Procreate
DeveloperSavage Interactive
ReleasedMarch 16, 2011 (age 15)
Latest release version5.4.8 (iPad)[1]
4.0.15 (Pocket)[2]
Latest release dateDecember 17, 2025 (age 0) (iPad)
September 27, 2025 (age 1) (Pocket)
Operating system
Platform
LanguageEnglish (United States), English (United Kingdom), English (Australia), Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish.
Language count13
Language footnote[3]
GenreRaster graphics editor
LicenseProprietary
Websiteprocreate.com

Procreate is a raster graphics editor app for digital painting developed and published by the Australian company Savage Interactive for iOS and iPadOS.[4] It was launched on the App Store in 2011.[5][6]

Versions

Procreate

Procreate for iPad was first released in 2011 by the Tasmanian software company Savage Interactive. In June 2013, Savage launched Procreate 2 in conjunction with iOS 7, adding new features such as higher resolution capabilities and more brush options.[7]

In 2016, Procreate became one of the top ten best-selling iPad apps on the App Store.[8] In 2018, Procreate became the overall best selling iPad app.[9]

With iOS 26, Procreate adapted Liquid Glass into its software.

As of March 2026, the most recent version of Procreate for the iPad is 5.4.9.

Procreate Pocket

Procreate Pocket was released to the App Store in December 2014.[10]

In 2018, Savage launched Procreate Pocket 2.0 to the App Store.[11]

In December 2018, Procreate Pocket received Apple's "App of the Year" award.[12][13]

As of September 2025, the most recent version of Procreate Pocket (for the iPhone) is 4.0.15.

Procreate Dreams

Procreate Dreams, their more recent app focused on 2D animation, was released on the App Store on November 22, 2023.[14][15]

While the application is commended for its intuitive interface and accessibility,[16] some reviewers have noted that it may lack some key animations features, such as reference layers.[17]

In June 2024, Procreate Dreams received the 2024 Apple Design Award for Innovation.[18]

In December 2025, Savage Interactive released Procreate Dreams 2,[19] a long awaited update and redesign to Procreate Dreams.

Features

The current versions of Procreate use Valkyrie, a proprietary graphics engine to allow customisable brush options and importing brushes from Adobe Photoshop.[20] Procreate offers known features like layers, masks, and blending mode. Its biggest standout compared to other professional drawing software is its simple UI and comparatively easy learning curve.

The app also allows for animation. Savage expanded upon Procreate's animation features with a companion app dedicated to 2D animation called Procreate Dreams, released in November 2023.[14][15]

On August 2024, Procreate announced that it would not be incorporating generative artificial intelligence into its software.[21] Savage offers a free internet forum called Procreate Discussions in which users can ask for help, suggest ideas, and share user-generated content on the marketplace or the resources board.

Notable users

Concept artist Doug Chiang creates robot, vehicle, and creature designs for Star Wars in Procreate.[22]

Professional artists have also used Procreate to create the posters for Stranger Things,[23] Logan,[24] and Blade Runner 2049,[25] as well as several covers for The New Yorker.[26][27] It has also been professionally adopted at Marvel Comics, DC Comics,[28] Disney Animation, and Pixar.[29]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Procreate". Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  2. ^ "Procreate Pocket". Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  3. ^ "Procreate FAQ". Savage Interactive. Archived April 13, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  4. ^ "James Cuda: Savage Interactive". Make It Tasmania. April 15, 2019. Archived from the original on March 19, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  5. ^ "A look at Procreate, a new painting app for the iPad". FingerPainted.it. March 24, 2011. Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2011.
  6. ^ "Procreate Review". 148apps.com. November 8, 2011. Archived November 10, 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  7. ^ "Procreate 2 brings GPU accelerated filters, 4K canvases & 64-bit to iPad app". Digital Arts. Digital Arts Online. Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  8. ^ "App Store shatters records on New Years Day". Apple.com. Archived July 9, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
  9. ^ "Apple presents the best of 2018". Apple.com. Archived December 4, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  10. ^ "Procreate Pocket is an iPhone version of the popular iPad art app". Digital Arts. 9to5Mac.com. Archived December 28, 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  11. ^ Benjamin, Jeff (May 21, 2018). "Procreate Pocket receives major 2.0 update that's built from the ground up". 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac.com. Archived May 22, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  12. ^ "Best of 2018: Apps of the Year". Apple. Archived December 4, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  13. ^ "Best of 2018: Apps of the Year". Apple. Archived December 4, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  14. ^ "Procreate Dreams". Procreate. Archived August 19, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  15. ^ Procreate (2023-09-08). Procreate Dreams Reveal Keynote. Retrieved 2024-08-19. – via YouTube.
  16. ^ Rob Redman (2023-11-22). "Procreate Dreams review: accessible, powerful, creative… faultless". Creative Bloq. Archived February 11, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-01-23.
  17. ^ Josephine Watson (2023-12-12). "Procreate Dreams isn't quite the revolution I wanted for animation – but I'm holding out hope". TechRadar. Retrieved 2025-01-23.
  18. ^ "Apple announces winners of the 2024 Apple Design Awards". Apple. June 6, 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  19. ^ "Procreate Dreams 2". Procreate. Archived 30 December 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  20. ^ "Procreate is getting a new graphics engine and the ability to import Photoshop brushes". The Verge. 2019-09-06. Archived May 15, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
  21. ^ Edwards, Benj (August 20, 2024). "Procreate defies AI trend, pledges "no generative AI" in its illustration app". ARS Technica. Condé Nast. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  22. ^ "Doug Chiang: The Evolution of Star Wars Design - Designing Episode I Live Panel at SWCC 2019". Star Wars - YouTube. April 14, 2019. Archived January 22, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  23. ^ "'Stranger Things' iconic poster created on Apple's iPad Pro". Mashable. Archived August 10, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  24. ^ "Incredible Logan poster painted on iPad Pro towers over Times Square". CultofMac.com. March 6, 2017. Archived March 6, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  25. ^ "An Interview with James Jean — Creating Posters for Blade Runner 2049 and the Year's Most Anticipated Films". Booooooom.com. Archived October 7, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
  26. ^ "Latest New Yorker Cover Was Drawn With an Apple Pencil". Adweek. January 4, 2017. Archived December 13, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  27. ^ "iPad art graces cover of latest New Yorker". CultofMac.com. May 26, 2017. Archived May 27, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  28. ^ "Watch a Marvel and DC Comics illustrator do what he does best with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil". PhoneArena.com. April 6, 2016. Archived April 9, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  29. ^ Miller, Chance (October 6, 2015). "Disney animators use iPad Pro to sketch characters such as Mickey and Olaf". 9to5Mac. 9to5mac.com. Archived October 7, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 6, 2015.