If Procreate unexpectedly quits, don’t panic - your work is probably safe. We’ve worked hard to make the app as stable as possible and take these situations seriously. We put special care into safeguarding your Procreate documents even in the rare case of the app quitting unexpectedly.
Procreate crashe s can be caused by a variety of factors, from insufficient storage to complex brushes or conflicting system processes. Below is a comprehensive guide to identify, diagnose, and resolve common crash scenarios, while preserving your artwork and ensuring smoother performance in future sessions.
Common causes of Procreate crashes
Your iPad needs enough free storage space to run smoothly. Running out of space can lead to instability, longer save times, and unexpected quits when rendering high‑resolution canvases or importing resources.
Outdated software or app versions may introduce stability issues. Ensure both iPadOS and Procreate are updated to the latest releases, as updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements.
Extremely large canvases or heavy brush configurations can strain memory and processing power. Consider resizing canvases, simplifying layers, or reducing brush complexity to maintain stability during intense sessions.
Corrupted documents or assets (brushes, textures, imported images) can trigger crashes when Procreate attempts to render or apply effects. Regularly manage and back up assets to minimize risk.
Plugins, third‑party brushes, or improperly installed resources can conflict with Procreate, causing unexpected quits. Use trusted sources and disable or remove problematic assets to test stability.
Background processes and other app activity on iPadOS can impact Procreate performance. Closing unused apps and reducing multitasking can help resources stay available for Procreate.
Troubleshooting steps
Start with quick checks and move to deeper diagnostics as needed. Follow these steps in order to maximize the chances of a clean recovery without data loss.
- Check storage: Go to Settings > General > iPad Storage and free up space by offloading unused apps, old files, or moving data to iCloud or external storage.
- Update software: Ensure iPadOS and Procreate are up to date. Install any pending updates and restart your device.
- Restart Procreate and iPad: Force‑quit Procreate if it’s unresponsive, then reopen. If issues persist, reboot the iPad by pressing and holding the Power Button as described and powering it back on.
- Test with a new canvas: Create a fresh document with modest dimensions and a simple brush setup to see if crashes reproduce under lighter conditions.
- Isolate content: If a specific document crashes, try removing recent layers, effects, or imported assets, or duplicate the document to a new file and test.
- Manage brushes and assets: Disable or remove recently added brushes or textures, especially large or complex ones, and re‑test Procreate.
- Check memory usage: Avoid extremely high‑resolution canvases, multiple active layers with effects, and heavy brush packs simultaneously.
- Backup and restore: Regularly back up Procreate files to iCloud Drive or another cloud service. If a document seems corrupted, restore from a recent backup.
- Reinstall if needed: If crashes continue, delete Procreate from the iPad and reinstall from the App Store, ensuring you have backups of your work.
Best practices to prevent crashes
Plan canvas size and document structure with memory constraints in mind. Use moderate‑sized canvases when possible and combine layers efficiently to avoid excessive strain during editing and effects processing.
Keep brushes updated and sourced from reputable providers. Regularly review and prune your brush library to remove unused or problematic assets that could destabilize the app.
Enable automatic backups to protect work between sessions. Procreate saves can be restored if a crash occurs, but proactive backups reduce risk of data loss.
For complex projects, consider working in segmented stages: sketch, line art, color blocks, and final detailing. This approach reduces peak memory usage at any one point and helps avoid crashes during rendering.
When to contact support
If crashes persist after following troubleshooting steps, collect diagnostic details to share with support. Describe the behavior in as much detail as possible, including:
- What tools you used when Procreate crashed, or what you were trying to do
- Recent changes to brushes, textures, or documents
- Device model, iPadOS version, and Procreate version
- Whether the issue occurs with specific canvases, brushes, or assets
Press and hold the Power Button to perform a device restart and reattempt your workflow. If problems continue, report the issue through Procreate’s support channels with the collected information to help engineers diagnose and implement a fix.
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Appendix: quick reference checklist
- Free up storage on the iPad
- Update iPadOS and Procreate
- Restart Procreate or the device
- Test with a new canvas
- Isolate problematic assets
- Back up regularly
- Consider staged workflow for large projects
Practical example workflow
Begin with a modest canvas, a simple brush, and a basic color palette. Save your work frequently and progressively layer in complexity, backing up before applying heavy effects or importing large assets.