To rename a brush in Procreate, duplicate it first, then tap the duplicate to open Brush Studio and choose the "About this brush" tab. Tap the name at the top, type the new one, close the keyboard, and tap Done so it saves. If you want to organize whole brush sets or libraries instead, the Files app offers a second route for bulk organization.

Quick steps: rename a brush in Procreate

1. Open a canvas and tap the Paint, Smudge, or Erase tool twice to open the brush library.
2. Duplicate the brush you want to modify. This gives you an editable copy.
3. Tap the duplicate to select it, then tap it again to open Brush Studio.
4. Choose About this brush.
5. Tap the brush name at the top of the panel. The keyboard should appear.
6. Type the new name, dismiss the keyboard, then tap Done.

Back in the library, the duplicate now shows under its new name. Everything else about the brush (shape, grain, dynamics) is unchanged, so you can keep tuning it afterward.

Why you should duplicate before renaming

Procreate's stock brushes are the defaults that ship with the app, and some users report that the original name field won't accept edits. The reliable pattern is to duplicate the stock brush and rename the copy. This also protects you: if a tweak goes wrong, the original is still there to duplicate again.

A few habits make this less painful over time:

• Duplicate before you customize. Do it at the start, not after an hour of adjustments.
• Rename immediately. A brush called "Studio Pen copy" is easy to lose track of once you have several.
• Keep the source in the name. Something like "Gouache – dry edge v2" tells you the medium, character, and version in one glance.

How to organize brush sets and libraries

Brush names are only part of the organization. Procreate groups brushes into sets, and sets into libraries.

Brush sets

Open the brush library and find your set in the left-hand panel. Check Procreate's handbook for the current steps to rename a set. This is useful when you've built a custom set of texture or line brushes and want it to read clearly in a long list.

Create a new set for your renamed brushes

If you're renaming several brushes, it often makes more sense to create a new set (use the create/import option in the library, then Create new set) and move your renamed duplicates into it. That keeps your working brushes away from the defaults and easier to organize.

Work from the Files app

Brush libraries live in the Files app, under On My iPad → Procreate → Brushes, or in iCloud Drive → Procreate Brushes. The structure mirrors Procreate's own: folders inside the main directory are libraries, folders within those are brush sets, and the files inside are individual brushes. Changes you make there are reflected inside Procreate.

This is handy for moving or duplicating whole sets, importing .brush files, and tidying up in one pass. Treat it with care, though. Procreate's documentation includes a warning about making changes to brushes, sets, and libraries in Files. Before reorganizing, make a backup copy of the folder. Also, after renaming a file, check inside Procreate that the name you see in the library is what you intended. For individual brushes, the in-app "About this brush" field is the most dependable way to change the displayed name.

Troubleshooting: the keyboard won't appear or the name won't save

Some users in Procreate forums report trouble renaming brushes, and most cases come down to a few causes.

You're editing the original. If tapping the name does nothing, you may be on a default brush. Duplicate it and try again on the copy.

You're in the wrong place. The name field isn't on the brush's main library entry. It sits inside Brush Studio, under About this brush. Select the brush, then tap it a second time to open the studio.

The keyboard stays hidden. One suggestion from forum users is to quit Procreate from the app switcher and relaunch it. Another user asked about the finger-versus-Pencil input setting ("Finger Mode"), so it may be worth checking, though it isn't confirmed as a cause. You could also try tapping with your Apple Pencil.

The new name doesn't stick. Close the keyboard first, then tap Done. One user reported that tapping Done while the keyboard is still open meant the new name wasn't saved.

The name is correct but the brush looks different. Procreate remembers your settings as you switch between brushes, so you may be seeing changes you made earlier. Check the brush's settings in Brush Studio rather than assuming the rename altered anything.

Naming conventions that hold up in production

Motion and VFX people already know the cost of poorly named layers and files. Brushes deserve the same discipline, especially if you share libraries with a team or hand work between tools.

• Use a consistent pattern. For example: Medium_Character_Version, such as Ink_RoughLiner_v03.
• Name for function, not feeling. "Edge breakup" tells a collaborator more than "Cool one."
• Version instead of overwriting. Duplicate and increment when you make major changes, so you can return to an earlier look.
• Group by project or look. A set called "Client X – boil lines" is easier to export and archive than a mixed bag.
• Avoid special characters. Since brushes also exist as files, plain letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores are safest if the files move between devices or sync services.

