Procreate brushes won't import, or are greyed out

A brush that's greyed out in Files, or imports and then isn't there, is almost always a ZIP, a renamed file, or another app getting in the way. Here's how to import brushes reliably, and the fix for each problem.

For Procreate 5.4. From Procreate's Handbook and Community. Checked November 2, 2026.

Import the right way

Procreate's Handbook gives three ways, and the first works almost always:

From Procreate: open the Brush Library, tap + at the top right, then Import, and choose the .brush, .brushset or .brushlibrary file.
Tap the file in Files, Mail or Safari's downloads, and confirm the import.
Drag and drop it from Files into Procreate in Split View. Photoshop .abr brushes import this way.

A single brush lands in a set called Imported; a brush set appears at the top of your brush sets. Scroll the sets list before deciding it didn't work.

Why a brush file is greyed out

It's still zipped. Most brushes are sold as a .zip. Tap it in Files to unzip it, then import the .brushset inside. You can't import a folder or a ZIP.
It isn't a Procreate brush. The name must end in .brush, .brushset or .brushlibrary (or .abr for Photoshop). Brushes for other apps won't import.
Google Drive renamed it. Procreate's team found Google Drive changing the file extension on upload, so Procreate no longer recognises it. Download it on a computer and fix the extension, or move it through iCloud Drive or Dropbox instead.
Another art app claimed the file type. Procreate's team confirmed that other painting apps (Adobe's among them) were taking over Procreate's brush file types, greying them out. Deleting those apps, or importing from inside Procreate with + › Import, got brushes in again.
It's still in iCloud. A file with a cloud icon in Files hasn't downloaded yet. Tap it, wait, then import.

If they import, then vanish

Look in the Imported set and at the top of your sets. If a whole download seems to do nothing, try another browser to download it again (moderators note Safari handles some files better), or ask the brush maker for a fresh copy. One forum case was fixed by renaming files whose names had been mangled with underscores.

Moving brushes to a new iPad

Custom brushes live inside Procreate, so export them before you need them: press and hold a brush (tap more to add them), drag them to Files, or share a whole set. Then import them on the new iPad the same way.

Bringing Procreate brushes to Rindraw

We make Rindraw, which imports .brush, .brushset, .brushlibrary and Photoshop .abr brushes with their shapes, grains and pressure curves, on iPad, iPhone and Mac. See moving from Procreate.

Questions

Why are my Procreate brushes greyed out?

Usually the brush is still inside a .zip, isn't a Procreate brush (.brush, .brushset, .brushlibrary), had its extension changed by Google Drive, or another art app has claimed the file type. Unzip it in Files and import from Procreate's Brush Library with + › Import.

How do I import a .brushset into Procreate?

In Procreate, open the Brush Library, tap + then Import, and choose the .brushset file in Files. It appears at the top of your brush sets.

Where do imported brushes go in Procreate?

Single brushes go to a set called Imported; brush sets appear at the top of your brush sets; brush libraries at the top of your libraries.

Can Procreate import Photoshop brushes?

Yes: Procreate imports .abr brushes. Drag them from Files into Procreate in Split View.

Sources

Procreate Handbook (5.4), Import and share brushes: + › Import from Files; tapping a brush file; drag and drop, including .abr; where imported brushes appear.
Procreate Community, I can't import brushes; greyed-out file?: about 22,000 views; unzip, check it's a Procreate brush, import via + › Import; other art apps overriding file types.
Procreate Community, Can't import brushes (greyed-out files): about 17,000 views; Procreate's team confirmed other painting apps overriding its file types.
Procreate Community, Procreate brushes will not import: about 18,000 views; the .brush or .brushset extension, the Imported set, and renaming mangled files.
Procreate Community, How to import a .BRUSHSET file?: about 14,000 views; Google Drive changing file extensions on upload.

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Procreate is a trademark of Savage Interactive Pty Ltd, and Apple Pencil, iPad and iCloud of Apple. Rindraw is made by Sawir Studio and isn't affiliated with Procreate or Savage Interactive.