Procreate has no built-in iCloud sync, so you back it up in two ways. First, include Procreate in your iPad's iCloud Backup (Settings → your name → iCloud → Manage Account Storage → Backups → This iPad, then toggle Procreate on and tap Back Up Now). Second, export your artwork as .procreate files from the Gallery with Share → Procreate → Save to Files → iCloud Drive. The device backup protects you against a dead or wiped iPad, while the manual export gives you individual files you can restore without rolling back the whole device. Use both.

Why Procreate Needs a Deliberate Backup Routine

Procreate stores your gallery inside the app on the iPad's internal storage. If you delete the app, wipe the device, or lose access to the iPad, that data can be gone for good unless it exists somewhere else.

This trips up many artists because iPadOS shows settings that sound like they should cover it. In Settings, "Store Documents & Data On: iCloud Drive" and the Procreate toggle under "Apps Using iCloud" both look like sync controls. Procreate doesn't use them to upload your gallery, and users have lost work by assuming otherwise. Your artwork lives in the app until you either back up the whole device or export files yourself.

If you come from After Effects, think of it as a project with no autosave to a server. The files exist in one place, and protecting them is your job.

Method 1: Include Procreate in Your iPad's iCloud Backup

This is the closest thing to automatic. It captures the whole device, Procreate gallery included, on iCloud's schedule.

1. Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
2. Tap iCloud.
3. Tap Manage Account Storage, then Backups, then This iPad.
4. Under the data choices, make sure Procreate is toggled on.
5. Go back to iCloud Backup, make sure it's enabled, and tap Back Up Now to run one immediately.

You can also reach the app list via iCloud → Saving to iCloud → See All Apps, and check that Procreate is switched on there.

What this method does and doesn't give you

• It covers everything. Apps and app data go into one backup, including your Procreate gallery.
• It's all-or-nothing. You can't open the backup and pull out one canvas, brush set, or palette. Restoring means restoring the device.
• You won't see Procreate files in iCloud Drive. The data sits inside the device backup, which is why people often can't find their art when they browse iCloud online.
• Restores can be slow. On a new iPad, Procreate may appear stuck partway through installing while data downloads in the background. Some users report it taking up to three days. Leave the device on Wi-Fi and power and give it time before assuming it failed.
• Apple's guidance can work against you. If a device has a problem, Apple sometimes recommends setting it up as new rather than restoring from backup. If you never exported your files, that's where the loss happens.

Treat the device backup as a safety net, not your only copy.

Method 2: Manually Export .procreate Files to iCloud Drive

This is the method that gives you actual files in iCloud Drive that you can open, move, and restore one at a time.

Set up a destination folder

1. Open the Files app.
2. Under iCloud Drive, create a folder such as "Procreate Backup".
3. Rename any "Untitled" canvases in the Gallery before you export. Descriptive names save a lot of confusion later.

Export from the Gallery

1. In the Procreate Gallery, tap Select at the top.
2. Tap the canvases and Stacks you want. A checkmark shows what's selected.
3. Tap Share.
4. Choose the Procreate format. It keeps layers, settings, and your Time-lapse Replay.
5. Wait for the export progress to finish.
6. In the share sheet, tap Save to Files and choose your iCloud Drive folder. If iCloud Drive isn't listed, tap the ellipsis and use Edit Locations to enable it.

To export a single piece, swipe left on it in the Gallery and tap Share.

Drag and drop alternative

If you prefer drag and drop, set your preferences first under Settings → Apps → Procreate. Preferred File Format controls what lands in the Files app when you drag from the Gallery. Preferred Image Format controls what goes into Photos.

Then select your artworks, hold one to pick up the group, swipe up from the bottom of the screen with another finger to open Files in Split View, and drop them in your iCloud Drive folder. Another approach is to put Procreate and Files side by side first and drag across.

Watch out for the "On My iPad" folder

Procreate creates a folder in Files under On My iPad. It's useful for fonts and ICC profiles, but it isn't a backup. If the app is deleted, that folder goes with it, and some users have lost work by trusting it. Always save to iCloud Drive or another location outside the device.

Don't Forget Brushes and Palettes

Gallery exports don't include your custom brushes and color palettes. If you've built a brush library or client-specific swatches, share them separately from their own panels and save them into the same iCloud Drive folder. Keeping subfolders like "Artwork", "Brushes", and "Palettes" makes a restore much less painful.

