My Procreate Image Won't Print at the Right Size — Here's Why

The problem

You spent hours creating artwork in Procreate. You set the canvas to 50×50 cm, exported it, and sent it to print. But the result is either smaller than expected, blurry, or both. This is one of the most common frustrations for artists who use Procreate for printable work. The good news: it’s easy to fix once you understand how Procreate handles canvas dimensions and resolution.

How Procreate canvas size works

Procreate works in pixels, not centimeters. When you create a canvas and set its dimensions to 50 cm, Procreate calculates the pixel count based on the DPI setting. Here’s where the trouble starts: the default DPI in Procreate is 132, which matches the iPad screen density. At 132 DPI, a 50 cm canvas is only about 2598 pixels wide (50 cm ÷ 2.54 × 132 ≈ 2598). That sounds like a lot, but for printing at 300 DPI — the standard for sharp, professional-quality output — you’d need roughly 5906 pixels for that same 50 cm (50 ÷ 2.54 × 300 ≈ 5906). So your 2598-pixel canvas can only print at about 22 cm wide at 300 DPI, or 44 cm at 150 DPI. That’s why the print comes out smaller or blurry — there simply aren’t enough pixels.

How to set up Procreate for printing

1. Create a new canvas → tap Custom Size.
2. Set your dimensions in cm or inches at your target print size (e.g. 50×50 cm).
3. Set DPI to 300 for photo-quality prints, or at least 150 for large posters viewed from a distance.
4. Note: higher DPI means more pixels, which means fewer available layers in Procreate. A 50×50 cm canvas at 300 DPI uses significantly more memory than the same canvas at 132 DPI.

What if my artwork is already done?

If you’ve already finished your art at a low DPI, don’t panic. You have a few options. First, you can print at a smaller size so that the existing pixel count gives you a higher effective DPI. A 2598-pixel-wide image prints beautifully at 22 cm (300 DPI) or acceptably at 44 cm (150 DPI). Second, you can use a tool like GridPrint to handle the math for you. Upload your exported image, set the target physical size, and GridPrint shows you exactly how the print will turn out — including how many pages you’ll need if you’re tiling across multiple sheets.

Export settings

When you’re ready to export from Procreate, choose PNG for the best quality. PNG is lossless, meaning it preserves every pixel exactly as you drew it. JPG uses compression that can introduce artifacts — especially visible around sharp edges, text, and areas with solid colors. To export: tap the wrench icon → Share → PNG. This gives you the full-resolution file. Avoid using the “Share as JPEG” option unless file size is a concern and you’re okay with some quality loss. If your artwork includes transparency (like a sticker design), PNG is your only option anyway since JPG doesn’t support transparent backgrounds.

Quick reference: canvas sizes for common print formats

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