To add a new font in Procreate, open a canvas, tap Actions > Add > Add Text, open the font style panel, tap Import Font, and pick a .ttf, .otf, or .ttc file from the Files app. Unzip any downloaded font archive first, since Procreate can't import a .zip. The font then appears in the Font list for every text layer. You can also drag it in from Files, AirDrop it from a Mac, or share it to Procreate from the iPadOS share sheet.

What Procreate Accepts

Procreate imports three font formats: TrueType (.ttf), OpenType (.otf), and TrueType Collection (.ttc). Anything else, such as a web font in .woff, needs to be converted or replaced before it will load.

Fonts also have to be physically available to the iPad. A font sitting on your desktop or in a cloud folder that hasn't been downloaded won't import. If you use iCloud Drive, make sure the file has finished downloading, not just synced as a placeholder.

If a family ships as both .otf and .ttf, the .otf is usually the better pick because it's the more modern format. Be aware, though, that Procreate's support for advanced OpenType features such as ligatures and contextual alternates has historically been limited, so don't count on them. Test your specific font before you build a layout around a swash or alternate glyph.

Before You Import: Get the File Ready

Most font downloads arrive as a compressed archive. Here's the quick prep:

1. Download the font to your iPad (Safari saves to the Downloads folder in Files) or move it there from your computer.
2. Open the Files app and find the .zip.
3. Tap the archive once, or press and hold and choose Uncompress. A folder with the same name appears.
4. Open the folder and look for the .ttf, .otf, or .ttc files. Ignore the license text files and preview images.

It helps to create a dedicated "Fonts" folder in Files on your iPad and move unzipped fonts there. When you're importing five families for a project, you'll be glad you aren't digging through Downloads.

Method 1: Import From Inside Procreate

This is the most direct route and the one to learn first.

1. Open an artwork.
2. Tap Actions (the wrench) > Add tab > Add Text.
3. Open the style panel. Tap the Aa button on the keyboard's top-right corner, or double-tap the text and tap the font name.
4. Tap Import Font.
5. Browse to the font in the Files picker and tap it.

Procreate shows a brief import screen and returns you to the text tools. The new font is added to the bottom of the Font list on the left. Tap its name to apply it to the selected text.

A Keyboard Quirk Worth Knowing

If you tap Add Text with Apple Pencil, Procreate opens a compact menu with a mini keyboard instead of the full one. Tap with your finger to get the full keyboard. The style panel and Import Font option are reachable either way, so this only affects how comfortable typing feels.

Method 2: Drag and Drop From Files

Drag and drop is faster when you're importing several fonts.

1. Open Procreate, then open the Files app in Split View.
2. Navigate to your fonts folder.
3. Drag the font file into Procreate.

The font lands in your Font list without you opening the text tool at all. This also works from other apps that let you drag font files out.

Method 3: Share Sheet

From the Files app, open the font file, tap the Share button, and choose Procreate. The import happens in the background, so it may look like nothing happened. Open the text tool and scroll the Font list to confirm. This is convenient when a font arrives in Mail or Messages and you want it in Procreate without navigating folders.

Method 4: Copy Into Procreate's Fonts Folder

Procreate stores every imported font in a folder you can reach through Files: On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts. You can:

• Press and hold a font in another Files location, then use another finger to navigate to that Fonts folder and drop it in.
• Bulk-install a whole batch by dragging several files at once.
• Remove a font by deleting its file from that folder.

This folder is where you remove fonts from Procreate, so it's also your cleanup tool when the Font list gets cluttered.

Method 5: AirDrop From a Mac

If your fonts already live on a Mac, AirDrop is the quickest path.

1. Turn on AirDrop on both the Mac and the iPad.
2. In Finder, select the font files (unzipped).
3. Right-click, choose Share > AirDrop, and send to your iPad.
4. Accept the transfer and choose Procreate as the destination if prompted.

The font is available in Procreate's Font list when the transfer finishes. If it lands in Downloads instead, import it with Method 1.

Fonts Already in Procreate

Before importing anything, check what's built in. Procreate ships with 26 default fonts under open-source licenses, which means personal and commercial use is permitted. It also exposes the iPadOS system fonts, which number nearly a hundred and vary with your iOS version. Scroll the Font list (it's alphabetical, and each name is rendered in its own typeface) to preview them quickly.