Verify the Backup and Keep a Second Copy

A backup you haven't checked is a guess. A few habits help:

• Check that the files arrived. Open the folder in Files and confirm the .procreate files are there and have sensible sizes. Large canvases with many layers can be big, so make sure you have the iCloud space. Free accounts start at 5 GB.
• Test a restore. Open an exported file back in Procreate occasionally to confirm it loads with layers intact. One commenter in the research thread reported corrupt files when exporting many items at once, so exporting in smaller batches is a sensible precaution, especially with Stacks.
• Mind your timing. Back up before updating Procreate or iPadOS, and before any reinstall or reset.
• Keep a second location. Saving in more than one place is stronger than relying on one provider. A computer, an external drive, or another cloud service all work. Duplicating files inside the same device doesn't count as a backup.
• Save a flattened version too. PNG, JPEG, or PDF exports stay readable even if you're ever without Procreate.

A Simple Routine That Works

Restoring Your Procreate Work

From a device backup: Set up the new or erased iPad, choose Restore from iCloud Backup, and select the most recent backup. Procreate and your gallery come back as part of it. Be patient with the app install.

From manual exports: Open the Files app, tap a .procreate file in iCloud Drive, and choose to open it in Procreate. Exported files can be reimported to Procreate later when needed.

Getting Procreate Art into a Motion Pipeline

If you move Procreate work into a motion pipeline such as After Effects or Nuke, a tidy iCloud Drive folder helps here too. Alongside your .procreate backups, export PNG layer art or flattened frames to a "Delivery" subfolder so your desktop tools can grab them without opening the iPad.

The backup connection is simple: your original layered .procreate file stays safe in iCloud Drive, while the flattened frames you feed into any downstream tool are disposable copies. If a generation goes sideways, the source art is untouched.

Common Questions

Does Procreate sync to iCloud automatically? No. Procreate doesn't offer iCloud sync of its gallery. Backup happens either through a full device backup or your own exports.

Can I see my Procreate files in iCloud.com? Not from a device backup. Only files you've exported into iCloud Drive appear there.

Can I restore just one artwork from an iCloud device backup? No. You'd need to restore the whole device, which is why individual exports matter.

Is the iCloud Drive document setting in iPadOS a backup? No. The "Store Documents & Data On" setting doesn't back up the Procreate gallery.

Bottom Line

To back up Procreate to iCloud, do two things: toggle Procreate on in your iPad's iCloud Backup, and export your .procreate files, brushes, and palettes to a folder in iCloud Drive. The first protects against device failure, the second against lost or corrupted individual files. Add a second storage location, test a restore now and then, and your work won't depend on a single iPad.

Procreate has no built-in iCloud sync, so you back it up in two ways. First, include Procreate in your iPad's iCloud Backup (Settings → your name → iCloud → Manage Account Storage → Backups → This iPad, then toggle Procreate on and tap Back Up Now). Second, export your artwork as .procreate files from the Gallery with Share → Procreate → Save to Files → iCloud Drive. The device backup protects you against a dead or wiped iPad, while the manual export gives you individual files you can restore without rolling back the whole device. Use both.

Why Procreate Needs a Deliberate Backup Routine

Procreate stores your gallery inside the app on the iPad's internal storage. If you delete the app, wipe the device, or lose access to the iPad, that data can be gone for good unless it exists somewhere else.

This trips up many artists because iPadOS shows settings that sound like they should cover it. In Settings, "Store Documents & Data On: iCloud Drive" and the Procreate toggle under "Apps Using iCloud" both look like sync controls. Procreate doesn't use them to upload your gallery, and users have lost work by assuming otherwise. Your artwork lives in the app until you either back up the whole device or export files yourself.

If you come from After Effects, think of it as a project with no autosave to a server. The files exist in one place, and protecting them is your job.

Method 1: Include Procreate in Your iPad's iCloud Backup

This is the closest thing to automatic. It captures the whole device, Procreate gallery included, on iCloud's schedule.

1. Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
2. Tap iCloud.
3. Tap Manage Account Storage, then Backups, then This iPad.
4. Under the data choices, make sure Procreate is toggled on.
5. Go back to iCloud Backup, make sure it's enabled, and tap Back Up Now to run one immediately.

You can also reach the app list via iCloud → Saving to iCloud → See All Apps, and check that Procreate is switched on there.

What this method does and doesn't give you

• It covers everything. Apps and app data go into one backup, including your Procreate gallery.
• It's all-or-nothing. You can't open the backup and pull out one canvas, brush set, or palette. Restoring means restoring the device.
• You won't see Procreate files in iCloud Drive. The data sits inside the device backup, which is why people often can't find their art when they browse iCloud online.
• Restores can be slow. On a new iPad, Procreate may appear stuck partway through installing while data downloads in the background. Some users report it taking up to three days. Leave the device on Wi-Fi and power and give it time before assuming it failed.
• Apple's guidance can work against you. If a device has a problem, Apple sometimes recommends setting it up as new rather than restoring from backup. If you never exported your files, that's where the loss happens.

