How to Backup your Procreate Files (including palettes and brushes)

What would happen to your Procreate files if your iPad suddenly stopped working? Would your art be safe?

Most people don’t realize that Procreate does not automatically back up your artwork anywhere outside the app. That means if you accidentally delete Procreate, run into issues during an update, or switch to a new iPad, you could lose everything – your entire gallery, brushes, and color palettes.

With a new version of Procreate on the horizon, now is the perfect time to secure your work. In this guide, I’ll show you a foolproof way to back up your Procreate artwork, brushes, and color palettes so you never have to worry about losing your designs again.

And at the end, I’ll share a simple setting tweak that will cut your backup time in half!

Watch the video below for the full demo, or see the written steps below the video.

Back Up Your Entire iPad

If you want to back up everything on your iPad – including your Procreate files – you can use iTunes or iCloud. However, keep in mind:

• iTunes Backup creates a complete clone of your iPad, but you can’t restore individual files, only your entire device. Find out more about how to backup to iTunes by clicking here. 
• iCloud Backup also saves everything, but it doesn’t let you access or restore specific Procreate files.

To make sure Procreate is included in your iCloud backup, go to:

Settings → iCloud → See All and toggle on Procreate.

Then, while still in the Settings menu, select ‘iCloud Backup’ and tap ‘Back Up Now’ to manually start a backup.

⚠️ Important: Since these methods don’t allow you to recover individual Procreate files, I recommend also using the manual backup method shown below.

Back Up Procreate Files Individually (Recommended)

To keep your artwork safe and easily accessible, it’s best to manually back up your Procreate files. This way, you can restore individual files without having to roll back your entire iPad.

What You’ll Need external storage in the form of either :

• A computer or external hard drive
• Cloud Storage (Dropbox, iCloud or Google Drive)

I’ll be using Dropbox, but you can follow the same steps with Google Drive or iCloud Drive.

Set Up Your Backup Folder

Open the Files app (blue folder icon) and create a new folder inside your cloud storage named Procreate Backup.

But First…. Name Your Canvases!
Procreate’s default names like “Untitled” can make backups confusing. Take a moment before you start to rename your files in the Gallery so they’re easy to find later.

Method 1: Back Up a Single File

1. Open Procreate and go to the Gallery.
2. Swipe left on a file and tap Share.
3. Select Procreate as the file format.
4. Choose Save to Files and select your Procreate Backup folder.

Method 2: Batch Back Up Multiple Files

1. In the Gallery, tap Select (top-right corner).
2. Tap the circle icons under the file thumbnails to select multiple files.
3. Tap Share and choose Procreate as the file type.
4. Select Save to Files and choose your Procreate Backup folder.

Pro Tip: If you select a Stack, everything inside it will be backed up so keep this in mind and make sure you don’t overload the system with too many files at once.

Save in a Secondary Format (Optional but Recommended)

While .procreate files retain all your layers and settings, they only work inside Procreate. To future-proof your work, consider exporting files in an additional format:

• .PSD (Photoshop) → Best for keeping layers and working in apps like Affinity Designer.
• .PNG or .JPG → Easier to preview but doesn’t keep layers.

To export in another format:

1. Follow the same steps as before, but choose PSD instead of Procreate.
2. Save these files in a separate folder (e.g., “PSD Backup”).

Back Up Your Brushes & Color Palettes

Backing Up Brushes (Bulk Method)

1. Open Procreate.
2. Swipe up from the bottom of your iPad and open the Files app in split-screen mode.
3. Navigate to your Procreate Backup folder.
4. Create a new folder named Procreate Brushes.
5. Hold down a brush set and slightly move it until you see a green “+” icon.
6. While still holding, tap additional brush sets to select multiple at once.
7. Drag them all into the Procreate Brushes folder.

Don’t Forget: Check your Imported folder in Procreate – this is where individual brushes are installed.

Backing Up Color Palettes

1. Open Procreate and tap the color circle (top-right corner).
2. Select the Palettes tab.
3. Hold down a palette title and slightly move it.
4. While holding, tap additional palettes to select multiple.
5. Drag them into your Procreate Backup folder in the Files app.

Speed Up Your Backup Process! (Time-Saving Tip)

You can also drag and drop your Procreate files instead of manually saving each one.

✅ Enable Drag & Drop Export:

1. Tap the Actions menu (wrench icon).
2. Go to Help → Advanced Settings.
3. Under Drag and Drop Export, select Procreate.

Now, with split-screen mode, you can drag and drop multiple files straight into your backup folder!

Bonus: After saving your files in Procreate format, switch the setting to PSD and drag them into a separate PSD Backup folder. This saves you time manually selecting formats. Don’t forget to switch it back to Procreate when you’re done!

That’s It! Your Artwork is Now Secure.

By following these steps, you now have a complete backup of your: 

✔️ Artwork
✔️ Brushes
✔️ Color palettes

All stored safely and ready to restore anytime.

Now, you can create in Procreate with peace of mind, knowing your work is protected!