zoom on Follow size if the texture should scale with brush size.
  4. Rendering: Light Glaze keeps the texture visible as you build layers.
  5. Apple Pencil → Pressure: Opacity 60–80% so pressure fades texture in and out.
Lettering

Calligraphy brush with thick and thin strokes

Start from Calligraphy → Brush Pen or Monoline

  1. Stabilization: StreamLine 70–90%. Lettering wants very smooth curves. Add Stabilization 20% for slow, deliberate strokes.
  2. Apple Pencil → Pressure: Size 80–100% so downstrokes swell and upstrokes stay thin. Opacity 0.
  3. Taper: short tapers on both ends. Too much taper makes the letters look like they trail off.
  4. Shape: for a chisel or broad-nib look, set Rotation to 0 and turn Orient to screen on in Properties so the nib angle stays fixed while you turn the canvas.
  5. Properties: turn on Use stamp preview so the library thumbnail shows the nib, not a squiggle.
  6. Monoline variant: set Pressure Size to 0 for a single-weight marker line that is perfect for sans-serif lettering.
Stamp

Stamp brush from your own drawing

Start from a new brush (tap + at the top of the brush list)

  1. Before you begin, draw your stamp in white on a black background on a square canvas, then share it as a PNG or JPEG. White is where the stamp paints.
  2. Shape → Shape Source → Edit → Import → Import a Photo and choose that image.
  3. Stroke Path: drag Spacing all the way up so one tap lays one stamp instead of a trail.
  4. Shape: set Rotation if you want it to follow the stroke angle, or Randomized for scattered variety. Leave Scatter at 0 for a single stamp.
  5. Apple Pencil → Pressure: Size 0 so each stamp is exactly the size on the slider.
  6. Properties: turn on Use stamp preview. Raise Maximum size to 100%.
  7. Use the same technique with lower spacing and some scatter for leaves, stars, hair or grass brushes.
Smudge & Erase

Set a brush for the Smudge and Eraser tools

Works with any brush

  1. Tap the Smudge tool (the finger icon) or the Eraser at the top of the canvas.
  2. Tap it again to open its own Brush Library. Each tool remembers its own brush.
  3. For smudging, pick a soft or textured brush such as Airbrushing → Soft Brush or a bristle brush for painterly blends.
  4. For erasing, pick the same brush you are drawing with so erased edges match drawn edges. Hold the current brush and drag it to the Eraser slot, or simply hold the Eraser icon to copy your current brush into it.
  5. Open the smudge brush's Studio and lower Properties → Smudge to 50–60% if it drags color too far.

Setting up a purchased or downloaded set

  1. Import the set (see Step 5) and open it on your Scratch canvas. Draw a line with every brush at light, medium and hard pressure.
  2. Delete the brushes you will never use. Swipe left, tap Delete. A 60-brush set usually has 8 keepers.
  3. Drag the keepers into a set named for the job, such as Inking or Hair, so they sit next to brushes you already use.
  4. If a brush feels too soft or too stiff, open it in Brush Studio and adjust only Apple Pencil → Pressure → Size first. That one slider is usually the difference between the creator's hand and yours.
  5. If the brush is too big or small at the top of the size slider, change Properties → Maximum size and Minimum size.
  6. Open About this brush and tap Create new reset point once it feels right. Reset will now return to your version, not the creator's.
  7. Export the finished set with Share and save it to your backup folder (see Step 8).
Step 8

Back up your brushes

Procreate does not sync brushes between devices, and deleting the app deletes every brush you imported or built. Export your sets once they are the way you like them.

  1. Export each custom set

    In the Brush Library, tap a set's name and choose Share. Save the resulting .brushset to iCloud Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox or any folder in Files. Do this for every set you made or imported.

  2. Keep the originals too

    Make a Procreate Brushes folder in iCloud Drive and move every brush file you download into it. Re-importing later is one tap per file.

  3. Restore on a new iPad

    Install Procreate, open Files, and tap each .brushset in your backup folder. An iCloud or computer backup of the whole iPad also restores Procreate's data, but a folder of brush files is the version you can rely on.

When things go wrong

Troubleshooting

The brush file opens in a different app, or nothing opens at all

Touch and hold the file in Files, choose Share, and pick Procreate from the app row. If Procreate is not listed, scroll the row to the end and tap More. Also check that the file really ends in .brush or .brushset, not .zip.

The set imported but I cannot find it

Imported sets land at the very top of the left column in the Brush Library. Scroll up. Single brushes land in a set called Imported.

A brush looks wrong or does nothing

Some brushes are built for a newer Procreate version. Update Procreate from the App Store. If the brush still misbehaves, open it in Brush Studio and check that Shape and Grain sources loaded. A blank grain usually means a corrupted download: delete the brush and import it again from the original file.

Pressure is not working

Confirm the Pencil is paired and charged in Settings → Apple Pencil. The USB-C Apple Pencil has no pressure sensing by design. If the Pencil is a 2nd-gen or Pro model, open Prefs → Pressure & Smoothing and tap Reset on the curve.

My palm keeps drawing

Turn on Prefs → Gesture Controls → General → Disable Touch actions. Procreate will then ignore fingers for drawing but still allow two-finger undo and pinch to zoom.

I changed a default brush and want it back

Swipe left on it and tap Reset. To reset an entire default set, tap the set's name and choose Reset there. Your own brushes and sets are not affected.

Procreate crashes when I import a big set

Free up storage, close other apps and restart the iPad. Very large sets with high-resolution grains can take a moment. Try importing the set on its own rather than alongside a dozen others.

Bonus

Gesture cheat sheet

Do thisTo get
Two-finger tapUndo
Three-finger tapRedo
Two-finger touch and holdUndo rapidly
Three-finger swipe downCopy / Paste menu
Three-finger scrub back and forthClear the layer
Four-finger tapHide or show the interface
Pinch and rotateZoom and rotate the canvas
Quick pinch inFit canvas to screen
Hold at the end of a strokeSnap to a straight line or shape (QuickShape)
Drag color swatch onto canvasFill the area (ColorDrop)
Tap canvas with one finger (hold)Eyedropper
Swipe right on a layerSelect multiple layers