To add a brush pack to Procreate, unzip the download in the Files app, then tap the .brushset file or choose Import from Files in the brush library. Procreate imports .brush, .brushset, .brushlibrary, and Photoshop .abr files. The new brushes appear at the top of your current brush library, or in a folder called Imported if you added a single brush. Drag and drop, AirDrop, and cloud storage all work as well.

What Procreate Can Import

Procreate accepts four brush file types:

• .brush: a single brush.
• .brushset: a group of brushes. Many commercial and free "brush packs" ship this way.
• .brushlibrary: a full library containing multiple sets.
• .abr: Adobe Photoshop brush files.

Where the imported content lands depends on the type:

Knowing this saves time when you're hunting for a pack you just installed.

Before You Import: Download and Unzip the Pack

Most packs arrive as a .zip file, which you need to unzip before importing. Do this first:

1. Download the pack on your iPad. If the link goes through a browser, check your browser's download folder in the Files app.
2. If the file shows a cloud icon, it hasn't been saved to the device yet. Tap the icon, or press and hold and choose Download Now.
3. Press and hold the zip file and choose Uncompress.
4. Open the resulting folder and look for the .brushset, .brush, or .brushlibrary file. Packs often include extras such as PDFs, license notes, or sample files, so don't be thrown if the folder has other content.

If you bought the pack on a desktop, you can download it there and move it across using one of the transfer methods below.

Method 1: Import from Files Inside Procreate

This is the most predictable method, and it works from inside the app.

1. Open Procreate and the canvas you want to work on.
2. Tap the Paint, Smudge, or Erase tool twice to open the brush library.
3. Tap the + button at the top right of the brush library.
4. Choose Import from Files.
5. Navigate to your .brush, .brushset, or .brushlibrary file and tap it.

Procreate imports the file and places it at the top of the library. If you imported a single brush, look for the Imported folder.

Method 2: Tap the File Directly

Procreate registers itself as the handler for brush files, so you don't have to open the app first. Tap a .brush, .brushset, .brushlibrary, or .abr file in Files, in an email, or on a website, and you'll be prompted to import it into Procreate. This is a quick option once you've unzipped the pack, and it works the same way for files in emails or on websites.

Method 3: Drag and Drop

Drag and drop is useful when you're working in Split View:

1. Open Procreate and the Files app (or a cloud storage app) side by side.
2. Press and hold a brush file to pick it up.
3. Drag it into Procreate. When Procreate can accept the file, a green plus sign appears.
4. Release to import.

You can import several files at once. Pick up one, then tap others with your free hand to add them to the stack before dragging.

This works in reverse too. To export brushes, press and hold a brush in your library, then drag it into a compatible app. That's handy for backing up a custom brush or sending it to a collaborator.

Method 4: AirDrop from a Mac

If you downloaded the pack on a Mac, AirDrop is faster than routing it through cloud storage:

1. On the iPad, open Control Center and enable AirDrop. Set it to Contacts Only or Everyone. If you choose Everyone, switch it back afterward, particularly in public spaces.
2. On the Mac, select the brush files (unzipped), right-click, and choose Share → AirDrop.
3. Pick your iPad.
4. Procreate either opens and installs automatically or asks where to put the files.

AirDrop is Apple-only. Windows users should use cloud storage.

Method 5: Cloud Storage from a Mac or PC

For Windows machines, or anything that can't AirDrop:

1. Download and unzip the pack on your computer, or unzip it later on the iPad.
2. Upload it to iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar.
3. Install that service's app on your iPad, or use the Files app if the service is connected there.
4. Open the file on the iPad and tap it, or use Share → Procreate.

If the file appears with a cloud icon, download it to the iPad first.

Importing Photoshop Brushes (.abr)

Procreate can read .abr files, which is useful if you already have a collection of Photoshop brushes from your compositing or matte painting work. Import them the same way as native files. Keep in mind that Photoshop and Procreate handle brush engines differently, so dynamics, texture behavior, and pressure response may not match what you're used to. Test an imported .abr brush on a scratch canvas before relying on it for a project.

Organizing Brushes After Import

Imported brushes pile up quickly. A few habits help:

• Rename the Imported folder right away if it's holding a new pack, before the next import drops more brushes in.
• Create your own sets with the Create new set option in the brush library menu, then drag the brushes you use most into them.
• Use the Files app for bulk management. Brush libraries live in the Files app under On My iPad → Procreate → Brushes, or iCloud Drive → Procreate Brushes. Folders inside are your libraries, folders within those are your sets, and files within those are individual brushes. Changes you make there are reflected in Procreate.
• Back up before restructuring. Moving or deleting files in Files directly affects your brush library, so duplicate the folder first if you're doing anything bold.

