What is a .procreate file?
Procreate Document · Design · Savage Interactive · 2011
A .procreate file is a document from Procreate, the popular iPad painting app. It stores the layered artwork, brushes and a time-lapse recording of how the piece was made, as a ZIP package.
What is a .procreate file used for?
Procreate is iPad-first, so .procreate files are made there. The format is a ZIP, so it starts with the ZIP signature, but the layers are stored in Procreate's own layout that only Procreate reads fully.
To share art, Procreate exports to PNG, JPG, PSD (with layers) or a time-lapse video. There is no full desktop viewer for the native format.
What opens a .procreate file?
The .procreate format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list.
Windows
- Export to PSD/PNG from Procreate first
- 7-Zip (to inspect)
macOS
- Export to PSD/PNG from Procreate first
Linux
- Export to PSD/PNG first
Open a .procreate file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .procreate. Drop it into the WhatFileType identifier, which reads its signature in your browser without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with Export to PSD/PNG from Procreate first or 7-Zip (to inspect).
- On Mac, use Export to PSD/PNG from Procreate first.
- On Linux, try Export to PSD/PNG first.
- Still stuck? Convert the .procreate to psd, which opens more widely.
Why can't I open my .procreate file?
Almost always because no installed app understands Procreate. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads. If double-clicking opens the wrong program instead of nothing at all, the file association is set to the wrong app rather than the file being broken.
The other possibility is that the file is not really a .procreate at all. Drop it into the file identifier to check it by its bytes instead of its name. Nothing is uploaded.
How to convert a .procreate file
You can convert a .procreate file to psd, png, jpg, tiff using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
What is the .procreate file signature (magic bytes)?
A .procreate file starts with the hex bytes 50 4B 03 04, which read as PK.. in ASCII. Programs identify Procreate by those bytes, not by the filename, so a renamed file still gives itself away.
These are the documented signatures for Procreate. For a full breakdown, see the ZIP file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | ASCII | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 4B 03 04 | 0 | PK.. | ZIP package (PK..) |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .procreate file?
A .procreate file is a document from Procreate, the popular iPad painting app. It stores the layered artwork, brushes and a time-lapse recording of how the piece was made, as a ZIP package.
How do I open a .procreate file on a computer?
There is no full desktop app. In Procreate on the iPad, export to PSD (keeps layers) or PNG, then open that on your computer.
Can I open a .procreate file in Photoshop?
Not directly. Export it from Procreate as a PSD, which Photoshop opens with the layers preserved.
What is inside a .procreate file?
The layered artwork, the brushes used, and a time-lapse recording of the painting, all bundled in a ZIP in Procreate's own layout.
Related formats
Sources
Details on this page were checked against authoritative references. How sources are ranked and what is deliberately left out is set out in the methodology.