To add more fonts to Procreate, download a TTF, OTF, or TTC file to your iPad, unzip it if needed, and import it from the Add Text panel (Actions > Add > Add Text > Edit Style > Import Font). You can also drag the file into Procreate in Split View, share it to Procreate from the Files app, AirDrop it from a Mac, or drop it into the On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts folder. Imported fonts appear in the font list alongside Procreate's built-in fonts and the iOS system fonts.

Check the font file before you import

Most failed imports come from the file, not from Procreate. Check three things first.

Supported formats

Procreate imports TTF, OTF, and TTC files. Other formats, such as WOFF web fonts or fonts packaged inside an installer, need to be converted or re-downloaded in a supported format first.

If a family offers both OTF and TTF, either will import. OTF is the newer format and can carry typographic features like ligatures and alternate glyphs. Procreate has historically not exposed those features in its text tool, so a script font that depends on swashes may look plainer than it does in a desktop app. Check the current Procreate release notes if you rely on them.

Unzip downloads

Fonts usually arrive as a ZIP archive. Procreate can't import from a ZIP, so open the Files app and tap the archive once (or press and hold and choose Uncompress). A folder appears with the font files inside. Import those files, not the archive.

Save the font to the iPad first

Procreate can only import fonts it can reach through the Files app. Download the file to the iPad or to iCloud Drive before you start. If you downloaded it on a computer, move it over with AirDrop, iCloud Drive, or another sync method.

Licensing

Procreate's bundled fonts are open-source and cleared for personal and commercial use, but third-party fonts vary. Free-font sites often mark fonts as personal use only. If the artwork will end up in a client deliverable, a broadcast spot, or a title sequence, check that the license covers that use before you build on the font.

Method 1: Import from inside Procreate

This is the most reliable method and the best one to learn first.

1. Open a canvas and tap Actions (the wrench icon).
2. Tap the Add tab, then Add Text.
3. Double-tap the text box to bring up the keyboard and text controls.
4. Tap the font name, or the style button on the keyboard, to open the style panel.
5. Tap Import Font (labeled Import in some versions).
6. Browse the Files app, select the font file, and confirm.

Procreate briefly shows an importing screen and returns you to the text tools. The new font now appears in the list. You can import several files in one pass if you select them together.

Method 2: Share the font to Procreate from Files

If you'd rather work from the font file, open it in the Files app, tap the Share button, and choose Procreate from the share sheet. Nothing visible may happen, but the font imports in the background. Open Add Text on a canvas and look for the font in the list.

Some fonts also install if you tap the file and pick Procreate to open it. Treat that as a shortcut that works some of the time. If nothing shows up, fall back to Method 1.

Method 3: Drag and drop

Drag and drop is fast when you're importing a whole folder of fonts.

1. Open Procreate.
2. Slide the Files app in over it with Split View or Slide Over.
3. Navigate to the folder that holds your fonts.
4. Drag a font file (or several selected files) onto the Procreate canvas.

The fonts appear in the font list. This method is also useful for pulling fonts from other apps that support dragging files out.

Method 4: Place the file in Procreate's Fonts folder

Procreate keeps every font you import in a folder you can reach from the Files app.

1. Open the Files app and find your font file.
2. Press and hold the file.
3. With another finger, tap On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts to navigate there while still holding the file.
4. Drop the file into the Fonts folder.

This folder is also how you manage fonts later. To remove a font from Procreate, open On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts and delete the file.

Method 5: AirDrop from a Mac

If your font library lives on a Mac, AirDrop is the quickest route.

1. Turn on AirDrop on both the Mac and the iPad.
2. In Finder, locate the font file (unzipped).
3. Right-click it, choose Share > AirDrop, and pick your iPad.
4. When the iPad prompts you, choose to open the file with Procreate.

For a large batch, AirDrop the whole folder to the iPad's Files app, then use drag and drop or the in-app import for the rest.

Find and use your new fonts

Fonts are listed alphabetically in the Edit Text panel, and each name is displayed in its own typeface, so you can scroll to preview them. Tapping a name applies it to the selected text, which makes it easy to compare options on real copy rather than a specimen.

Remember that the list also includes Procreate's own bundled set and every iOS system font, so the library is bigger than your imports. The number of system fonts depends on your iPadOS version. If you can't find an imported font, search for the family name rather than the filename, since the two often differ.

