Procreate does not sync its gallery between devices automatically; artwork is stored locally on each iPad. To move work between iPads, export your canvases in the .procreate format and transfer them with AirDrop, Files, or a cloud drive, or restore a full iPad backup onto the new device. The target iPad also needs to be signed in to an Apple ID that has purchased Procreate or has access through Family Sharing.

Why Procreate doesn't sync like Notes or Photos

Many artists expect Procreate to behave like Apple's Notes app, where an edit on one iPad appears on the other. It doesn't. The gallery lives in the app's local storage, and nothing leaves the device unless you export it or back up the whole iPad.

Procreate has said that automatic iCloud syncing could eat through a user's storage allowance quickly, since individual layered files are large and galleries hold many of them. Older community threads mention iCloud gallery sync as a planned feature, but check the current release notes before assuming it exists in your version.

Two things follow from this:

• Syncing is really transferring. You are copying a file from one place to another, so you need to decide which iPad holds the latest version.
• The Document Storage setting is easy to misread. Users report that switching it to iCloud Drive does not actually move or mirror your gallery. Don't treat it as a backup.

Method 1: AirDrop (fastest for two iPads you own)

If both iPads are in the same room, AirDrop is the quickest route, and it keeps layers intact.

1. Open Procreate on the source iPad and go to the Gallery.
2. Tap Select, then tap the artworks you want to move. A tick marks each selection.
3. Tap Share, choose the Procreate format, then choose AirDrop.
4. Pick the other iPad under the nearby devices list. If it doesn't appear, check its AirDrop receiving settings.
5. Tap Accept on the receiving iPad.

Received files land in Files → Downloads. For a single artwork, tap it and it opens in Procreate. For several, open Procreate in Split View next to Files, tap Select in Files, and drag the .procreate files into the Gallery.

AirDrop also works for sending files to a Mac, which is useful if you want a copy outside the iPad ecosystem.

Method 2: Export to Files or a cloud drive (best for remote handoffs)

When the iPads aren't together, or you want a copy off-device, export to a cloud service.

1. In the Gallery, tap Select and choose your canvases or Stacks.
2. Tap Share and select the Procreate format. It preserves layers, settings, and your Time-lapse Replay.
3. When the share sheet appears, choose Save to Files.
4. Select your cloud service or storage location in the sidebar. If it isn't listed, tap the ellipsis and use Edit Locations.

On the second iPad, download the files from the same location, then import. To bring in one file, tap Import in the Gallery and navigate to it. For a batch, use Split View with Files and drag the selection into the Gallery.

This is the closest thing to a sync, because the cloud copy acts as a shared source. The catch is that you manage it by hand: every time you finish a session, you export; every time you start one on the other device, you import.

A note on Stacks

Sharing a Stack exports either its canvases as separate images or, if you choose PDF, a grouped document. If you want to keep layer information, use the Procreate format rather than a flattened image format.

Method 3: Drag and drop from the Gallery

Drag and drop is handy when you want to move files into Files or Photos without going through the share sheet.

1. Open the iPad's Settings app, go to Apps → Procreate, and set your Preferred File Format (for drags into Files) and Preferred Image Format (for drags into Photos).
2. In Procreate's Gallery, tap Select and choose your artworks.
3. Press and hold one selected artwork to pick up the group.
4. With another finger, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to reach Files or Photos.
5. Release over the destination folder.

If you want to move editable work, set the file format to .procreate. If you only need a flat reference image, a PNG or JPEG is fine, but you can't get layers back from a flattened export.

One caution: if you export JPEGs into Photos and you share an Apple ID or use iCloud Photos, those images may appear on every device signed in to that account. That matters if you work on unreleased client material.

Method 4: Back up and restore, or use Quick Start

If you're replacing an iPad rather than juggling two, move everything at once.

• Quick Start transfers data from an existing iPad or iPhone to a new one during setup, following Apple's own setup flow.
• A full iPad backup to iCloud or a computer, then a restore onto the new device, effectively clones the old iPad onto the new one.

Restoring a backup overwrites what is on the new iPad, so don't do it if the new device already holds work you want to keep. In that case, export the files you need and import them by hand instead.

Reports from artists show that even an iCloud backup with Procreate toggled on sometimes fails to bring canvases and brushes across. A backup made through a computer is the more dependable option, and you should always keep a second copy of your .procreate files in a separate location.

What not to do mid-transfer

Procreate transfers go wrong in a few predictable ways.

• Never delete and reinstall Procreate to fix a stuck install or update. Deleting the app deletes the locally stored gallery with it, unless you've backed it up elsewhere.
• Back up before updating Procreate or iPadOS. Procreate recommends doing so.
• Don't rely on a single copy. Save .procreate files to more than one secure location.
• Don't edit the same canvas on both iPads and hope for the best. Without sync, you'll end up with two diverging versions, and nothing merges them.

