How to Install Procreate Brushes

Installing new brushes in Procreate takes under a minute once you know the flow, but the first time, the ZIP file, the Files app and the import button can trip anyone up. This is the complete, tap-by-tap guide, including what to do when the file won't open.

What you're installing: .brushset vs .brush

DigiKitPro kits (and most professional packs) ship as a single .brushset file, that's a whole organized library in one tap. A .brush file is a single brush. Both install the same way.

If your download arrived as a ZIP (common with large kits like the 650 Procreate Brushes Mega Bundle), you must unzip it first.

Step 1: Download the file to your iPad

After checkout on Payhip you get an instant download page plus a permanent email link. Tap the link in Safari on the iPad where Procreate lives, and choose Download. The file lands in the Files app → Downloads (usually "On My iPad" or "iCloud Drive", depending on your settings).

Step 2: Unzip if needed

Open the Files app, find your download, and tap the ZIP once, iPadOS automatically extracts it into a folder of the same name. Open that folder; inside are your .brushset files. (Kits with several ZIPs, like the big bundles, unpack one by one the same way.)

Step 3: Install, three easy ways

Method A, the tap. In Files, tap the .brushset file once. Procreate opens and imports it automatically. Done.

Method B, drag and drop. Open Procreate, then split-screen or slide-over the Files app. Drag the .brushset onto your open canvas or onto the Brush Library panel.

Method C, from inside Procreate. Open the Brush Library (paintbrush icon), tap the + top-right, tap Import, and pick the .brushset from Files.

Step 4: Find your new brushes

Imported sets appear at the top of the Brush Library, named exactly as the kit (e.g. "Essential Line Art & Sketch Kit"). Grouped kits like the Portrait Mastery Kit appear as one set with organized sections inside.

Fixing the common problems

"The file is greyed out / won't tap open"

You're probably taping the ZIP, not the .brushset. Tap the ZIP first to extract, then tap the .brushset inside the new folder.

"Procreate opens but nothing imports"

Update Procreate to the latest version and re-download the file from your Payhip email link, a corrupted partial download is the usual cause.

"I only see single .brush files"

Some packs ship individual brushes. Method B (drag-and-drop several at once) is the fastest install for those.

"Not enough storage"

Brushes are small, but unpacking a 1 GB watercolor library needs roughly 2× free space temporarily. Clear some room, import, then delete the ZIPs.

Organizing after install

Long-press any set to rename it, artists usually prefix favorites or workflow order ("01 SKETCH…", "02 SKIN…"). Duplicate a brush before tweaking its settings in Brush Studio so the original stays intact.

FAQ

Do .brushset files work in other apps?

No, .brushset/.brush are Procreate-only formats. They will not open in Photoshop, Clip Studio or Affinity. (DigiKitPro product pages always list the format and requirements up front.)