While drawing with your finger can be handy, most artists using an Apple Pencil crave precision.

The good news is that you can disable finger drawing completely. 

To turn off finger drawing in Procreate, go to the Actions menu (wrench icon) > Prefs > Gesture Controls, and under the General section, toggle off “Enable painting with finger.” This simple change can revolutionize your workflow, giving you total control over your digital canvas.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to make this change, customize your gesture controls for maximum efficiency, and troubleshoot any common issues you might encounter along the way.

Why You Should Turn Off Finger Drawing in Procreate

Procreate’s ability to accept input from both a stylus and your fingers is designed for flexibility.

However, this “feature” often becomes a frustration for artists who rest their hand on the screen.

Here’s why disabling finger drawing is a game-changer.

Prevents Accidental Marks

This is the biggest reason. No more stray lines from your palm, pinky, or other fingers while you’re focused on drawing with your stylus.

Improves Canvas Navigation

With finger drawing off, you can confidently use your fingers for what they do best: gestures. Pinch to zoom, twist to rotate, and pan across your canvas without leaving a single unwanted mark.

Creates a Dedicated Stylus Workflow

It forces a clear distinction between your tools. The Apple Pencil is for creating, and your fingers are for navigating. This separation streamlines your process and reduces mental friction.

Enhances Precision

When you know only your stylus can make a mark, you gain confidence and control, leading to cleaner lines and more deliberate strokes.

How to Turn Off Finger Drawing: The Step-by-Step Guide

Disabling touch drawing takes less than 30 seconds. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Open any canvas in Procreate.
2. Tap the Actions icon (the wrench 🔧) in the top-left corner of the toolbar.
3. Tap on the “Prefs” tab.
4. Select “Gesture controls” from the menu. This will open the Gesture Control Panel.
5. In the panel, tap on the “General” tab on the left.
6. Find the toggle for “Enable painting with finger” and switch it OFF.

That’s it! Your fingers will now only be used for gestures, and all drawing, painting, smudging, and erasing will be exclusively handled by your Apple Pencil or other compatible stylus.

Disable Finger Drawing in Procreate – Video Tutorial

Fine-Tuning Your Touch Settings for Better Control

Disabling finger drawing is the most effective solution, but Procreate offers other settings that help manage how the app responds to touch.

Adjust Palm Support

Even with finger drawing off, your iPad needs to know how to ignore your palm. Procreate has a built-in setting for this, but it’s located in your main iPad Settings, not within the app itself.

1. Close Procreate and open the iPad Settings app.
2. Scroll down the left-hand menu until you find “Procreate”.
3. Tap on it, then select “Palm Support Level”.
4. You have two options:
   • Standard: Good for most users.
   • Fine: Ideal for users who rest a lot of their hand on the screen.
   • Disabled: Only recommended if you use a drawing glove.

Experiment with both “Standard” and “Fine” to see which one works best for your drawing posture.

Customize Your Apple Pencil

You can also customize the double-tap feature on the Apple Pencil (2nd generation and later) to speed up your workflow.

1. Go to iPad Settings > Apple Pencil.
2. Choose what the double-tap gesture does. Popular options include:
   • Switch Between Current Tool and Eraser
   • Show Color Palette
   • Switch to Last Used Tool

Customizing Procreate’s Gesture Controls

The Gesture Controls panel is the command center for personalizing your Procreate experience. Now that your fingers are free from drawing duties, you can assign them powerful new jobs.

Go back to Actions > Prefs > Gesture Controls to explore these options:

• Smudge/Erase: Assign a gesture (like “Tap + Hold”) to quickly switch to the Smudge or Erase tool.
• Eyedropper: Set a gesture to instantly sample a color from your canvas. The default is often a long press, which is very intuitive.
• QuickMenu: This is a must-use feature. Assign a gesture (e.g., a four-finger tap) to bring up a customizable radial menu of your favorite tools and actions. It’s like having a personalized shortcut menu at your fingertips.
• Undo/Redo: While the default two-finger tap for undo and three-finger tap for redo is excellent, you can disable it here if you find yourself triggering it accidentally.

Take a few minutes to explore this panel. A well-customized gesture setup can dramatically increase your drawing speed.