Procreate Pocket and iPhone

Procreate for iPad and Procreate Pocket are separate apps. Community answers suggest the two aren't designed for a seamless shared gallery, so don't expect a canvas to appear on your phone automatically. If you need to move a piece between them, export and import it the same way you would between iPads, and test with a duplicate first, since file compatibility between the apps may not be identical. Check the Procreate Help Center for the current guidance before relying on this for client work.

A simple routine for working across two iPads

Because there's no sync, a consistent routine matters more than any one method.

1. Pick a single source of truth. Keep one cloud folder as the master, for example Projects/ClientName/Procreate.
2. Version your filenames. Use shot02_boardA_v03.procreate rather than overwriting the same name. A version number makes it obvious which iPad holds the latest copy.
3. Export at the end of every session. Treat it as part of closing the file, like saving a project in After Effects.
4. Import before you start. Check the cloud folder for a newer version first.
5. Keep a monthly full backup of the iPad itself, in addition to the file-level exports.

If you also hand work to other people, add a flattened export such as a PNG beside the .procreate file so collaborators who don't use Procreate can open it.

Getting Procreate work into a motion pipeline

For motion designers and VFX artists, the reason to move a Procreate file is usually to use it downstream: as a style frame, a texture, a matte, or a concept board for an animation. Keep the .procreate file as your editable master, then export layered or flattened versions for the tools you use next, such as After Effects, Photoshop, Cinema 4D, Blender, or Nuke.

Once exported, your Procreate frames can serve as references in whatever tools you use next, including Styleframe.

In practice, this means a clean transfer routine for your Procreate files matters beyond backup. The version you export from the right iPad is the one that becomes the reference for the next stage, so naming and versioning keep you from animating from an outdated drawing.

Quick answers

Can I sync Procreate through iCloud? Not automatically. You can export to iCloud Drive and import from it, and you can include Procreate in an iPad backup, but the gallery itself doesn't mirror across devices.

Will my artwork appear on a relative's iPad if we share an Apple ID? Not through Procreate's gallery, which is local to each device. Exported images saved to iCloud Photos could appear, though, so be careful what you send to Photos.

What's the safest format for moving work? The .procreate format, because it keeps layers, settings, and Time-lapse Replay. Add a flattened export alongside it if other tools need to read the file.

What if I just bought a new iPad? Use Quick Start or a backup restore for a full move, or export and import specific files if you only need some of them. Keep a second backup either way.

Procreate does not sync its gallery between devices automatically; artwork is stored locally on each iPad. To move work between iPads, export your canvases in the .procreate format and transfer them with AirDrop, Files, or a cloud drive, or restore a full iPad backup onto the new device. The target iPad also needs to be signed in to an Apple ID that has purchased Procreate or has access through Family Sharing.

Why Procreate doesn't sync like Notes or Photos

Many artists expect Procreate to behave like Apple's Notes app, where an edit on one iPad appears on the other. It doesn't. The gallery lives in the app's local storage, and nothing leaves the device unless you export it or back up the whole iPad.

Procreate has said that automatic iCloud syncing could eat through a user's storage allowance quickly, since individual layered files are large and galleries hold many of them. Older community threads mention iCloud gallery sync as a planned feature, but check the current release notes before assuming it exists in your version.

Two things follow from this:

• Syncing is really transferring. You are copying a file from one place to another, so you need to decide which iPad holds the latest version.
• The Document Storage setting is easy to misread. Users report that switching it to iCloud Drive does not actually move or mirror your gallery. Don't treat it as a backup.

Method 1: AirDrop (fastest for two iPads you own)

If both iPads are in the same room, AirDrop is the quickest route, and it keeps layers intact.

1. Open Procreate on the source iPad and go to the Gallery.
2. Tap Select, then tap the artworks you want to move. A tick marks each selection.
3. Tap Share, choose the Procreate format, then choose AirDrop.
4. Pick the other iPad under the nearby devices list. If it doesn't appear, check its AirDrop receiving settings.
5. Tap Accept on the receiving iPad.

Received files land in Files → Downloads. For a single artwork, tap it and it opens in Procreate. For several, open Procreate in Split View next to Files, tap Select in Files, and drag the .procreate files into the Gallery.

AirDrop also works for sending files to a Mac, which is useful if you want a copy outside the iPad ecosystem.

Method 2: Export to Files or a cloud drive (best for remote handoffs)

When the iPads aren't together, or you want a copy off-device, export to a cloud service.

1. In the Gallery, tap Select and choose your canvases or Stacks.
2. Tap Share and select the Procreate format. It preserves layers, settings, and your Time-lapse Replay.
3. When the share sheet appears, choose Save to Files.
4. Select your cloud service or storage location in the sidebar. If it isn't listed, tap the ellipsis and use Edit Locations.