You can also tap a brush twice to open Brush Studio and adjust shape, grain, taper, and behavior. Procreate remembers brush settings as you switch between brushes, so tweaks aren't lost.

Troubleshooting Failed Imports

If a brush pack doesn't show up:

• The file is still zipped. Uncompress it first.
• The file isn't downloaded locally. A cloud icon means it's still remote.
• You're looking in the wrong place. Check the top of the current library and the Imported folder, or the libraries overview if it was a .brushlibrary.
• The file type is wrong. Some packs bundle stamps or textures as PNGs or other formats that aren't brushes.
• The pack is for another app. Brushes built for other tools won't import unless they're .abr or native Procreate formats.

If importing still fails, try a different route, such as Import from Files, drag and drop, or tapping the file directly.

Where Procreate Fits in a Motion Pipeline

For motion designers, animators, and VFX artists, Procreate is usually a sketching and drawing stage, not a finishing tool. Typical uses include storyboards and animatics, hand-drawn textures, cel-style frame work, matte elements, and style frames to pitch a look. Brush packs matter here because brush character, whether gritty ink, dry media, or soft gouache, shapes how the frames feel when they reach After Effects, Nuke, or Blender.

Practical tips for carrying work out of Procreate:

• Export layered files or PNG sequences so you can rebuild or re-time the artwork in your compositor.
• Work at a resolution that survives scaling. Large canvases give you room to reframe in After Effects without softening strokes.
• Check licensing. Some commercial brush packs restrict use in client work or redistribution. Read the license before a brush becomes part of a delivered look.
• Keep a naming convention for brush sets tied to projects, so artists who share files know which pack produced a texture.

Quick Recap

1. Download the pack to your iPad and unzip it.
2. In a canvas, open the brush library and tap + → Import from Files, or tap the file directly.
3. Find the brushes at the top of your library or in the Imported folder.
4. Rename and organize them before importing more.
5. Use AirDrop or cloud storage if the pack lives on a Mac or PC.

Once the process is familiar, adding a pack is quick, and you can spend your time on the drawing and the motion it feeds.

To add a brush pack to Procreate, unzip the download in the Files app, then tap the .brushset file or choose Import from Files in the brush library. Procreate imports .brush, .brushset, .brushlibrary, and Photoshop .abr files. The new brushes appear at the top of your current brush library, or in a folder called Imported if you added a single brush. Drag and drop, AirDrop, and cloud storage all work as well.

What Procreate Can Import

Procreate accepts four brush file types:

• .brush: a single brush.
• .brushset: a group of brushes. Many commercial and free "brush packs" ship this way.
• .brushlibrary: a full library containing multiple sets.
• .abr: Adobe Photoshop brush files.

Where the imported content lands depends on the type:

Knowing this saves time when you're hunting for a pack you just installed.

Before You Import: Download and Unzip the Pack

Most packs arrive as a .zip file, which you need to unzip before importing. Do this first:

1. Download the pack on your iPad. If the link goes through a browser, check your browser's download folder in the Files app.
2. If the file shows a cloud icon, it hasn't been saved to the device yet. Tap the icon, or press and hold and choose Download Now.
3. Press and hold the zip file and choose Uncompress.
4. Open the resulting folder and look for the .brushset, .brush, or .brushlibrary file. Packs often include extras such as PDFs, license notes, or sample files, so don't be thrown if the folder has other content.

If you bought the pack on a desktop, you can download it there and move it across using one of the transfer methods below.

Method 1: Import from Files Inside Procreate

This is the most predictable method, and it works from inside the app.

1. Open Procreate and the canvas you want to work on.
2. Tap the Paint, Smudge, or Erase tool twice to open the brush library.
3. Tap the + button at the top right of the brush library.
4. Choose Import from Files.
5. Navigate to your .brush, .brushset, or .brushlibrary file and tap it.

Procreate imports the file and places it at the top of the library. If you imported a single brush, look for the Imported folder.

Method 2: Tap the File Directly

Procreate registers itself as the handler for brush files, so you don't have to open the app first. Tap a .brush, .brushset, .brushlibrary, or .abr file in Files, in an email, or on a website, and you'll be prompted to import it into Procreate. This is a quick option once you've unzipped the pack, and it works the same way for files in emails or on websites.

