Procreate's Interpolation setting controls how pixels are resampled when you scale, rotate, or distort a layer. To change it, tap the Transform tool (the arrow icon), tap the circular Interpolation icon second from the right in the Transform bar, and choose Nearest Neighbor, Bilinear, or Bicubic. In Procreate Pocket, go to Modify > Transform > Settings > Interpolation. Pick the method before you commit the transform, because each resize resamples the pixels again.

What Interpolation Means in Procreate

If you come from After Effects, the word can mislead you. In AE, interpolation usually means how values move between keyframes: linear, Bezier, hold, easing curves. In Procreate, interpolation is pixel resampling. When you enlarge, shrink, rotate, or warp a layer, the pixel grid stays fixed while the artwork moves across it. Procreate has to decide which color each new pixel gets, and the interpolation method is the rule it uses.

Similar resampling or filtering options exist in many compositing and editing tools, and the same trade-off applies. Some methods preserve hard edges and texture, others give smooth gradients and clean curves, and all of them cost you some fidelity if you stack transforms.

How to Change Interpolation in Procreate (Step by Step)

On Procreate for iPad

1. Open your canvas and select the layer or selection you want to transform.
2. Tap the Transform tool (the arrow icon in the toolbar).
3. Look at the Transform bar. The Interpolation icon is the circular one, second from the right.
4. Tap it. A menu offers Nearest Neighbor, Bilinear, and Bicubic.
5. Choose a method, then make your transform.

The icon graphic never changes, but its label updates to show the active mode. Glance at the label before you scale something so you know which method you're about to apply.

On Procreate Pocket (iPhone)

1. Tap Modify.
2. Go to Transform > Settings.
3. Tap Interpolation and choose one of the three methods.

A note on defaults

Procreate's own documentation has described the default differently across versions. Older handbook pages and the Pocket handbook say the default is Nearest, while the current main handbook says Bilinear. Don't assume. Open the Transform bar once on your install and read the label, especially if you work across devices or app versions.

The Three Interpolation Methods Compared

Nearest Neighbor

Nearest Neighbor is the simplest and fastest method. It doesn't blend, so edges stay hard, which can look jagged on diagonal or curved lines. That same behavior is an advantage when you want to hold on to grain, crunchy brush texture, or pixel-art edges. Illustrator Rebecca Flaherty makes this point in her comparison: when she shrinks textured brushwork and repeating pattern tiles, Nearest keeps the texture defined, while the other two methods soften it.

Bilinear

Bilinear averages a 2×2 block of surrounding pixels. It's a sensible middle ground: noticeably smoother than Nearest, cheaper than Bicubic. For general-purpose scaling of mixed artwork, it's a reasonable place to leave the setting.

Bicubic

Bicubic samples 16 pixels and weights closer ones more heavily. It's the slowest of the three and gives the smoothest, most accurate result on clean lines, soft gradients, and anti-aliased shapes. If your art is built from smooth vector-like strokes, this is usually the one to choose.

Which Method Should You Choose?

There's no universal answer, which is why Procreate offers three. Use the character of your artwork as the deciding factor:

• Smooth, clean linework and gradients: Bicubic, or Bilinear if you want something lighter. Nearest will make curves look stair-stepped.
• Textured brushes, grain, halftone, or noise: Nearest Neighbor. Smoothing methods average neighboring pixels, which blurs the very texture you're trying to keep.
• Pixel art or hard-edged graphics: Nearest Neighbor, because blending creates colors that were never in your palette.
• Quick, one-off scale or nudge on a sketch layer: Any of them. The differences matter less on throwaway work.
• Mixed artwork: Test on a duplicate layer. Transform the same element with each method and compare at 100% zoom.

Practical Tips for Cleaner Transforms

Transform once, not repeatedly

Procreate's documentation compares repeated resizing to photocopying a photocopy. Every transform resamples the layer again, and edges gradually go soft. If you're unsure about size, don't nudge a layer five times. Plan the final scale, apply it in one transform, or undo and redo from the original.

Duplicate before you transform

Keep an untouched copy of the layer, hidden, so you can always return to the original pixels. This is the closest equivalent to non-destructive scaling inside a raster painting app.

Shrink rather than enlarge

Flaherty avoids upscaling finished artwork altogether and redraws instead when she needs a different size or angle. Reducing a layer discards information you already have. Enlarging forces the app to invent information. If an element has to get bigger, consider repainting it, or start the canvas at a higher resolution so you rarely need to enlarge.

Match the method to the brush

If you switch between a textured brush and a smooth inking brush in the same file, don't assume one setting fits both. Check the Interpolation label before each transform.

Compare at 100%

Interpolation differences are subtle when you're zoomed out. Zoom to 100% or higher on an edge to see what's actually happening before you commit.

Using Procreate Art in Motion and VFX Pipelines

If your Procreate work is headed into After Effects, Premiere Pro, Cinema 4D, Blender, or Nuke, interpolation choices at the painting stage affect what you get later.