Treat the device backup as a safety net, not your only copy.

Method 2: Manually Export .procreate Files to iCloud Drive

This is the method that gives you actual files in iCloud Drive that you can open, move, and restore one at a time.

Set up a destination folder

1. Open the Files app.
2. Under iCloud Drive, create a folder such as "Procreate Backup".
3. Rename any "Untitled" canvases in the Gallery before you export. Descriptive names save a lot of confusion later.

Export from the Gallery

1. In the Procreate Gallery, tap Select at the top.
2. Tap the canvases and Stacks you want. A checkmark shows what's selected.
3. Tap Share.
4. Choose the Procreate format. It keeps layers, settings, and your Time-lapse Replay.
5. Wait for the export progress to finish.
6. In the share sheet, tap Save to Files and choose your iCloud Drive folder. If iCloud Drive isn't listed, tap the ellipsis and use Edit Locations to enable it.

To export a single piece, swipe left on it in the Gallery and tap Share.

Drag and drop alternative

If you prefer drag and drop, set your preferences first under Settings → Apps → Procreate. Preferred File Format controls what lands in the Files app when you drag from the Gallery. Preferred Image Format controls what goes into Photos.

Then select your artworks, hold one to pick up the group, swipe up from the bottom of the screen with another finger to open Files in Split View, and drop them in your iCloud Drive folder. Another approach is to put Procreate and Files side by side first and drag across.

Watch out for the "On My iPad" folder

Procreate creates a folder in Files under On My iPad. It's useful for fonts and ICC profiles, but it isn't a backup. If the app is deleted, that folder goes with it, and some users have lost work by trusting it. Always save to iCloud Drive or another location outside the device.

Don't Forget Brushes and Palettes

Gallery exports don't include your custom brushes and color palettes. If you've built a brush library or client-specific swatches, share them separately from their own panels and save them into the same iCloud Drive folder. Keeping subfolders like "Artwork", "Brushes", and "Palettes" makes a restore much less painful.

Verify the Backup and Keep a Second Copy

A backup you haven't checked is a guess. A few habits help:

• Check that the files arrived. Open the folder in Files and confirm the .procreate files are there and have sensible sizes. Large canvases with many layers can be big, so make sure you have the iCloud space. Free accounts start at 5 GB.
• Test a restore. Open an exported file back in Procreate occasionally to confirm it loads with layers intact. One commenter in the research thread reported corrupt files when exporting many items at once, so exporting in smaller batches is a sensible precaution, especially with Stacks.
• Mind your timing. Back up before updating Procreate or iPadOS, and before any reinstall or reset.
• Keep a second location. Saving in more than one place is stronger than relying on one provider. A computer, an external drive, or another cloud service all work. Duplicating files inside the same device doesn't count as a backup.
• Save a flattened version too. PNG, JPEG, or PDF exports stay readable even if you're ever without Procreate.

A Simple Routine That Works

Restoring Your Procreate Work

From a device backup: Set up the new or erased iPad, choose Restore from iCloud Backup, and select the most recent backup. Procreate and your gallery come back as part of it. Be patient with the app install.

From manual exports: Open the Files app, tap a .procreate file in iCloud Drive, and choose to open it in Procreate. Exported files can be reimported to Procreate later when needed.

Getting Procreate Art into a Motion Pipeline

If you move Procreate work into a motion pipeline such as After Effects or Nuke, a tidy iCloud Drive folder helps here too. Alongside your .procreate backups, export PNG layer art or flattened frames to a "Delivery" subfolder so your desktop tools can grab them without opening the iPad.

The backup connection is simple: your original layered .procreate file stays safe in iCloud Drive, while the flattened frames you feed into any downstream tool are disposable copies. If a generation goes sideways, the source art is untouched.

Common Questions

Does Procreate sync to iCloud automatically? No. Procreate doesn't offer iCloud sync of its gallery. Backup happens either through a full device backup or your own exports.

Can I see my Procreate files in iCloud.com? Not from a device backup. Only files you've exported into iCloud Drive appear there.

Can I restore just one artwork from an iCloud device backup? No. You'd need to restore the whole device, which is why individual exports matter.

Is the iCloud Drive document setting in iPadOS a backup? No. The "Store Documents & Data On" setting doesn't back up the Procreate gallery.

Bottom Line

To back up Procreate to iCloud, do two things: toggle Procreate on in your iPad's iCloud Backup, and export your .procreate files, brushes, and palettes to a folder in iCloud Drive. The first protects against device failure, the second against lost or corrupted individual files. Add a second storage location, test a restore now and then, and your work won't depend on a single iPad.