To change dimensions in Procreate, open the Actions menu (wrench icon), choose Canvas, then tap Crop and Resize. Drag the grid handles or tap the width and height readouts to type exact values, and turn on Resample if you want the artwork scaled rather than cropped. To set a size before you start, use the Custom Canvas screen from the + button in the Gallery, where you can set width, height, DPI, and units (pixels, inches, millimeters, or centimeters).

Crop vs. Resample: Choose the Right Behavior First

Procreate's Crop and Resize tool does two different things, and the result depends on one switch.

• Resample off: You change the canvas boundary without scaling the artwork. Making the canvas larger adds empty space around your content. Making it smaller cuts content away. Your pixels stay the same size.
• Resample on: The whole image is scaled up or down to fit the new pixel dimensions. Procreate has to invent or discard pixels, so the image gets softer when you scale up.

Motion designers will recognize this as the difference between changing a comp's canvas and scaling a layer inside it. Decide which one you need before you touch the handles.

How to Change Canvas Dimensions in an Existing Document

1. Open the artwork you want to change.
2. Tap the wrench icon to open Actions.
3. Tap Canvas, then Crop and Resize.
4. A grid overlay appears. Its edges represent the new canvas edges.
5. Adjust the size using one of the methods below.
6. Tap Done to apply it.

Freeform Dragging

Drag a side handle to stretch or squash the canvas along one axis. Drag a corner to change both axes at once. The width and height readouts in the bottom toolbar update live as you drag. You also can't drag past the maximum canvas size your iPad supports.

Uniform Scaling with Aspect Lock

The chainlink icon between the width and height readouts locks the aspect ratio. With it active, a 16:9 canvas stays 16:9 while you change one number. Turn it off when you want to change the shape, for example going from a square to a widescreen frame.

Numerical Entry

Tap the width or height readout and type exact values with the on-screen keypad. The values use whatever unit you chose when the canvas was created, so a canvas set up in inches shows inches. If you need pixel-exact output for a video frame, think in pixels and make sure your canvas units match.

Rotation

The Rotation slider in the bottom toolbar rotates your artwork relative to the crop area. This is handy for straightening a scan or reframing a composition at the same time as you resize.

How to Set Dimensions When Creating a New Canvas

If you already know your delivery size, it's much better to set it up at the start than to resize later.

1. In the Gallery, tap the + icon at the top right.
2. Choose a preset (Screen Size, Square, 4K, A4, 4 x 6 Photo, or US Paper), or tap the custom canvas icon (a rectangle with a plus).
3. Enter your Width, Height, and DPI. Switch units with the buttons beside the keypad.
4. Pick a color profile and name the canvas so it's reusable.
5. Tap Create.

Swiping left on any preset lets you edit or delete it, so you can keep a small library of the formats you use most.

Two practical limits apply:

• Layer count shrinks as canvas size grows. Procreate shows the maximum layers available for your chosen dimensions, and larger canvases allow fewer layers. This matters if you build characters or backgrounds with many separated elements for animation.
• Maximum size depends on your iPad. Canvases can reach as large as 16K in one direction on some models, and as small as 1 x 1 pixels.

DPI Changes Print Size, Not Pixel Count

DPI is the setting most likely to confuse people coming from video. In Procreate, changing DPI alters the physical size of the canvas in inches, centimeters, or millimeters. It does not change the pixel dimensions.

A 3840 x 2160 canvas is 3840 x 2160 pixels at 72 DPI, at 300 DPI, or at any other value. For screen and video work, pixel dimensions are what matter. For print, Procreate's guidance is to use at least 300 DPI, while 72 to 144 DPI is typical for on-screen viewing. If your artwork is going into After Effects, Premiere Pro, or Nuke, you can mostly ignore DPI and concentrate on pixel width and height.

Resample Settings and Avoiding Blurry Results

When Resample is on, Procreate interpolates pixels. In Procreate Dreams, the Resample panel shows a Quality percentage and lets you choose between two interpolation methods:

• Nearest Neighbor: Crisper edges with very little softening.
• Bilinear: Softer edges with less definition. This is the default.