If you export a set to share with another artist, clear names matter even more, because the recipient can't ask what "brush 7 final" was supposed to do.

Where Procreate brush work fits in a motion pipeline

Many After Effects artists use Procreate for the hand-made pieces of a project: textures, hand-drawn frames, line work, cel-style animation tests, and style frames. A well-organized brush library speeds that up and keeps the look consistent from frame to frame, which matters when the drawn material eventually becomes a sequence.

From there, the artwork usually moves into a compositing tool. You export frames or layered files from Procreate and bring them into After Effects, Nuke, or Premiere Pro for timing, color, and finishing. The clean naming you set up in Procreate carries forward into layer and file names, which makes the handoff smoother.

Common questions

Can I rename a default Procreate brush?

Generally, no, or not reliably. Users report that the original stock brush name can't be edited. Duplicate it and rename the copy, which also preserves the default for later.

Where is the brush name field?

Select the brush, tap it again to open Brush Studio, then choose About this brush. The name sits at the top of that panel.

Does renaming a brush change how it paints?

No. The name is a label. Shape, grain, dynamics, and other settings stay as they were.

Can I rename several brushes at once?

The in-app method described here works on one brush at a time in Brush Studio. For bulk organization, you can reorganize folders and files via the Files app, keeping in mind the caution above and backing up first.

What if I accidentally break a brush?

Duplicate a fresh copy of the default brush and start again. This is another reason to work on duplicates and keep versioned names.

Summary

Renaming a brush in Procreate comes down to one reliable sequence: duplicate the brush, open Brush Studio, go to About this brush, tap the name, type, close the keyboard, and tap Done. Keep sets tidy by organizing them from the library panel, and use the Files app for bulk moves only after making a backup. With consistent, versioned names, your brushes stay easy to find, share, and trace, whether the artwork stays in Procreate or goes into After Effects or Nuke for compositing.

To rename a brush in Procreate, duplicate it first, then tap the duplicate to open Brush Studio and choose the "About this brush" tab. Tap the name at the top, type the new one, close the keyboard, and tap Done so it saves. If you want to organize whole brush sets or libraries instead, the Files app offers a second route for bulk organization.

Quick steps: rename a brush in Procreate

1. Open a canvas and tap the Paint, Smudge, or Erase tool twice to open the brush library.
2. Duplicate the brush you want to modify. This gives you an editable copy.
3. Tap the duplicate to select it, then tap it again to open Brush Studio.
4. Choose About this brush.
5. Tap the brush name at the top of the panel. The keyboard should appear.
6. Type the new name, dismiss the keyboard, then tap Done.

Back in the library, the duplicate now shows under its new name. Everything else about the brush (shape, grain, dynamics) is unchanged, so you can keep tuning it afterward.

Why you should duplicate before renaming

Procreate's stock brushes are the defaults that ship with the app, and some users report that the original name field won't accept edits. The reliable pattern is to duplicate the stock brush and rename the copy. This also protects you: if a tweak goes wrong, the original is still there to duplicate again.

A few habits make this less painful over time:

• Duplicate before you customize. Do it at the start, not after an hour of adjustments.
• Rename immediately. A brush called "Studio Pen copy" is easy to lose track of once you have several.
• Keep the source in the name. Something like "Gouache – dry edge v2" tells you the medium, character, and version in one glance.

How to organize brush sets and libraries

Brush names are only part of the organization. Procreate groups brushes into sets, and sets into libraries.

Brush sets

Open the brush library and find your set in the left-hand panel. Check Procreate's handbook for the current steps to rename a set. This is useful when you've built a custom set of texture or line brushes and want it to read clearly in a long list.

Create a new set for your renamed brushes

If you're renaming several brushes, it often makes more sense to create a new set (use the create/import option in the library, then Create new set) and move your renamed duplicates into it. That keeps your working brushes away from the defaults and easier to organize.