• Export at the size you'll need. Resampling in Procreate and then resampling again in your compositor compounds softness. Paint at or above your delivery resolution when you can.
• Avoid scaling inside Procreate for final art. Scaling and animating transforms is what your compositor is for. Keep painted elements at native size and animate scale there.
• Know the equivalent controls downstream. Compositing tools typically have their own resampling or filter controls. The same logic applies: sharper filters preserve detail but can ring on high-contrast edges, while softer filters avoid artifacts but lose crispness.
• Keep textured elements consistent. If you hand-painted grain or brush texture to match a plate, a smoothing filter on scale will change its character. Nearest Neighbor on the painting side and a deliberate filter choice in the comp keeps things predictable.

Where Styleframe Fits When You Need More Resolution

The recurring problem in all of this is that classic interpolation can only guess at pixels it doesn't have. It never adds real detail. When you need a Procreate illustration or a set of painted frames at a higher resolution for a 4K timeline, repeated resampling is the weak point.

Styleframe is an AI video and motion tool that can help at that stage, so you aren't stacking transforms in a painting app. It isn't a replacement for choosing the right interpolation method in Procreate; it's an option for the point where resampling alone can't get you the resolution or motion you need.

Quick Reference

• To change interpolation: Transform tool > Interpolation icon (second from right) > choose a method. On Pocket: Modify > Transform > Settings > Interpolation.
• Textured or pixel art: Nearest Neighbor.
• Smooth lines and gradients: Bilinear or Bicubic.
• Always: transform once, keep an original copy, avoid enlarging finished art, and check the icon label before you commit.

FAQ

Does changing interpolation affect existing artwork?

No. It affects the next transform you apply. Pixels already transformed stay as they are, so choose the method before you scale or rotate.

Is Bicubic always the best choice?

No. It gives the smoothest results, but smoothing removes texture and hard edges. For grainy brushes or pixel art, Nearest Neighbor often looks better.

Is this the same as keyframe interpolation in After Effects?

No. Procreate's Interpolation setting is pixel resampling for transforms. Keyframe interpolation in After Effects controls how values change over time. The closest equivalent in compositing tools is a layer's resampling or filtering option.

Why does my artwork look softer after resizing several times?

Each resize resamples the pixels again, and small losses accumulate. Duplicate your layer before transforming, and try to apply a single transform instead of many small ones.

Procreate's Interpolation setting controls how pixels are resampled when you scale, rotate, or distort a layer. To change it, tap the Transform tool (the arrow icon), tap the circular Interpolation icon second from the right in the Transform bar, and choose Nearest Neighbor, Bilinear, or Bicubic. In Procreate Pocket, go to Modify > Transform > Settings > Interpolation. Pick the method before you commit the transform, because each resize resamples the pixels again.

What Interpolation Means in Procreate

If you come from After Effects, the word can mislead you. In AE, interpolation usually means how values move between keyframes: linear, Bezier, hold, easing curves. In Procreate, interpolation is pixel resampling. When you enlarge, shrink, rotate, or warp a layer, the pixel grid stays fixed while the artwork moves across it. Procreate has to decide which color each new pixel gets, and the interpolation method is the rule it uses.

Similar resampling or filtering options exist in many compositing and editing tools, and the same trade-off applies. Some methods preserve hard edges and texture, others give smooth gradients and clean curves, and all of them cost you some fidelity if you stack transforms.

How to Change Interpolation in Procreate (Step by Step)

On Procreate for iPad

1. Open your canvas and select the layer or selection you want to transform.
2. Tap the Transform tool (the arrow icon in the toolbar).
3. Look at the Transform bar. The Interpolation icon is the circular one, second from the right.
4. Tap it. A menu offers Nearest Neighbor, Bilinear, and Bicubic.
5. Choose a method, then make your transform.

The icon graphic never changes, but its label updates to show the active mode. Glance at the label before you scale something so you know which method you're about to apply.

On Procreate Pocket (iPhone)

1. Tap Modify.
2. Go to Transform > Settings.
3. Tap Interpolation and choose one of the three methods.

A note on defaults

Procreate's own documentation has described the default differently across versions. Older handbook pages and the Pocket handbook say the default is Nearest, while the current main handbook says Bilinear. Don't assume. Open the Transform bar once on your install and read the label, especially if you work across devices or app versions.

The Three Interpolation Methods Compared

Nearest Neighbor

Nearest Neighbor is the simplest and fastest method. It doesn't blend, so edges stay hard, which can look jagged on diagonal or curved lines. That same behavior is an advantage when you want to hold on to grain, crunchy brush texture, or pixel-art edges. Illustrator Rebecca Flaherty makes this point in her comparison: when she shrinks textured brushwork and repeating pattern tiles, Nearest keeps the texture defined, while the other two methods soften it.