Some practical rules reduce quality loss:

• Start big. It is easier to scale down than up. If your iPad can handle it, create a canvas larger than your final delivery size.
• Avoid repeated resizes. Each resample pass softens detail. Duplicate the artwork and make a single, deliberate change.
• Merge before scaling a complex element. A single flattened layer scales more predictably than a stack of mixed layers, though you lose non-destructive editing, so do it on a duplicate.
• Choose interpolation for the content. Hard-edged pixel art usually suits Nearest Neighbor, while painterly work often looks better with a smoother option.

Pro Tips Worth Knowing

Back Up Before You Crop

Cropping and resizing change the document. Duplicate the canvas in the Gallery first so you can return to the original if the new size doesn't work. Advice in Procreate's community forum suggests this too.

Centering When You Enlarge a Canvas

Procreate's Crop and Resize tool has no snap-to-center option. If you're expanding a 2100 x 2100 canvas to 2400 x 2400 and want equal margins on every side, you can build a workaround:

1. Open Actions, go to Canvas, and turn on Drawing Guide, then Edit Drawing Guide.
2. Choose Symmetry and enable the quadrant option so two guide lines cross at the center.
3. Increase line thickness and change the color so the lines are easy to see, then tap Done.
4. Open Crop and Resize, type your new dimensions, and align the grid's center to the guide intersection.

It's less precise than true snapping, but good enough for most layouts.

Check the Color Profile for Your Destination

The color profile is set when you create the canvas. RGB suits anything shown on a screen, and CMYK suits print. Display P3 is the default RGB option and allows more saturated greens, reds, and oranges. If your artwork is headed for a video timeline, keep it in an RGB profile and check how your compositing app interprets color on import.

Changing Dimensions in Procreate Dreams

If you work in Procreate Dreams, the path is different. Open the Drawing or Flipbook you want to change, then tap Settings → Canvas → Crop and resize. Dreams then offers two modes under Settings: Crop and Resample.

• Crop shows pixel dimensions, a chainlink for aspect ratio, and a draggable canvas boundary. Press and hold the eye icon to preview the original canvas. For Flipbooks, a time scrubber lets you check the crop at different points in the animation.
• Resample scales everything uniformly, always with aspect ratio locked, and reports a Quality percentage. Dropping the dimensions to 8000 x 2500 pixels reads as 50% quality in Procreate's own example.

Applying a change to a large or complex project can take a while, so give it time before assuming something has failed.

Matching Procreate Dimensions to a Motion Pipeline

For motion and VFX work, the goal is rarely "a nice canvas." It's a frame that fits a comp without surprise scaling. A few habits help:

• Set pixel dimensions to match your comp (or a clean multiple of it) before you draw.
• Paint with room to move. If you plan to push in, pan, or add parallax in After Effects, work on a canvas larger than your delivery frame so you have pixels to spare.
• Keep aspect ratios consistent. Mixing 16:9 art with a square canvas means cropping later, so decide on the format early.
• Export deliberately. Export from Procreate at the final canvas size, and don't rely on scaling the file inside your compositor to rescue a small canvas.

Quick Troubleshooting

• Artwork looks soft after resizing: You likely resampled upward. Revert, or start from a larger canvas.
• You can't make the canvas any bigger: You've hit the maximum size for your iPad. Reduce the target size or work in sections.
• Fewer layers than expected: A bigger canvas means a lower layer cap. Merge layers or reduce the canvas.
• Width and height won't change independently: The aspect lock is on. Tap the chainlink to unlock it.
• Printed size is wrong: Check DPI. Pixel count stays the same, but physical dimensions shift with DPI.

Summary

Changing dimensions in Procreate comes down to three decisions: whether to crop or resample, whether to lock the aspect ratio, and what pixel size your final destination needs. Use Actions → Canvas → Crop and Resize for existing artwork, and the Custom Canvas screen for new documents. Back up before you change anything, and treat resampling as a one-time step. If you decide on your delivery frame before you start painting, you'll avoid most of the scaling problems later in your After Effects or Nuke pipeline.

