Open Procreate, go to the Brushes panel, tap the + button in the top right of the brush library, choose Import, and select your downloaded .brush, .brushset, or .brushlibrary file (Photoshop .abr files also work). You can also tap the file in the Files app or your browser's download list, or drag it into Procreate in Split View. The brushes appear in an Imported folder or as a new set at the top of your library.

What file types Procreate accepts

Before you import anything, check the file extension. Procreate reads these formats:

• .brush: a single brush.
• .brushset: a collection of brushes, usually one themed pack.
• .brushlibrary: a full library of sets.
• .abr: Adobe Photoshop brush files.

Many downloads arrive as a .zip that contains the real brush files. Procreate can't import a zip directly, so unzip it first.

Where the brushes land depends on what you import:

Step 1: Download the file to your iPad

If you download on the iPad itself, your browser saves the file to a downloads folder in the Files app. Some browsers, such as Brave, may use their own folder, so check there if you can't find it.

If the file comes from a cloud service like Dropbox, iCloud, or Google Drive, make sure it is actually stored on the iPad. A small cloud icon beside the file means it hasn't downloaded yet. Tap the icon, or press and hold the file and choose Download Now. Importing a file that is only a cloud placeholder can cause problems such as an endless spinner.

If the download is a zip, press and hold it in Files and choose Uncompress. You'll get a folder with the .brush or .brushset files inside, sometimes in a subfolder named after the pack.

Step 2: Choose an import method

Procreate offers several routes. They all end the same way, so pick whichever fits your setup.

Method A: Tap the file

This is the quickest option. In Files, Safari's downloads list, or an email attachment, tap the brush file. Procreate opens and installs it. In Chrome, you may need to tap Open in and then pick Procreate. This is the best method for a single pack.

Method B: Import from inside Procreate

1. Open Procreate and a canvas, then tap the Brush tool to open the library.
2. Tap the + at the top right of the brush library panel.
3. Choose Import, which opens the Files browser.
4. Navigate to your .brush, .brushset, or .brushlibrary file and tap it.

This method is more predictable when files are buried in nested folders, because you browse straight to them.

Method C: Drag and drop in Split View

Open Files (or Dropbox, or any compatible app) beside Procreate using Split View or Slide Over. Press and hold a brush file until it lifts, then drag it into the Procreate brush panel. A green plus sign tells you the drop will work.

To import several files at once, pick up one file, then tap additional files with another finger to add them to the stack before dragging.

For more control, open the brush set where you want the new brush to live, then drop the file onto that set. Hover for a moment so the existing brushes shift aside, then release.

Method D: AirDrop from a Mac

If you downloaded brushes on a Mac, AirDrop is faster than moving them through a cloud service:

1. On the iPad, open Control Center and make sure AirDrop is set to Contacts Only or Everyone. Switch it back from Everyone when you're in a public place.
2. On the Mac, select the brush files, right-click, and choose Share > AirDrop. Pick your iPad.
3. The iPad either opens Procreate and installs them, or asks where to open them. Choose Procreate.

Windows users have no AirDrop, so they can use a cloud service. Put the unzipped files in iCloud Drive, Dropbox, or Google Drive, then open them on the iPad and use Share > Procreate or Open In > Copy to Procreate.

Step 3: Find and organize your new brushes

Open the brush library and scroll to the top. A brush set will be listed first, and a lone brush will sit in the Imported folder. Some people find Imported at the bottom of the list instead, so scroll the whole library if you don't see it.

Rename the new set right away. Swipe or tap the set name and choose Rename. If you import several packs in a row without renaming, new single brushes pile into the same Imported folder and become hard to tell apart.

A few habits keep a large library manageable:

• Keep one set per source or project, such as "Grain textures" or "Ink line."
• Drag the sets you use daily to the top.
• Duplicate a brush before you change its settings, so the original stays intact.
• Export your favorites to back them up. Press and hold a brush to pick it up, then drag it to Files.

Troubleshooting imports that don't work

If you see a spinner, a blue "Imported" check mark with nothing visible, or no response at all, work through this list.

Check the extension. If it's .zip, .rar, or something unfamiliar, uncompress it or confirm the pack was made for Procreate.

