To add a layer in Procreate, tap the Layers icon (two stacked squares) at the top right of the canvas, then tap the + button at the top right of the Layers panel. The new, empty layer appears directly above whichever layer is active. You can also create layers from existing content: insert a photo or file from the Actions menu, paste copied pixels, or drag a layer in from another canvas. Each of these puts the new element on its own layer.

Method 1: Add a blank layer with the Layers panel

This is the method most tutorials mean by "add a layer," and it takes two taps.

1. Open your artwork in the canvas.
2. Tap the Layers icon in the top-right toolbar.
3. Tap the + at the top right of the panel.

The new layer is placed above the currently selected layer, not at the top of the stack. Check which layer is highlighted before you tap + if stack order matters. The active layer shows in bright blue, and everything you paint, erase, or transform affects only that layer.

Give the layer a name right away: tap it, choose Rename, and type something meaningful. If you plan to hand this file to another artist or import it into a compositing package, names like "rim light," "smoke_fg," or "title_mask" save a lot of guesswork later.

The Background Color layer is not a normal layer

Every new canvas includes a Background Color layer, white by default. You can't paint on it. Tap it to open the color picker and change the fill, or untick its visibility checkbox to turn the background off and work on a transparent canvas. If you're exporting elements for compositing, turn the background off first.

Method 2: Add a layer from a photo or file

If your "canvas" content is a reference, plate, or placed graphic rather than something you painted, bring it in as its own layer:

1. Tap the Actions (wrench) icon.
2. Choose Add.
3. Pick Insert a file or Insert a photo.

Procreate places the image on a new layer. Use the Transform tool to scale and position it.

Private layers for reference material

Procreate also lets you insert a file or photo as a Private Layer. It behaves like any other layer, but it won't show up in Gallery previews or in exported Time-lapse videos and replays. This is useful for client reference frames, storyboard overlays, or anything you want visible while working but not exposed in a preview or replay. It saves you from deleting or hiding the layer before you share the process video.

Method 3: Create a layer from existing canvas content

Often you don't want a blank layer; you want a piece of what's already on the canvas to become its own layer. Procreate gives you several ways to do this.

Copy and paste

• Use the Selection tool to select the region you want.
• Use Copy & Paste to duplicate the selected pixels onto a new layer.
• Or choose Cut & Paste to lift the pixels off the original layer entirely.

The cut-and-paste route is the standard way to separate an element you painted on a single layer, such as a character's arm that needs to move independently when animated.

Duplicate a layer

Swipe left on any layer in the panel and tap Duplicate. You get an identical layer above the original. Duplicating is the safest way to experiment: hide the original, try a destructive edit on the copy, and fall back if it doesn't work.

Copy the whole canvas as a layer

If you need a flattened snapshot of everything visible, use the copy options in the Actions menu (the exact label, such as Copy All or Copy Canvas, depends on your Procreate version). Then paste it. This is handy for applying a filter or Gaussian blur to the full composite without merging your working layers.

Method 4: Drag a layer from another canvas

To move a layer between artworks:

1. Open the artwork that contains the layer, and have the destination canvas or the Gallery ready.
2. In the source file's Layers panel, press and hold a layer until it lifts.
3. Drag it into the other canvas.

The layer lands in the destination file as a new layer. You can also drop a layer onto the Gallery to create a brand-new canvas from it. This is useful for splitting a complex file into smaller assets.

Layers panel selection helps here. Swipe right on additional layers to add them as secondary selections, then drag the group together. In Procreate Pocket, secondary selections also expose Group and Delete at the top left of the panel.

Layer limits to know before you build a big stack

Procreate caps the number of layers according to your canvas size and your device's memory. Larger canvases allow fewer layers. If you're planning a 4K or print-resolution file with dozens of separate elements, check how many layers your canvas allows before you start building. Running out of layers mid-project usually means merging or restructuring, so plan your breakdown up front.

Practical ways to stay under the limit:

• Group related layers (select multiple, then tap Group) to keep the panel readable.
• Merge layers you're done with.
• Break very large scenes into separate canvases and assemble them in your compositor instead.