Method 3: Drag and Drop

Drag and drop is useful when you're working in Split View:

1. Open Procreate and the Files app (or a cloud storage app) side by side.
2. Press and hold a brush file to pick it up.
3. Drag it into Procreate. When Procreate can accept the file, a green plus sign appears.
4. Release to import.

You can import several files at once. Pick up one, then tap others with your free hand to add them to the stack before dragging.

This works in reverse too. To export brushes, press and hold a brush in your library, then drag it into a compatible app. That's handy for backing up a custom brush or sending it to a collaborator.

Method 4: AirDrop from a Mac

If you downloaded the pack on a Mac, AirDrop is faster than routing it through cloud storage:

1. On the iPad, open Control Center and enable AirDrop. Set it to Contacts Only or Everyone. If you choose Everyone, switch it back afterward, particularly in public spaces.
2. On the Mac, select the brush files (unzipped), right-click, and choose Share → AirDrop.
3. Pick your iPad.
4. Procreate either opens and installs automatically or asks where to put the files.

AirDrop is Apple-only. Windows users should use cloud storage.

Method 5: Cloud Storage from a Mac or PC

For Windows machines, or anything that can't AirDrop:

1. Download and unzip the pack on your computer, or unzip it later on the iPad.
2. Upload it to iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar.
3. Install that service's app on your iPad, or use the Files app if the service is connected there.
4. Open the file on the iPad and tap it, or use Share → Procreate.

If the file appears with a cloud icon, download it to the iPad first.

Importing Photoshop Brushes (.abr)

Procreate can read .abr files, which is useful if you already have a collection of Photoshop brushes from your compositing or matte painting work. Import them the same way as native files. Keep in mind that Photoshop and Procreate handle brush engines differently, so dynamics, texture behavior, and pressure response may not match what you're used to. Test an imported .abr brush on a scratch canvas before relying on it for a project.

Organizing Brushes After Import

Imported brushes pile up quickly. A few habits help:

• Rename the Imported folder right away if it's holding a new pack, before the next import drops more brushes in.
• Create your own sets with the Create new set option in the brush library menu, then drag the brushes you use most into them.
• Use the Files app for bulk management. Brush libraries live in the Files app under On My iPad → Procreate → Brushes, or iCloud Drive → Procreate Brushes. Folders inside are your libraries, folders within those are your sets, and files within those are individual brushes. Changes you make there are reflected in Procreate.
• Back up before restructuring. Moving or deleting files in Files directly affects your brush library, so duplicate the folder first if you're doing anything bold.

You can also tap a brush twice to open Brush Studio and adjust shape, grain, taper, and behavior. Procreate remembers brush settings as you switch between brushes, so tweaks aren't lost.

Troubleshooting Failed Imports

If a brush pack doesn't show up:

• The file is still zipped. Uncompress it first.
• The file isn't downloaded locally. A cloud icon means it's still remote.
• You're looking in the wrong place. Check the top of the current library and the Imported folder, or the libraries overview if it was a .brushlibrary.
• The file type is wrong. Some packs bundle stamps or textures as PNGs or other formats that aren't brushes.
• The pack is for another app. Brushes built for other tools won't import unless they're .abr or native Procreate formats.

If importing still fails, try a different route, such as Import from Files, drag and drop, or tapping the file directly.

Where Procreate Fits in a Motion Pipeline

For motion designers, animators, and VFX artists, Procreate is usually a sketching and drawing stage, not a finishing tool. Typical uses include storyboards and animatics, hand-drawn textures, cel-style frame work, matte elements, and style frames to pitch a look. Brush packs matter here because brush character, whether gritty ink, dry media, or soft gouache, shapes how the frames feel when they reach After Effects, Nuke, or Blender.

Practical tips for carrying work out of Procreate:

• Export layered files or PNG sequences so you can rebuild or re-time the artwork in your compositor.
• Work at a resolution that survives scaling. Large canvases give you room to reframe in After Effects without softening strokes.
• Check licensing. Some commercial brush packs restrict use in client work or redistribution. Read the license before a brush becomes part of a delivered look.
• Keep a naming convention for brush sets tied to projects, so artists who share files know which pack produced a texture.

Quick Recap

1. Download the pack to your iPad and unzip it.
2. In a canvas, open the brush library and tap + → Import from Files, or tap the file directly.
3. Find the brushes at the top of your library or in the Imported folder.
4. Rename and organize them before importing more.
5. Use AirDrop or cloud storage if the pack lives on a Mac or PC.

Once the process is familiar, adding a pack is quick, and you can spend your time on the drawing and the motion it feeds.