Bilinear

Bilinear averages a 2×2 block of surrounding pixels. It's a sensible middle ground: noticeably smoother than Nearest, cheaper than Bicubic. For general-purpose scaling of mixed artwork, it's a reasonable place to leave the setting.

Bicubic

Bicubic samples 16 pixels and weights closer ones more heavily. It's the slowest of the three and gives the smoothest, most accurate result on clean lines, soft gradients, and anti-aliased shapes. If your art is built from smooth vector-like strokes, this is usually the one to choose.

Which Method Should You Choose?

There's no universal answer, which is why Procreate offers three. Use the character of your artwork as the deciding factor:

• Smooth, clean linework and gradients: Bicubic, or Bilinear if you want something lighter. Nearest will make curves look stair-stepped.
• Textured brushes, grain, halftone, or noise: Nearest Neighbor. Smoothing methods average neighboring pixels, which blurs the very texture you're trying to keep.
• Pixel art or hard-edged graphics: Nearest Neighbor, because blending creates colors that were never in your palette.
• Quick, one-off scale or nudge on a sketch layer: Any of them. The differences matter less on throwaway work.
• Mixed artwork: Test on a duplicate layer. Transform the same element with each method and compare at 100% zoom.

Practical Tips for Cleaner Transforms

Transform once, not repeatedly

Procreate's documentation compares repeated resizing to photocopying a photocopy. Every transform resamples the layer again, and edges gradually go soft. If you're unsure about size, don't nudge a layer five times. Plan the final scale, apply it in one transform, or undo and redo from the original.

Duplicate before you transform

Keep an untouched copy of the layer, hidden, so you can always return to the original pixels. This is the closest equivalent to non-destructive scaling inside a raster painting app.

Shrink rather than enlarge

Flaherty avoids upscaling finished artwork altogether and redraws instead when she needs a different size or angle. Reducing a layer discards information you already have. Enlarging forces the app to invent information. If an element has to get bigger, consider repainting it, or start the canvas at a higher resolution so you rarely need to enlarge.

Match the method to the brush

If you switch between a textured brush and a smooth inking brush in the same file, don't assume one setting fits both. Check the Interpolation label before each transform.

Compare at 100%

Interpolation differences are subtle when you're zoomed out. Zoom to 100% or higher on an edge to see what's actually happening before you commit.

Using Procreate Art in Motion and VFX Pipelines

If your Procreate work is headed into After Effects, Premiere Pro, Cinema 4D, Blender, or Nuke, interpolation choices at the painting stage affect what you get later.

• Export at the size you'll need. Resampling in Procreate and then resampling again in your compositor compounds softness. Paint at or above your delivery resolution when you can.
• Avoid scaling inside Procreate for final art. Scaling and animating transforms is what your compositor is for. Keep painted elements at native size and animate scale there.
• Know the equivalent controls downstream. Compositing tools typically have their own resampling or filter controls. The same logic applies: sharper filters preserve detail but can ring on high-contrast edges, while softer filters avoid artifacts but lose crispness.
• Keep textured elements consistent. If you hand-painted grain or brush texture to match a plate, a smoothing filter on scale will change its character. Nearest Neighbor on the painting side and a deliberate filter choice in the comp keeps things predictable.

Where Styleframe Fits When You Need More Resolution

The recurring problem in all of this is that classic interpolation can only guess at pixels it doesn't have. It never adds real detail. When you need a Procreate illustration or a set of painted frames at a higher resolution for a 4K timeline, repeated resampling is the weak point.

Styleframe is an AI video and motion tool that can help at that stage, so you aren't stacking transforms in a painting app. It isn't a replacement for choosing the right interpolation method in Procreate; it's an option for the point where resampling alone can't get you the resolution or motion you need.

Quick Reference

• To change interpolation: Transform tool > Interpolation icon (second from right) > choose a method. On Pocket: Modify > Transform > Settings > Interpolation.
• Textured or pixel art: Nearest Neighbor.
• Smooth lines and gradients: Bilinear or Bicubic.
• Always: transform once, keep an original copy, avoid enlarging finished art, and check the icon label before you commit.

FAQ

Does changing interpolation affect existing artwork?

No. It affects the next transform you apply. Pixels already transformed stay as they are, so choose the method before you scale or rotate.

Is Bicubic always the best choice?

No. It gives the smoothest results, but smoothing removes texture and hard edges. For grainy brushes or pixel art, Nearest Neighbor often looks better.

Is this the same as keyframe interpolation in After Effects?

No. Procreate's Interpolation setting is pixel resampling for transforms. Keyframe interpolation in After Effects controls how values change over time. The closest equivalent in compositing tools is a layer's resampling or filtering option.

Why does my artwork look softer after resizing several times?

Each resize resamples the pixels again, and small losses accumulate. Duplicate your layer before transforming, and try to apply a single transform instead of many small ones.