Useful layer settings once the layer exists

After you add a layer, a few settings change how it behaves:

• Blend mode: tap the N on the layer to switch from Normal to Multiply, Screen, Overlay, and others.
• Opacity: the same menu reveals the opacity slider. A two-finger tap on a layer is a quick shortcut.
• Alpha Lock: restricts painting to existing pixels, which is helpful for recoloring.
• Clipping Mask: clips a layer to the one beneath it, so shading stays inside a shape.
• Lock: swipe left and tap Lock to prevent accidental edits.

Getting your Procreate layers into a motion pipeline

If you're a motion designer or animator, the reason to care about clean layer separation is what happens next. A few export habits can make the handoff to After Effects, Premiere Pro, or Nuke smoother:

• Export as PSD if you need to keep layers intact. Blend modes may not carry over exactly, so check them in your compositing app.
• Export PNG with the background switched off when you only need a single element with transparency.
• Name and group layers before exporting. Clear names make the handoff easier.
• Keep resolution in mind. Painting at a size suited to your final comp avoids upscaling later.

Troubleshooting common problems

The + button adds a layer in the wrong place. New layers appear above the selected layer. Select the layer you want to sit beneath the new one, then tap +.

I'm painting on the wrong layer. Procreate only edits the highlighted (primary) layer. Check the blue highlight before every stroke, especially after swiping to select secondary layers.

I can't add more layers. You've hit the cap for your canvas size and device memory. Merge finished layers, duplicate the canvas at a smaller size, or split the piece across files.

Pasted content landed on the wrong layer. Pasted pixels become a new layer. Drag it up or down in the panel by pressing and holding, then releasing in its new position.

Photo inserted at the wrong scale. Use the Transform tool right after inserting to resize it.

Summary

Tap + in the Layers panel for a blank layer, use Actions > Add for photos and files, use Copy & Paste or Cut & Paste to split existing artwork, and drag and drop to move layers between canvases. Name your layers, watch the active-layer highlight, and plan around the layer cap on big canvases. If you're moving the result into motion work, export with a clean layer structure and a transparent background so the next stage of your pipeline starts with usable assets.

To add a layer in Procreate, tap the Layers icon (two stacked squares) at the top right of the canvas, then tap the + button at the top right of the Layers panel. The new, empty layer appears directly above whichever layer is active. You can also create layers from existing content: insert a photo or file from the Actions menu, paste copied pixels, or drag a layer in from another canvas. Each of these puts the new element on its own layer.

Method 1: Add a blank layer with the Layers panel

This is the method most tutorials mean by "add a layer," and it takes two taps.

1. Open your artwork in the canvas.
2. Tap the Layers icon in the top-right toolbar.
3. Tap the + at the top right of the panel.

The new layer is placed above the currently selected layer, not at the top of the stack. Check which layer is highlighted before you tap + if stack order matters. The active layer shows in bright blue, and everything you paint, erase, or transform affects only that layer.

Give the layer a name right away: tap it, choose Rename, and type something meaningful. If you plan to hand this file to another artist or import it into a compositing package, names like "rim light," "smoke_fg," or "title_mask" save a lot of guesswork later.

The Background Color layer is not a normal layer

Every new canvas includes a Background Color layer, white by default. You can't paint on it. Tap it to open the color picker and change the fill, or untick its visibility checkbox to turn the background off and work on a transparent canvas. If you're exporting elements for compositing, turn the background off first.

Method 2: Add a layer from a photo or file

If your "canvas" content is a reference, plate, or placed graphic rather than something you painted, bring it in as its own layer:

1. Tap the Actions (wrench) icon.
2. Choose Add.
3. Pick Insert a file or Insert a photo.

Procreate places the image on a new layer. Use the Transform tool to scale and position it.

Private layers for reference material

Procreate also lets you insert a file or photo as a Private Layer. It behaves like any other layer, but it won't show up in Gallery previews or in exported Time-lapse videos and replays. This is useful for client reference frames, storyboard overlays, or anything you want visible while working but not exposed in a preview or replay. It saves you from deleting or hiding the layer before you share the process video.

Method 3: Create a layer from existing canvas content

Often you don't want a blank layer; you want a piece of what's already on the canvas to become its own layer. Procreate gives you several ways to do this.