To change dimensions in Procreate, open the Actions menu (wrench icon), choose Canvas, then tap Crop and Resize. Drag the grid handles or tap the width and height readouts to type exact values, and turn on Resample if you want the artwork scaled rather than cropped. To set a size before you start, use the Custom Canvas screen from the + button in the Gallery, where you can set width, height, DPI, and units (pixels, inches, millimeters, or centimeters).

Crop vs. Resample: Choose the Right Behavior First

Procreate's Crop and Resize tool does two different things, and the result depends on one switch.

• Resample off: You change the canvas boundary without scaling the artwork. Making the canvas larger adds empty space around your content. Making it smaller cuts content away. Your pixels stay the same size.
• Resample on: The whole image is scaled up or down to fit the new pixel dimensions. Procreate has to invent or discard pixels, so the image gets softer when you scale up.

Motion designers will recognize this as the difference between changing a comp's canvas and scaling a layer inside it. Decide which one you need before you touch the handles.

How to Change Canvas Dimensions in an Existing Document

1. Open the artwork you want to change.
2. Tap the wrench icon to open Actions.
3. Tap Canvas, then Crop and Resize.
4. A grid overlay appears. Its edges represent the new canvas edges.
5. Adjust the size using one of the methods below.
6. Tap Done to apply it.

Freeform Dragging

Drag a side handle to stretch or squash the canvas along one axis. Drag a corner to change both axes at once. The width and height readouts in the bottom toolbar update live as you drag. You also can't drag past the maximum canvas size your iPad supports.

Uniform Scaling with Aspect Lock

The chainlink icon between the width and height readouts locks the aspect ratio. With it active, a 16:9 canvas stays 16:9 while you change one number. Turn it off when you want to change the shape, for example going from a square to a widescreen frame.

Numerical Entry

Tap the width or height readout and type exact values with the on-screen keypad. The values use whatever unit you chose when the canvas was created, so a canvas set up in inches shows inches. If you need pixel-exact output for a video frame, think in pixels and make sure your canvas units match.

Rotation

The Rotation slider in the bottom toolbar rotates your artwork relative to the crop area. This is handy for straightening a scan or reframing a composition at the same time as you resize.

How to Set Dimensions When Creating a New Canvas

If you already know your delivery size, it's much better to set it up at the start than to resize later.

1. In the Gallery, tap the + icon at the top right.
2. Choose a preset (Screen Size, Square, 4K, A4, 4 x 6 Photo, or US Paper), or tap the custom canvas icon (a rectangle with a plus).
3. Enter your Width, Height, and DPI. Switch units with the buttons beside the keypad.
4. Pick a color profile and name the canvas so it's reusable.
5. Tap Create.

Swiping left on any preset lets you edit or delete it, so you can keep a small library of the formats you use most.

Two practical limits apply:

• Layer count shrinks as canvas size grows. Procreate shows the maximum layers available for your chosen dimensions, and larger canvases allow fewer layers. This matters if you build characters or backgrounds with many separated elements for animation.
• Maximum size depends on your iPad. Canvases can reach as large as 16K in one direction on some models, and as small as 1 x 1 pixels.

DPI Changes Print Size, Not Pixel Count

DPI is the setting most likely to confuse people coming from video. In Procreate, changing DPI alters the physical size of the canvas in inches, centimeters, or millimeters. It does not change the pixel dimensions.

A 3840 x 2160 canvas is 3840 x 2160 pixels at 72 DPI, at 300 DPI, or at any other value. For screen and video work, pixel dimensions are what matter. For print, Procreate's guidance is to use at least 300 DPI, while 72 to 144 DPI is typical for on-screen viewing. If your artwork is going into After Effects, Premiere Pro, or Nuke, you can mostly ignore DPI and concentrate on pixel width and height.

Resample Settings and Avoiding Blurry Results

When Resample is on, Procreate interpolates pixels. In Procreate Dreams, the Resample panel shows a Quality percentage and lets you choose between two interpolation methods:

• Nearest Neighbor: Crisper edges with very little softening.
• Bilinear: Softer edges with less definition. This is the default.