Troubleshooting Common Touch Issues

Here are some quick fixes for common issues related to touch controls.

Why My stylus stopped working?

Disabling finger drawing should not affect your stylus. Check that your Apple Pencil is charged and properly connected via Bluetooth in your iPad Settings.

Why am I still getting accidental Undo/Redo actions?

Your two-finger tap might be too sensitive. In Procreate, go to Actions > Prefs and adjust the “Rapid Undo Delay”. Increasing the delay requires a more deliberate tap, preventing accidental triggers.

Why I can’t move the canvas with one finger anymore?

This is expected behavior. Once finger painting is off, you must use two fingers (pinch, pan, or rotate) to navigate the canvas.

Why My palm is still making the screen react?

Try adjusting the Palm Support Level to “Fine” in the iPad’s Procreate settings. If that doesn’t solve it, a simple drawing glove that covers your last two fingers can eliminate the issue entirely.

Pros and Cons of Disabling Finger Drawing

Deciding whether to turn off finger drawing depends on your personal workflow.

For most artists who primarily use a stylus, the pros far outweigh the cons.

FAQs

Conclusion

Turning off finger drawing in Procreate is a small adjustment that delivers a massive improvement in quality of life for digital artists.

By combining this setting with customized gestures and a few workflow optimizations, you can transform Procreate from a powerful app into a personalized digital studio that works exactly the way you want it to.

So go ahead, disable finger painting, and enjoy the freedom of a smudge-free canvas.

 Initial Canvas Setup

Before we even touch the resize tools, let’s talk about the most important step: your initial canvas setup. Think of your digital art as being built from tiny squares called pixels. The more pixels you have, the more detail your image holds.

It’s always easier to make a large image smaller (downsizing) than to make a small image larger (upscaling). When you downsize, Procreate intelligently discards pixels. When you upscale, it has to guess what the new pixels should look like, which often leads to blurriness.

Pro Tip: Always create your canvas for the largest size you might possibly need. If you’re creating a piece for Instagram but think you might want to print it as a poster later, create it at the poster size and resolution first.

• For Print: Aim for 300 DPI (Dots Per Inch). This is the industry standard for high-quality printed materials.
• For Screens (Web, Social Media): 72 to 144 DPI is usually sufficient, but working at 300 DPI and exporting a smaller file is a safer workflow.

‘Resample Canvas’ Method

When you need to change the size of your entire artwork, the Resample Canvas tool is your best friend. It resizes both the canvas and your art at the same time, using smart algorithms to preserve quality.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Duplicate Your Work: Before making any changes, go to the Gallery and duplicate your project. This gives you a backup if you’re not happy with the result.
2. Open the Actions Menu: Tap the wrench icon in the top-left corner.
3. Navigate to Canvas: Select the ‘Canvas’ tab.
4. Turn on Resample: Tap on Crop and Resize. At the bottom of the screen, make sure the Resample Canvas switch is toggled on. If it’s off, you’ll only crop the canvas, not resize the art.
5. Enter New Dimensions: You can type in the exact pixel dimensions or change the DPI. To avoid distortion, make sure the small chain link icon between the width and height is locked.
6. Choose Interpolation: Tap the Resample setting (it might say Bicubic by default) to choose your method. We’ll cover what these mean in the next section.
7. Done: Tap Done to apply the changes.

Choosing Your Interpolation ‘Flavor’

When you resample, Procreate has to create or delete pixels. Interpolation is the mathematical method it uses to do this. Procreate gives you three “flavors” to choose from.

For 99% of resizing tasks, Bicubic is the one you want. It looks at surrounding pixels to make a highly educated guess, resulting in smooth transitions and the best detail preservation.

Resizing Specific Parts with the Transform Tool

What if you only want to resize one layer, like a character or an object? That’s where the Transform Tool (the arrow icon) comes in.

1. Select the layer you want to resize.
2. Tap the arrow icon to activate the Transform Tool.
3. In the options at the bottom, make sure Uniform is selected to avoid squishing your art.
4. Pinch to scale your layer up or down.
5. Important: Tap the link icon at the bottom of the screen to open the Interpolation settings. Just like with Resample, you can choose Nearest Neighbor, Bilinear, or Bicubic. Again, Bicubic is usually your best bet for quality.