Copy and paste

• Use the Selection tool to select the region you want.
• Use Copy & Paste to duplicate the selected pixels onto a new layer.
• Or choose Cut & Paste to lift the pixels off the original layer entirely.

The cut-and-paste route is the standard way to separate an element you painted on a single layer, such as a character's arm that needs to move independently when animated.

Duplicate a layer

Swipe left on any layer in the panel and tap Duplicate. You get an identical layer above the original. Duplicating is the safest way to experiment: hide the original, try a destructive edit on the copy, and fall back if it doesn't work.

Copy the whole canvas as a layer

If you need a flattened snapshot of everything visible, use the copy options in the Actions menu (the exact label, such as Copy All or Copy Canvas, depends on your Procreate version). Then paste it. This is handy for applying a filter or Gaussian blur to the full composite without merging your working layers.

Method 4: Drag a layer from another canvas

To move a layer between artworks:

1. Open the artwork that contains the layer, and have the destination canvas or the Gallery ready.
2. In the source file's Layers panel, press and hold a layer until it lifts.
3. Drag it into the other canvas.

The layer lands in the destination file as a new layer. You can also drop a layer onto the Gallery to create a brand-new canvas from it. This is useful for splitting a complex file into smaller assets.

Layers panel selection helps here. Swipe right on additional layers to add them as secondary selections, then drag the group together. In Procreate Pocket, secondary selections also expose Group and Delete at the top left of the panel.

Layer limits to know before you build a big stack

Procreate caps the number of layers according to your canvas size and your device's memory. Larger canvases allow fewer layers. If you're planning a 4K or print-resolution file with dozens of separate elements, check how many layers your canvas allows before you start building. Running out of layers mid-project usually means merging or restructuring, so plan your breakdown up front.

Practical ways to stay under the limit:

• Group related layers (select multiple, then tap Group) to keep the panel readable.
• Merge layers you're done with.
• Break very large scenes into separate canvases and assemble them in your compositor instead.

Useful layer settings once the layer exists

After you add a layer, a few settings change how it behaves:

• Blend mode: tap the N on the layer to switch from Normal to Multiply, Screen, Overlay, and others.
• Opacity: the same menu reveals the opacity slider. A two-finger tap on a layer is a quick shortcut.
• Alpha Lock: restricts painting to existing pixels, which is helpful for recoloring.
• Clipping Mask: clips a layer to the one beneath it, so shading stays inside a shape.
• Lock: swipe left and tap Lock to prevent accidental edits.

Getting your Procreate layers into a motion pipeline

If you're a motion designer or animator, the reason to care about clean layer separation is what happens next. A few export habits can make the handoff to After Effects, Premiere Pro, or Nuke smoother:

• Export as PSD if you need to keep layers intact. Blend modes may not carry over exactly, so check them in your compositing app.
• Export PNG with the background switched off when you only need a single element with transparency.
• Name and group layers before exporting. Clear names make the handoff easier.
• Keep resolution in mind. Painting at a size suited to your final comp avoids upscaling later.

Troubleshooting common problems

The + button adds a layer in the wrong place. New layers appear above the selected layer. Select the layer you want to sit beneath the new one, then tap +.

I'm painting on the wrong layer. Procreate only edits the highlighted (primary) layer. Check the blue highlight before every stroke, especially after swiping to select secondary layers.

I can't add more layers. You've hit the cap for your canvas size and device memory. Merge finished layers, duplicate the canvas at a smaller size, or split the piece across files.

Pasted content landed on the wrong layer. Pasted pixels become a new layer. Drag it up or down in the panel by pressing and holding, then releasing in its new position.

Photo inserted at the wrong scale. Use the Transform tool right after inserting to resize it.

Summary

Tap + in the Layers panel for a blank layer, use Actions > Add for photos and files, use Copy & Paste or Cut & Paste to split existing artwork, and drag and drop to move layers between canvases. Name your layers, watch the active-layer highlight, and plan around the layer cap on big canvases. If you're moving the result into motion work, export with a clean layer structure and a transparent background so the next stage of your pipeline starts with usable assets.