Make sure the file is local. Cloud-only files can hang during drag and drop. Download them first, or use the app's Open In > Copy to Procreate route instead of Split View.

Simplify the filename. Names with long strings of underscores or odd characters have caused trouble for some users. Rename the file to something plain, such as "Silk Brush.brush," and try again.

Drop into a specific set. If Imported isn't showing the brush, open the set you want and drop the file directly onto it.

Update iPadOS and Procreate. Procreate is built for the latest official iOS release. Beta operating systems have caused brush import bugs, so don't expect reliable behavior there.

Restart. Close all apps from the multitasking view and reboot the iPad. It sounds basic, but it clears odd glitches.

Ask the creator. If one specific pack fails and others work, the creator may be able to help.

Using Procreate brushes in a motion pipeline

For many motion designers, Procreate is where hand-made texture comes from. You might paint grain overlays, ink lines, or painted backgrounds on the iPad and then bring them into After Effects, Premiere Pro, Cinema 4D, Blender, or Nuke. A few export habits help.

• Work at final resolution. Set the canvas size for the delivery frame, or larger if you plan to scale or push the image around in a comp.
• Export PNG or layered PSD. PNG preserves transparency for overlays. PSD keeps layers separate so you can animate elements independently in After Effects.
• Use Time-lapse sparingly. It's good for process clips, but it isn't a substitute for a controlled frame sequence.
• Name layers before export. Clear names save time when the file lands in a comp with dozens of items.

Quick reference

• Unzip first. Procreate wants .brush, .brushset, .brushlibrary, or .abr files.
• Fastest route: tap the file in Files or a browser download list.
• Most controlled route: Brush library + > Import.
• Mac to iPad: AirDrop. Windows to iPad: a cloud service.
• New brushes appear in Imported or as a new set at the top of the library.
• If an import stalls, check the extension, download the file locally, simplify the filename, drop it into a specific set, and restart.

Once the brushes are in, rename and sort them straight away. A clean library saves you from hunting through unnamed folders when you're mid-project and need a specific texture.

Open Procreate, go to the Brushes panel, tap the + button in the top right of the brush library, choose Import, and select your downloaded .brush, .brushset, or .brushlibrary file (Photoshop .abr files also work). You can also tap the file in the Files app or your browser's download list, or drag it into Procreate in Split View. The brushes appear in an Imported folder or as a new set at the top of your library.

What file types Procreate accepts

Before you import anything, check the file extension. Procreate reads these formats:

• .brush: a single brush.
• .brushset: a collection of brushes, usually one themed pack.
• .brushlibrary: a full library of sets.
• .abr: Adobe Photoshop brush files.

Many downloads arrive as a .zip that contains the real brush files. Procreate can't import a zip directly, so unzip it first.

Where the brushes land depends on what you import:

Step 1: Download the file to your iPad

If you download on the iPad itself, your browser saves the file to a downloads folder in the Files app. Some browsers, such as Brave, may use their own folder, so check there if you can't find it.

If the file comes from a cloud service like Dropbox, iCloud, or Google Drive, make sure it is actually stored on the iPad. A small cloud icon beside the file means it hasn't downloaded yet. Tap the icon, or press and hold the file and choose Download Now. Importing a file that is only a cloud placeholder can cause problems such as an endless spinner.

If the download is a zip, press and hold it in Files and choose Uncompress. You'll get a folder with the .brush or .brushset files inside, sometimes in a subfolder named after the pack.

Step 2: Choose an import method

Procreate offers several routes. They all end the same way, so pick whichever fits your setup.

Method A: Tap the file

This is the quickest option. In Files, Safari's downloads list, or an email attachment, tap the brush file. Procreate opens and installs it. In Chrome, you may need to tap Open in and then pick Procreate. This is the best method for a single pack.

Method B: Import from inside Procreate

1. Open Procreate and a canvas, then tap the Brush tool to open the library.
2. Tap the + at the top right of the brush library panel.
3. Choose Import, which opens the Files browser.
4. Navigate to your .brush, .brushset, or .brushlibrary file and tap it.