Troubleshooting font imports

The font doesn't show up. Confirm you imported an actual .ttf, .otf, or .ttc file, not a ZIP or a preview image. Then quit Procreate completely, reopen it, and check the list again.

The import button does nothing. The file may be stored in a cloud folder that hasn't downloaded yet. Tap it in Files until the cloud icon disappears, then try again.

The font looks wrong. Some fonts ship with multiple weights or styles as separate files. Import each file you need. If the font relies on ligatures or alternates, it may look different than it did in your desktop preview.

Characters are missing. Not every font supports every language or symbol. If accents, numerals, or punctuation render as boxes or fall back to another typeface, the font doesn't include those glyphs. Try another family or a version with extended character support.

Too many fonts, slow list. Delete the ones you don't use from the Fonts folder in Files. A leaner list is faster to scroll and less likely to lead you to a face you aren't licensed for.

Where Procreate type fits in a motion pipeline

If you're a motion designer, Procreate is probably where you sketch lettering, boards, and style frames before building in After Effects, Cinema 4D, or Blender. A few habits keep that handoff clean:

• Install the same fonts on your desktop. Procreate lettering is a reference. For final animation, rebuild the type in After Effects or your 3D app with the licensed font so you get kerning, tracking, and text animators.
• Keep a font log. Note the exact family and weight used in each board so the comp matches the approved look.
• Keep editable text until the design is locked. Rasterizing too early makes revisions painful.
• Verify licensing for motion use. A font cleared for a printed poster may not be cleared for video or broadcast.

Quick reference

FAQ

What font formats does Procreate support?

TTF, OTF, and TTC. Unzip any archive first.

Where does Procreate store imported fonts?

In the Files app at On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts. Deleting a file there removes the font from Procreate.

Can I use any downloaded font commercially?

Not automatically. Procreate's bundled fonts are open-source and allowed for commercial work, but third-party fonts follow their own licenses. Check each one before client or broadcast use.

Do my Procreate fonts sync to my computer?

No. Procreate's font folder is local to the iPad. Install the fonts separately on your desktop so your After Effects or 3D comps match your boards.

To add more fonts to Procreate, download a TTF, OTF, or TTC file to your iPad, unzip it if needed, and import it from the Add Text panel (Actions > Add > Add Text > Edit Style > Import Font). You can also drag the file into Procreate in Split View, share it to Procreate from the Files app, AirDrop it from a Mac, or drop it into the On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts folder. Imported fonts appear in the font list alongside Procreate's built-in fonts and the iOS system fonts.

Check the font file before you import

Most failed imports come from the file, not from Procreate. Check three things first.

Supported formats

Procreate imports TTF, OTF, and TTC files. Other formats, such as WOFF web fonts or fonts packaged inside an installer, need to be converted or re-downloaded in a supported format first.

If a family offers both OTF and TTF, either will import. OTF is the newer format and can carry typographic features like ligatures and alternate glyphs. Procreate has historically not exposed those features in its text tool, so a script font that depends on swashes may look plainer than it does in a desktop app. Check the current Procreate release notes if you rely on them.

Unzip downloads

Fonts usually arrive as a ZIP archive. Procreate can't import from a ZIP, so open the Files app and tap the archive once (or press and hold and choose Uncompress). A folder appears with the font files inside. Import those files, not the archive.

Save the font to the iPad first

Procreate can only import fonts it can reach through the Files app. Download the file to the iPad or to iCloud Drive before you start. If you downloaded it on a computer, move it over with AirDrop, iCloud Drive, or another sync method.

Licensing

Procreate's bundled fonts are open-source and cleared for personal and commercial use, but third-party fonts vary. Free-font sites often mark fonts as personal use only. If the artwork will end up in a client deliverable, a broadcast spot, or a title sequence, check that the license covers that use before you build on the font.

Method 1: Import from inside Procreate

This is the most reliable method and the best one to learn first.

1. Open a canvas and tap Actions (the wrench icon).
2. Tap the Add tab, then Add Text.
3. Double-tap the text box to bring up the keyboard and text controls.
4. Tap the font name, or the style button on the keyboard, to open the style panel.
5. Tap Import Font (labeled Import in some versions).
6. Browse the Files app, select the font file, and confirm.