On the second iPad, download the files from the same location, then import. To bring in one file, tap Import in the Gallery and navigate to it. For a batch, use Split View with Files and drag the selection into the Gallery.

This is the closest thing to a sync, because the cloud copy acts as a shared source. The catch is that you manage it by hand: every time you finish a session, you export; every time you start one on the other device, you import.

A note on Stacks

Sharing a Stack exports either its canvases as separate images or, if you choose PDF, a grouped document. If you want to keep layer information, use the Procreate format rather than a flattened image format.

Method 3: Drag and drop from the Gallery

Drag and drop is handy when you want to move files into Files or Photos without going through the share sheet.

1. Open the iPad's Settings app, go to Apps → Procreate, and set your Preferred File Format (for drags into Files) and Preferred Image Format (for drags into Photos).
2. In Procreate's Gallery, tap Select and choose your artworks.
3. Press and hold one selected artwork to pick up the group.
4. With another finger, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to reach Files or Photos.
5. Release over the destination folder.

If you want to move editable work, set the file format to .procreate. If you only need a flat reference image, a PNG or JPEG is fine, but you can't get layers back from a flattened export.

One caution: if you export JPEGs into Photos and you share an Apple ID or use iCloud Photos, those images may appear on every device signed in to that account. That matters if you work on unreleased client material.

Method 4: Back up and restore, or use Quick Start

If you're replacing an iPad rather than juggling two, move everything at once.

• Quick Start transfers data from an existing iPad or iPhone to a new one during setup, following Apple's own setup flow.
• A full iPad backup to iCloud or a computer, then a restore onto the new device, effectively clones the old iPad onto the new one.

Restoring a backup overwrites what is on the new iPad, so don't do it if the new device already holds work you want to keep. In that case, export the files you need and import them by hand instead.

Reports from artists show that even an iCloud backup with Procreate toggled on sometimes fails to bring canvases and brushes across. A backup made through a computer is the more dependable option, and you should always keep a second copy of your .procreate files in a separate location.

What not to do mid-transfer

Procreate transfers go wrong in a few predictable ways.

• Never delete and reinstall Procreate to fix a stuck install or update. Deleting the app deletes the locally stored gallery with it, unless you've backed it up elsewhere.
• Back up before updating Procreate or iPadOS. Procreate recommends doing so.
• Don't rely on a single copy. Save .procreate files to more than one secure location.
• Don't edit the same canvas on both iPads and hope for the best. Without sync, you'll end up with two diverging versions, and nothing merges them.

Procreate Pocket and iPhone

Procreate for iPad and Procreate Pocket are separate apps. Community answers suggest the two aren't designed for a seamless shared gallery, so don't expect a canvas to appear on your phone automatically. If you need to move a piece between them, export and import it the same way you would between iPads, and test with a duplicate first, since file compatibility between the apps may not be identical. Check the Procreate Help Center for the current guidance before relying on this for client work.

A simple routine for working across two iPads

Because there's no sync, a consistent routine matters more than any one method.

1. Pick a single source of truth. Keep one cloud folder as the master, for example Projects/ClientName/Procreate.
2. Version your filenames. Use shot02_boardA_v03.procreate rather than overwriting the same name. A version number makes it obvious which iPad holds the latest copy.
3. Export at the end of every session. Treat it as part of closing the file, like saving a project in After Effects.
4. Import before you start. Check the cloud folder for a newer version first.
5. Keep a monthly full backup of the iPad itself, in addition to the file-level exports.

If you also hand work to other people, add a flattened export such as a PNG beside the .procreate file so collaborators who don't use Procreate can open it.

Getting Procreate work into a motion pipeline

For motion designers and VFX artists, the reason to move a Procreate file is usually to use it downstream: as a style frame, a texture, a matte, or a concept board for an animation. Keep the .procreate file as your editable master, then export layered or flattened versions for the tools you use next, such as After Effects, Photoshop, Cinema 4D, Blender, or Nuke.

Once exported, your Procreate frames can serve as references in whatever tools you use next, including Styleframe.

In practice, this means a clean transfer routine for your Procreate files matters beyond backup. The version you export from the right iPad is the one that becomes the reference for the next stage, so naming and versioning keep you from animating from an outdated drawing.

Quick answers

Can I sync Procreate through iCloud? Not automatically. You can export to iCloud Drive and import from it, and you can include Procreate in an iPad backup, but the gallery itself doesn't mirror across devices.

Will my artwork appear on a relative's iPad if we share an Apple ID? Not through Procreate's gallery, which is local to each device. Exported images saved to iCloud Photos could appear, though, so be careful what you send to Photos.

What's the safest format for moving work? The .procreate format, because it keeps layers, settings, and Time-lapse Replay. Add a flattened export alongside it if other tools need to read the file.

What if I just bought a new iPad? Use Quick Start or a backup restore for a full move, or export and import specific files if you only need some of them. Keep a second backup either way.