Troubleshooting Import Problems

• Import Font is grayed out or the file won't select. The file is probably still zipped or isn't a supported format. Uncompress it and look for .ttf, .otf, or .ttc.
• The font doesn't appear in the list. Scroll to the bottom, where new imports are added. If it's still missing, check On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts to see whether the file arrived.
• The font imported but looks wrong. Some families split weights into separate files (Regular, Bold, Italic). Import each weight you need. Procreate lists them as separate entries.
• The font is in iCloud but won't import. Tap the file in Files first so it downloads fully, then try again.
• Missing glyphs or ligatures. Procreate's OpenType feature support can be limited, so special characters may not behave as they do in desktop apps. Confirm the font supports the language and symbols you need, or set that portion of the layout in your compositing app instead.

Licensing: The Part Motion Pros Shouldn't Skip

Free font sites often mark fonts as personal use only. That distinction matters the moment a Procreate lettering piece becomes a title card, a brand animation, or a client deliverable. Check the license before you import, and keep the license file with the project. If you plan to reproduce the same type in After Effects, Premiere Pro, or Cinema 4D, make sure your license covers the same font being used across those applications and, if relevant, by other team members.

Using Procreate Type in a Motion Pipeline

Procreate is a strong tool for hand-lettered titles, illustrated type treatments, and style frames. A typical flow for a motion designer looks like this:

1. Import your brand or concept fonts using one of the methods above.
2. Set and customize type on its own text layers, then rasterize or paint over it for hand-finished effects.
3. Export the result as an image file.
4. Bring it into After Effects, Photoshop, or Nuke for animation and compositing.

If a client may need copy changes, keep a clean version of the layout and plan to rebuild live type in your compositing app with the same installed font.

Where Styleframe Fits After the Type Is Done

Once a lettering or style frame is finished in Procreate, the next question is usually how to move it. Styleframe is one option to explore for that step. Your type stays under your control in Procreate, and your finishing stays in your compositor.

Quick Recap

• Procreate imports .ttf, .otf, and .ttc files; unzip archives first.
• The simplest method is Actions > Add > Add Text > style panel > Import Font.
• Drag and drop, the share sheet, AirDrop, and the On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts folder are alternatives.
• Delete fonts by removing them from that Fonts folder.
• Check licensing, especially if the artwork will end up in client motion work.

Once your fonts are installed, you can focus on the work itself: lettering, style frames, and the handoff into your animation pipeline.

To add a new font in Procreate, open a canvas, tap Actions > Add > Add Text, open the font style panel, tap Import Font, and pick a .ttf, .otf, or .ttc file from the Files app. Unzip any downloaded font archive first, since Procreate can't import a .zip. The font then appears in the Font list for every text layer. You can also drag it in from Files, AirDrop it from a Mac, or share it to Procreate from the iPadOS share sheet.

What Procreate Accepts

Procreate imports three font formats: TrueType (.ttf), OpenType (.otf), and TrueType Collection (.ttc). Anything else, such as a web font in .woff, needs to be converted or replaced before it will load.

Fonts also have to be physically available to the iPad. A font sitting on your desktop or in a cloud folder that hasn't been downloaded won't import. If you use iCloud Drive, make sure the file has finished downloading, not just synced as a placeholder.

If a family ships as both .otf and .ttf, the .otf is usually the better pick because it's the more modern format. Be aware, though, that Procreate's support for advanced OpenType features such as ligatures and contextual alternates has historically been limited, so don't count on them. Test your specific font before you build a layout around a swash or alternate glyph.

Before You Import: Get the File Ready

Most font downloads arrive as a compressed archive. Here's the quick prep:

1. Download the font to your iPad (Safari saves to the Downloads folder in Files) or move it there from your computer.
2. Open the Files app and find the .zip.
3. Tap the archive once, or press and hold and choose Uncompress. A folder with the same name appears.
4. Open the folder and look for the .ttf, .otf, or .ttc files. Ignore the license text files and preview images.

It helps to create a dedicated "Fonts" folder in Files on your iPad and move unzipped fonts there. When you're importing five families for a project, you'll be glad you aren't digging through Downloads.

Method 1: Import From Inside Procreate

This is the most direct route and the one to learn first.

1. Open an artwork.
2. Tap Actions (the wrench) > Add tab > Add Text.
3. Open the style panel. Tap the Aa button on the keyboard's top-right corner, or double-tap the text and tap the font name.
4. Tap Import Font.
5. Browse to the font in the Files picker and tap it.

Procreate shows a brief import screen and returns you to the text tools. The new font is added to the bottom of the Font list on the left. Tap its name to apply it to the selected text.