Some practical rules reduce quality loss:

• Start big. It is easier to scale down than up. If your iPad can handle it, create a canvas larger than your final delivery size.
• Avoid repeated resizes. Each resample pass softens detail. Duplicate the artwork and make a single, deliberate change.
• Merge before scaling a complex element. A single flattened layer scales more predictably than a stack of mixed layers, though you lose non-destructive editing, so do it on a duplicate.
• Choose interpolation for the content. Hard-edged pixel art usually suits Nearest Neighbor, while painterly work often looks better with a smoother option.

Pro Tips Worth Knowing

Back Up Before You Crop

Cropping and resizing change the document. Duplicate the canvas in the Gallery first so you can return to the original if the new size doesn't work. Advice in Procreate's community forum suggests this too.

Centering When You Enlarge a Canvas

Procreate's Crop and Resize tool has no snap-to-center option. If you're expanding a 2100 x 2100 canvas to 2400 x 2400 and want equal margins on every side, you can build a workaround:

1. Open Actions, go to Canvas, and turn on Drawing Guide, then Edit Drawing Guide.
2. Choose Symmetry and enable the quadrant option so two guide lines cross at the center.
3. Increase line thickness and change the color so the lines are easy to see, then tap Done.
4. Open Crop and Resize, type your new dimensions, and align the grid's center to the guide intersection.

It's less precise than true snapping, but good enough for most layouts.

Check the Color Profile for Your Destination

The color profile is set when you create the canvas. RGB suits anything shown on a screen, and CMYK suits print. Display P3 is the default RGB option and allows more saturated greens, reds, and oranges. If your artwork is headed for a video timeline, keep it in an RGB profile and check how your compositing app interprets color on import.

Changing Dimensions in Procreate Dreams

If you work in Procreate Dreams, the path is different. Open the Drawing or Flipbook you want to change, then tap Settings → Canvas → Crop and resize. Dreams then offers two modes under Settings: Crop and Resample.

• Crop shows pixel dimensions, a chainlink for aspect ratio, and a draggable canvas boundary. Press and hold the eye icon to preview the original canvas. For Flipbooks, a time scrubber lets you check the crop at different points in the animation.
• Resample scales everything uniformly, always with aspect ratio locked, and reports a Quality percentage. Dropping the dimensions to 8000 x 2500 pixels reads as 50% quality in Procreate's own example.

Applying a change to a large or complex project can take a while, so give it time before assuming something has failed.

Matching Procreate Dimensions to a Motion Pipeline

For motion and VFX work, the goal is rarely "a nice canvas." It's a frame that fits a comp without surprise scaling. A few habits help:

• Set pixel dimensions to match your comp (or a clean multiple of it) before you draw.
• Paint with room to move. If you plan to push in, pan, or add parallax in After Effects, work on a canvas larger than your delivery frame so you have pixels to spare.
• Keep aspect ratios consistent. Mixing 16:9 art with a square canvas means cropping later, so decide on the format early.
• Export deliberately. Export from Procreate at the final canvas size, and don't rely on scaling the file inside your compositor to rescue a small canvas.

Quick Troubleshooting

• Artwork looks soft after resizing: You likely resampled upward. Revert, or start from a larger canvas.
• You can't make the canvas any bigger: You've hit the maximum size for your iPad. Reduce the target size or work in sections.
• Fewer layers than expected: A bigger canvas means a lower layer cap. Merge layers or reduce the canvas.
• Width and height won't change independently: The aspect lock is on. Tap the chainlink to unlock it.
• Printed size is wrong: Check DPI. Pixel count stays the same, but physical dimensions shift with DPI.

Summary

Changing dimensions in Procreate comes down to three decisions: whether to crop or resample, whether to lock the aspect ratio, and what pixel size your final destination needs. Use Actions → Canvas → Crop and Resize for existing artwork, and the Custom Canvas screen for new documents. Back up before you change anything, and treat resampling as a one-time step. If you decide on your delivery frame before you start painting, you'll avoid most of the scaling problems later in your After Effects or Nuke pipeline.