This method is more predictable when files are buried in nested folders, because you browse straight to them.

Method C: Drag and drop in Split View

Open Files (or Dropbox, or any compatible app) beside Procreate using Split View or Slide Over. Press and hold a brush file until it lifts, then drag it into the Procreate brush panel. A green plus sign tells you the drop will work.

To import several files at once, pick up one file, then tap additional files with another finger to add them to the stack before dragging.

For more control, open the brush set where you want the new brush to live, then drop the file onto that set. Hover for a moment so the existing brushes shift aside, then release.

Method D: AirDrop from a Mac

If you downloaded brushes on a Mac, AirDrop is faster than moving them through a cloud service:

1. On the iPad, open Control Center and make sure AirDrop is set to Contacts Only or Everyone. Switch it back from Everyone when you're in a public place.
2. On the Mac, select the brush files, right-click, and choose Share > AirDrop. Pick your iPad.
3. The iPad either opens Procreate and installs them, or asks where to open them. Choose Procreate.

Windows users have no AirDrop, so they can use a cloud service. Put the unzipped files in iCloud Drive, Dropbox, or Google Drive, then open them on the iPad and use Share > Procreate or Open In > Copy to Procreate.

Step 3: Find and organize your new brushes

Open the brush library and scroll to the top. A brush set will be listed first, and a lone brush will sit in the Imported folder. Some people find Imported at the bottom of the list instead, so scroll the whole library if you don't see it.

Rename the new set right away. Swipe or tap the set name and choose Rename. If you import several packs in a row without renaming, new single brushes pile into the same Imported folder and become hard to tell apart.

A few habits keep a large library manageable:

• Keep one set per source or project, such as "Grain textures" or "Ink line."
• Drag the sets you use daily to the top.
• Duplicate a brush before you change its settings, so the original stays intact.
• Export your favorites to back them up. Press and hold a brush to pick it up, then drag it to Files.

Troubleshooting imports that don't work

If you see a spinner, a blue "Imported" check mark with nothing visible, or no response at all, work through this list.

Check the extension. If it's .zip, .rar, or something unfamiliar, uncompress it or confirm the pack was made for Procreate.

Make sure the file is local. Cloud-only files can hang during drag and drop. Download them first, or use the app's Open In > Copy to Procreate route instead of Split View.

Simplify the filename. Names with long strings of underscores or odd characters have caused trouble for some users. Rename the file to something plain, such as "Silk Brush.brush," and try again.

Drop into a specific set. If Imported isn't showing the brush, open the set you want and drop the file directly onto it.

Update iPadOS and Procreate. Procreate is built for the latest official iOS release. Beta operating systems have caused brush import bugs, so don't expect reliable behavior there.

Restart. Close all apps from the multitasking view and reboot the iPad. It sounds basic, but it clears odd glitches.

Ask the creator. If one specific pack fails and others work, the creator may be able to help.

Using Procreate brushes in a motion pipeline

For many motion designers, Procreate is where hand-made texture comes from. You might paint grain overlays, ink lines, or painted backgrounds on the iPad and then bring them into After Effects, Premiere Pro, Cinema 4D, Blender, or Nuke. A few export habits help.

• Work at final resolution. Set the canvas size for the delivery frame, or larger if you plan to scale or push the image around in a comp.
• Export PNG or layered PSD. PNG preserves transparency for overlays. PSD keeps layers separate so you can animate elements independently in After Effects.
• Use Time-lapse sparingly. It's good for process clips, but it isn't a substitute for a controlled frame sequence.
• Name layers before export. Clear names save time when the file lands in a comp with dozens of items.

Quick reference

• Unzip first. Procreate wants .brush, .brushset, .brushlibrary, or .abr files.
• Fastest route: tap the file in Files or a browser download list.
• Most controlled route: Brush library + > Import.
• Mac to iPad: AirDrop. Windows to iPad: a cloud service.
• New brushes appear in Imported or as a new set at the top of the library.
• If an import stalls, check the extension, download the file locally, simplify the filename, drop it into a specific set, and restart.

Once the brushes are in, rename and sort them straight away. A clean library saves you from hunting through unnamed folders when you're mid-project and need a specific texture.