A Keyboard Quirk Worth Knowing

If you tap Add Text with Apple Pencil, Procreate opens a compact menu with a mini keyboard instead of the full one. Tap with your finger to get the full keyboard. The style panel and Import Font option are reachable either way, so this only affects how comfortable typing feels.

Method 2: Drag and Drop From Files

Drag and drop is faster when you're importing several fonts.

1. Open Procreate, then open the Files app in Split View.
2. Navigate to your fonts folder.
3. Drag the font file into Procreate.

The font lands in your Font list without you opening the text tool at all. This also works from other apps that let you drag font files out.

Method 3: Share Sheet

From the Files app, open the font file, tap the Share button, and choose Procreate. The import happens in the background, so it may look like nothing happened. Open the text tool and scroll the Font list to confirm. This is convenient when a font arrives in Mail or Messages and you want it in Procreate without navigating folders.

Method 4: Copy Into Procreate's Fonts Folder

Procreate stores every imported font in a folder you can reach through Files: On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts. You can:

• Press and hold a font in another Files location, then use another finger to navigate to that Fonts folder and drop it in.
• Bulk-install a whole batch by dragging several files at once.
• Remove a font by deleting its file from that folder.

This folder is where you remove fonts from Procreate, so it's also your cleanup tool when the Font list gets cluttered.

Method 5: AirDrop From a Mac

If your fonts already live on a Mac, AirDrop is the quickest path.

1. Turn on AirDrop on both the Mac and the iPad.
2. In Finder, select the font files (unzipped).
3. Right-click, choose Share > AirDrop, and send to your iPad.
4. Accept the transfer and choose Procreate as the destination if prompted.

The font is available in Procreate's Font list when the transfer finishes. If it lands in Downloads instead, import it with Method 1.

Fonts Already in Procreate

Before importing anything, check what's built in. Procreate ships with 26 default fonts under open-source licenses, which means personal and commercial use is permitted. It also exposes the iPadOS system fonts, which number nearly a hundred and vary with your iOS version. Scroll the Font list (it's alphabetical, and each name is rendered in its own typeface) to preview them quickly.

Troubleshooting Import Problems

• Import Font is grayed out or the file won't select. The file is probably still zipped or isn't a supported format. Uncompress it and look for .ttf, .otf, or .ttc.
• The font doesn't appear in the list. Scroll to the bottom, where new imports are added. If it's still missing, check On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts to see whether the file arrived.
• The font imported but looks wrong. Some families split weights into separate files (Regular, Bold, Italic). Import each weight you need. Procreate lists them as separate entries.
• The font is in iCloud but won't import. Tap the file in Files first so it downloads fully, then try again.
• Missing glyphs or ligatures. Procreate's OpenType feature support can be limited, so special characters may not behave as they do in desktop apps. Confirm the font supports the language and symbols you need, or set that portion of the layout in your compositing app instead.

Licensing: The Part Motion Pros Shouldn't Skip

Free font sites often mark fonts as personal use only. That distinction matters the moment a Procreate lettering piece becomes a title card, a brand animation, or a client deliverable. Check the license before you import, and keep the license file with the project. If you plan to reproduce the same type in After Effects, Premiere Pro, or Cinema 4D, make sure your license covers the same font being used across those applications and, if relevant, by other team members.

Using Procreate Type in a Motion Pipeline

Procreate is a strong tool for hand-lettered titles, illustrated type treatments, and style frames. A typical flow for a motion designer looks like this:

1. Import your brand or concept fonts using one of the methods above.
2. Set and customize type on its own text layers, then rasterize or paint over it for hand-finished effects.
3. Export the result as an image file.
4. Bring it into After Effects, Photoshop, or Nuke for animation and compositing.

If a client may need copy changes, keep a clean version of the layout and plan to rebuild live type in your compositing app with the same installed font.

Where Styleframe Fits After the Type Is Done

Once a lettering or style frame is finished in Procreate, the next question is usually how to move it. Styleframe is one option to explore for that step. Your type stays under your control in Procreate, and your finishing stays in your compositor.

Quick Recap

• Procreate imports .ttf, .otf, and .ttc files; unzip archives first.
• The simplest method is Actions > Add > Add Text > style panel > Import Font.
• Drag and drop, the share sheet, AirDrop, and the On My iPad > Procreate > Fonts folder are alternatives.
• Delete fonts by removing them from that Fonts folder.
• Check licensing, especially if the artwork will end up in client motion work.

Once your fonts are installed, you can focus on the work itself: lettering, style frames, and the handoff into your animation pipeline.