Procreate briefly shows an importing screen and returns you to the text tools. The new font now appears in the list. You can import several files in one pass if you select them together.

Method 2: Share the font to Procreate from Files

If you'd rather work from the font file, open it in the Files app, tap the Share button, and choose Procreate from the share sheet. Nothing visible may happen, but the font imports in the background. Open Add Text on a canvas and look for the font in the list.

Some fonts also install if you tap the file and pick Procreate to open it. Treat that as a shortcut that works some of the time. If nothing shows up, fall back to Method 1.

Method 3: Drag and drop

Drag and drop is fast when you're importing a whole folder of fonts.

1. Open Procreate.
2. Slide the Files app in over it with Split View or Slide Over.
3. Navigate to the folder that holds your fonts.
4. Drag a font file (or several selected files) onto the Procreate canvas.

The fonts appear in the font list. This method is also useful for pulling fonts from other apps that support dragging files out.

Method 4: Place the file in Procreate's Fonts folder

Procreate keeps every font you import in a folder you can reach from the Files app.

1. Open the Files app and find your font file.
2. Press and hold the file.
3. With another finger, tap On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts to navigate there while still holding the file.
4. Drop the file into the Fonts folder.

This folder is also how you manage fonts later. To remove a font from Procreate, open On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts and delete the file.

Method 5: AirDrop from a Mac

If your font library lives on a Mac, AirDrop is the quickest route.

1. Turn on AirDrop on both the Mac and the iPad.
2. In Finder, locate the font file (unzipped).
3. Right-click it, choose Share > AirDrop, and pick your iPad.
4. When the iPad prompts you, choose to open the file with Procreate.

For a large batch, AirDrop the whole folder to the iPad's Files app, then use drag and drop or the in-app import for the rest.

Find and use your new fonts

Fonts are listed alphabetically in the Edit Text panel, and each name is displayed in its own typeface, so you can scroll to preview them. Tapping a name applies it to the selected text, which makes it easy to compare options on real copy rather than a specimen.

Remember that the list also includes Procreate's own bundled set and every iOS system font, so the library is bigger than your imports. The number of system fonts depends on your iPadOS version. If you can't find an imported font, search for the family name rather than the filename, since the two often differ.

Troubleshooting font imports

The font doesn't show up. Confirm you imported an actual .ttf, .otf, or .ttc file, not a ZIP or a preview image. Then quit Procreate completely, reopen it, and check the list again.

The import button does nothing. The file may be stored in a cloud folder that hasn't downloaded yet. Tap it in Files until the cloud icon disappears, then try again.

The font looks wrong. Some fonts ship with multiple weights or styles as separate files. Import each file you need. If the font relies on ligatures or alternates, it may look different than it did in your desktop preview.

Characters are missing. Not every font supports every language or symbol. If accents, numerals, or punctuation render as boxes or fall back to another typeface, the font doesn't include those glyphs. Try another family or a version with extended character support.

Too many fonts, slow list. Delete the ones you don't use from the Fonts folder in Files. A leaner list is faster to scroll and less likely to lead you to a face you aren't licensed for.

Where Procreate type fits in a motion pipeline

If you're a motion designer, Procreate is probably where you sketch lettering, boards, and style frames before building in After Effects, Cinema 4D, or Blender. A few habits keep that handoff clean:

• Install the same fonts on your desktop. Procreate lettering is a reference. For final animation, rebuild the type in After Effects or your 3D app with the licensed font so you get kerning, tracking, and text animators.
• Keep a font log. Note the exact family and weight used in each board so the comp matches the approved look.
• Keep editable text until the design is locked. Rasterizing too early makes revisions painful.
• Verify licensing for motion use. A font cleared for a printed poster may not be cleared for video or broadcast.

Quick reference

FAQ

What font formats does Procreate support?

TTF, OTF, and TTC. Unzip any archive first.

Where does Procreate store imported fonts?

In the Files app at On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts. Deleting a file there removes the font from Procreate.

Can I use any downloaded font commercially?

Not automatically. Procreate's bundled fonts are open-source and allowed for commercial work, but third-party fonts follow their own licenses. Check each one before client or broadcast use.

Do my Procreate fonts sync to my computer?

No. Procreate's font folder is local to the iPad. Install the fonts separately on your desktop so your After Effects or 3D comps match your boards.