Procreate Keyboard Shortcuts
65+ Procreate shortcuts and iPad gestures for digital art, illustration, and painting. Essential reference for iPad artists.
Gestures
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Undo | |
| Redo | |
| Zoom canvas | |
| Rotate canvas | |
| Fit to screen | |
| Cut / Copy / Paste menu | |
| Toggle full screen | |
| Undo multiple steps | |
| Redo multiple steps | |
| Eyedropper / Color pick |
Drawing
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| QuickShape (perfect shape) | |
| Straight line (QuickLine) | |
| Create straight line | |
| Snap shape to 15° increments | |
| Vary opacity / size | |
| Shading / broad strokes | |
| Switch between current colors |
Keyboard
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Undo | |
| Redo | |
| Cut | |
| Copy | |
| Paste | |
| Select all | |
| Deselect | |
| Duplicate canvas | |
| New canvas | |
| Pan canvas | |
| Fit to screen | |
| Zoom in / out | |
| Eraser | |
| Brush tool | |
| Smudge tool | |
| Adjust Hue/Saturation/Brightness | |
| Gaussian Blur | |
| Transform selection | |
| New layer | |
| Merge down | |
| Flatten image | |
| Toggle interface visibility | |
| Toggle perspective guide |
Layers
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Layer options menu | |
| Toggle layer visibility | |
| Select multiple layers | |
| Merge layers | |
| Reorder layers | |
| Alpha Lock | |
| Lock / Duplicate / Delete | |
| Select layer contents |
Selection
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Freehand / Rectangle / Ellipse | |
| QuickShape selection | |
| Move selected content | |
| Cut / Copy / Paste selected |
Transform
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Transform mode | |
| Resize (freeform) | |
| Scale proportionally | |
| Rotate selection | |
| Snap to position |
Color
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Eyedropper | |
| Color drop (fill) | |
| Adjust threshold | |
| Previous color | |
| Drop color onto canvas |
Pro tips
QuickShape is Powerful
Draw a shape and hold at the end to perfect it. Works for circles, rectangles, triangles, lines, and arcs. Add a second finger to snap to perfect proportions.
Alpha Lock for Shading
Tap a layer thumbnail to enable Alpha Lock (checkerboard pattern). Now you can paint only on existing pixels - perfect for shading and texturing without going outside the lines.
Clipping Masks for Non-Destructive Work
Tap a layer and choose Clipping Mask. The layer only shows where the layer below has content. Stack multiple clipping masks for shadows, highlights, and textures.
Reference Layer Trick
Set a flat-color layer as Reference. When you ColorDrop on other layers, it uses the reference layer boundaries to fill - perfect for coloring lineart on separate layers.
Gesture Controls in Settings
Customize touch gestures in Actions → Prefs → Gesture Controls. Assign tools to Apple Pencil, finger, and touch+Pencil combinations for your ideal workflow.
Time-Lapse Recording
Procreate records a time-lapse of every canvas automatically. Export it via Actions → Video → Export Time-lapse Video. Great for social media content.
Frequently asked questions
What iPad models support Procreate?
Procreate requires an iPad with Apple Pencil support. This includes iPad Pro (all generations), iPad Air (3rd gen+), iPad (6th gen+), and iPad mini (5th gen+). Apple Pencil 2 is recommended for pressure/tilt sensitivity.
What's the maximum canvas size?
Canvas size depends on your iPad's RAM. iPad Pro (M-chip) supports up to 16384x4096px or larger. More layers are available at smaller sizes. Check Procreate's canvas info for your device's specific limits.
How do I export with transparency?
Go to Actions → Share → PNG. Procreate exports with transparency by default if the background layer is hidden. You can also export as PSD to preserve layers for editing in Photoshop.
Can I import Photoshop brushes?
Yes. Procreate supports .abr (Photoshop brush) files. Download or AirDrop the .abr file to your iPad and open it with Procreate. Brushes appear in a new brush set in your library.
How do I use Procreate with a monitor?
On iPads with Stage Manager, you can mirror or extend your display. With Sidecar, you can use Procreate on iPad as a drawing tablet for your Mac (though you'll use Mac apps, not Procreate itself).
What file formats does Procreate support?
Procreate exports: PNG, JPEG, PSD (with layers), TIFF, PDF, Procreate file, and animated GIF/MP4/HEVC for animations. It imports: PSD, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, and Procreate files.
Want to master Procreate?
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