Video Tutorials – Resize Without Losing Quality in Procreate

Pro Tips

Keep these dos and don’ts in mind to get the best results every time.

View at 100%

After resizing, double-tap the canvas to view it at its actual size. This is the most accurate way to check for blurriness.

Sharpen Subtly

Resizing can sometimes soften an image. After you’re done, try adding a very subtle sharpen effect. Go to Actions > Adjustments > Sharpen and slide it up just a few percent (1-5%).

Use Vector Text

Procreate’s ‘Add Text’ feature is vector-based, meaning you can resize text as much as you want without any quality loss.

Don’t Drastically Upscale Small Images

You can’t magically create detail that isn’t there. Trying to turn a tiny 500×500 pixel sketch into a 4K masterpiece will always look blurry.

Don’t Forget to Lock Aspect Ratio

Unless you’re intentionally stretching your art, always keep the aspect ratio locked (the chain link icon) to prevent distortion.

Don’t Over-Sharpen

Too much sharpening creates ugly digital artifacts and harsh halos around your lines. A little goes a long way.

FAQs

Conclusion

Resizing your art in Procreate doesn’t have to be a gamble. By starting with a high-resolution canvas and using the Resample Canvas tool with Bicubic interpolation, you have full control over the final quality of your work.

Now you can confidently prepare your art for any purpose, from a high-quality giclée print to a stunning social media post. So go ahead, resize with confidence, and share your incredible creations.

Get it wrong, and you could end up with a pixelated mess. Get it right, and you’ll have a flexible, high-quality file ready for anything.

In short, finding the best canvas size in Procreate all comes down to what you plan to do with your art. While there’s no single perfect size, a fantastic starting point for most digital work is 3000 x 3000 pixels at 300 DPI, offering a great balance of sharp detail and smooth performance. If you’re aiming for a high-quality print, you’ll want to think bigger—around 6000 x 6000 pixels ensures your work stays crisp on paper. And for social media, using platform-specific sizes like 1080 x 1080 pixels is the secret to making your art look sharp and avoiding messy compression.

This guide will demystify Procreate canvas sizes once and for all. Whether you’re drawing for fun, printing your work, or posting on Instagram, we’ll help you pick the perfect dimensions every time.

Canvas Size in Procreate: Pixels & DPI

Before picking a size, let’s quickly break down the two terms you’ll see everywhere: Pixels and DPI.

• Pixels (px): Think of pixels as tiny square building blocks, like LEGO bricks. Your canvas dimensions (e.g., 3000 x 2000 px) tell you how many of these blocks make up its width and height. More pixels = more detail and the ability to zoom in without things getting blurry.
• DPI (Dots Per Inch): This setting is crucial for printing. It tells a printer how many “dots” of ink to place in every inch of paper. A higher DPI packs more dots into the same space, creating a sharper, more detailed print.

Here’s the golden rule:

• For screens (web, social media): DPI doesn’t matter as much. Screens display images based on pixel dimensions alone. The standard is often 72 or 132 DPI, but you can leave it at 300 DPI without issue.
• For printing: 300 DPI is the industry standard. Anything less may look blurry or pixelated when printed.

Consider Before Choosing a Size

Don’t just pick a random preset! Ask yourself these questions first:

1. What’s the final destination? Is this artwork for an Instagram post, a professional art print, a website banner, or just for practice? Your end goal is the single most important factor.
2. How much detail do you need? A simple sketch doesn’t need a massive canvas, but a complex, multi-layered painting will benefit from more pixels.
3. What iPad model do you have? Your iPad’s processor and RAM determine how large a canvas it can handle and how many layers you get. A larger canvas size will give you fewer available layers. Procreate will show you the “Maximum layers” count as you adjust your canvas settings.
4. Do you plan to print it someday? Even if you’re not sure, it’s always safer to work on a print-ready canvas. You can always shrink a high-resolution image for the web, but you can’t effectively enlarge a low-resolution one for print.