Work from the Files app

Brush libraries live in the Files app, under On My iPad → Procreate → Brushes, or in iCloud Drive → Procreate Brushes. The structure mirrors Procreate's own: folders inside the main directory are libraries, folders within those are brush sets, and the files inside are individual brushes. Changes you make there are reflected inside Procreate.

This is handy for moving or duplicating whole sets, importing .brush files, and tidying up in one pass. Treat it with care, though. Procreate's documentation includes a warning about making changes to brushes, sets, and libraries in Files. Before reorganizing, make a backup copy of the folder. Also, after renaming a file, check inside Procreate that the name you see in the library is what you intended. For individual brushes, the in-app "About this brush" field is the most dependable way to change the displayed name.

Troubleshooting: the keyboard won't appear or the name won't save

Some users in Procreate forums report trouble renaming brushes, and most cases come down to a few causes.

You're editing the original. If tapping the name does nothing, you may be on a default brush. Duplicate it and try again on the copy.

You're in the wrong place. The name field isn't on the brush's main library entry. It sits inside Brush Studio, under About this brush. Select the brush, then tap it a second time to open the studio.

The keyboard stays hidden. One suggestion from forum users is to quit Procreate from the app switcher and relaunch it. Another user asked about the finger-versus-Pencil input setting ("Finger Mode"), so it may be worth checking, though it isn't confirmed as a cause. You could also try tapping with your Apple Pencil.

The new name doesn't stick. Close the keyboard first, then tap Done. One user reported that tapping Done while the keyboard is still open meant the new name wasn't saved.

The name is correct but the brush looks different. Procreate remembers your settings as you switch between brushes, so you may be seeing changes you made earlier. Check the brush's settings in Brush Studio rather than assuming the rename altered anything.

Naming conventions that hold up in production

Motion and VFX people already know the cost of poorly named layers and files. Brushes deserve the same discipline, especially if you share libraries with a team or hand work between tools.

• Use a consistent pattern. For example: Medium_Character_Version, such as Ink_RoughLiner_v03.
• Name for function, not feeling. "Edge breakup" tells a collaborator more than "Cool one."
• Version instead of overwriting. Duplicate and increment when you make major changes, so you can return to an earlier look.
• Group by project or look. A set called "Client X – boil lines" is easier to export and archive than a mixed bag.
• Avoid special characters. Since brushes also exist as files, plain letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores are safest if the files move between devices or sync services.

If you export a set to share with another artist, clear names matter even more, because the recipient can't ask what "brush 7 final" was supposed to do.

Where Procreate brush work fits in a motion pipeline

Many After Effects artists use Procreate for the hand-made pieces of a project: textures, hand-drawn frames, line work, cel-style animation tests, and style frames. A well-organized brush library speeds that up and keeps the look consistent from frame to frame, which matters when the drawn material eventually becomes a sequence.

From there, the artwork usually moves into a compositing tool. You export frames or layered files from Procreate and bring them into After Effects, Nuke, or Premiere Pro for timing, color, and finishing. The clean naming you set up in Procreate carries forward into layer and file names, which makes the handoff smoother.

Common questions

Can I rename a default Procreate brush?

Generally, no, or not reliably. Users report that the original stock brush name can't be edited. Duplicate it and rename the copy, which also preserves the default for later.

Where is the brush name field?

Select the brush, tap it again to open Brush Studio, then choose About this brush. The name sits at the top of that panel.

Does renaming a brush change how it paints?

No. The name is a label. Shape, grain, dynamics, and other settings stay as they were.

Can I rename several brushes at once?

The in-app method described here works on one brush at a time in Brush Studio. For bulk organization, you can reorganize folders and files via the Files app, keeping in mind the caution above and backing up first.

What if I accidentally break a brush?

Duplicate a fresh copy of the default brush and start again. This is another reason to work on duplicates and keep versioned names.

Summary

Renaming a brush in Procreate comes down to one reliable sequence: duplicate the brush, open Brush Studio, go to About this brush, tap the name, type, close the keyboard, and tap Done. Keep sets tidy by organizing them from the library panel, and use the Files app for bulk moves only after making a backup. With consistent, versioned names, your brushes stay easy to find, share, and trace, whether the artwork stays in Procreate or goes into After Effects or Nuke for compositing.