Recommended Canvas Sizes for Digital Art

If your art will only live on screens—like in a digital portfolio, on a website, or as a desktop wallpaper—you can focus on pixel dimensions.

A great starting point is to match the resolution of the screen it will be viewed on. The iPad’s screen size is a fantastic default.

Pro Tip: For digital art, a DPI of 132 or 150 is plenty, but working at 300 DPI is a good habit. It won’t affect the on-screen look but keeps your options open for printing later.

Optimal Canvas Sizes for Flawless Prints

When printing, your goal is to deliver a file with enough pixel information to look sharp and clear on paper. This means using 300 DPI is non-negotiable.

Here’s how to calculate the pixel dimensions for common print sizes:
(Inches) x (DPI) = (Pixels)
Example: For an 8″ x 10″ print, you need a canvas of (8″ x 300 DPI) by (10″ x 300 DPI) = 2400 x 3000 pixels.

Here are some standard print-ready canvas sizes at 300 DPI:

Important Note on Color: For professional printing, you may need to use a CMYK color profile. You can set this when creating your canvas. sRGB is standard for digital screens. Check with your print shop to see what they prefer.

Perfect Canvas Sizes for Social Media

Social media platforms compress images, so uploading a file with the exact recommended dimensions will give you the best results. Using a canvas that’s too big can result in blurry or awkwardly cropped images.

Here’s a quick-reference table for the most popular platforms:

Workflow Tip: Create your art on a larger, high-resolution canvas (like 3000 x 3000 px). When you’re finished, export a copy and crop it to the specific social media sizes you need. This way, you always have the high-quality original.

How to Create and Save a Custom Canvas

Don’t see a preset that works for you? Create your own!

The following is a text tutorial.

1. Open Procreate and tap the + icon in the top-right corner.
2. Tap the small folder with a + icon to open the Canvas creation menu.
3. Enter your desired Width and Height in pixels (or inches, mm, cm).
4. Set your DPI (use 300 for print, 150-300 for digital).
5. (Optional) Choose your Color Profile (sRGB for digital, CMYK for print).
6. You’ll see the Maximum layers update in real-time.
7. Give your canvas a name (e.g., “A4 Print Ready”) and tap Create.

Your custom preset is now saved in the list for one-tap access next time!

Tips for Maximizing Procreate’s Performance

Working on a massive canvas can sometimes slow Procreate down, especially on older iPads. Here’s how to keep things running smoothly:

• Merge Layers: Once you’re happy with a part of your artwork, merge the layers for that section. Fewer layers = better performance.
• Close Other Apps: Free up your iPad’s memory by closing apps running in the background.
• Stay Updated: Always use the latest version of iPadOS and Procreate for the best performance optimizations.
• Avoid Huge Brushes: Using extremely large, complex brushes on a giant canvas can cause lag.
• Work in Sections: For enormous projects (like a massive poster), consider creating separate Procreate files for different sections and combining them later in a desktop program like Photoshop or Affinity Photo.

Common Canvas Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common pitfalls to save yourself time and frustration:

Mistake #1: Starting Too Small. 

The “I’ll just scale it up later” trap never works. You can’t add pixels that aren’t there. Always start bigger than you think you need.

Mistake #2: Forgetting to Set 300 DPI for Print. 

A 72 DPI image will look great on screen but disappointingly blurry on paper. Set it to 300 from the start.

Mistake #3: Ignoring Layer Limits. 

If you know your style requires dozens of layers, don’t choose a massive 8K canvas. Find a balance between size and the number of layers you need.

Mistake #4: Using the Wrong Color Profile. 

Creating print artwork in sRGB can lead to colors looking dull or different when printed. Use CMYK for professional print jobs.

Conclusion

Choosing the best Procreate canvas size isn’t about finding one magic number—it’s about matching your canvas to your goal.

To sum it up:

• For Digital Use: Focus on pixel dimensions. 3000 x 3000 px is a great, versatile starting point.
• For Print: Think in inches or cm and always set your DPI to 300.
• For Social Media: Use the exact dimensions recommended by the platform for the sharpest look.

By taking a moment to set up your canvas correctly, you ensure your artwork looks its best, no matter where it ends up. Now go create something amazing!

FAQs