Why Windows can’t open it
A .procreate file is Procreate’s own format, and Procreate is only made for Apple’s iPad and iPhone. Windows doesn’t know the format, so double-clicking the file asks which app to use, and none of the usual ones (Photos, Paint, Photoshop) can read it.
The file isn’t broken. It needs a program that understands Procreate’s layout and turns it into something Windows can open, like PNG or PSD.
The fastest way: open it in your browser
toPSD runs in current Chrome, Edge and Firefox on Windows. Drop the file on the converter and you see the full artwork and the layer list as soon as the file is read. From there:
- Download the flat PNG at full resolution, free and without signing in.
- Download a layered PSD if you need to edit it. The first one is free with an account.
- Download the time-lapse video, if the file has one.
This works on PCs where you can’t install software, such as a work laptop or a school computer, because there is nothing to install. The file stays on the PC; toPSD has no upload step.
Other ways to open it on Windows
| Option | What you get | Install? | Layered PSD? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ask the artist to export from Procreate | Exact PSD, PNG or PDF | No | Yes |
| toPSD in the browser | Preview, layer list, full-size PNG, layered PSD | No | Yes |
| Silicate (free desktop app) | Viewer and flat image export | Yes | No |
| ProcreateViewer (free Windows app) | Viewer, layer list, flat image export | Yes | No |
Rename to .zip |
A small preview image and raw tiles | No | No |
| Upload-based online converters | Often only the small preview image | No, but the file is uploaded | Rarely stated |
If the artist can reach their iPad, asking them for a PSD is the simplest answer. When they can’t, or the file is one of many old backups, toPSD gets you the layers without them.
Editing it in a free app
The PSD from toPSD is a standard layered file. We opened one in GIMP 3.2 (our test machine runs Linux; GIMP is the same app on Windows) and it came in with its layer names, groups, blend modes, layer mask, clipping and Display P3 profile. GIMP is free, so that is a no-cost way to keep working on the layers. The GIMP guide has the full test results. Photoshop users can follow opening a Procreate file in Photoshop.
“Procreate for Windows” downloads
Searching for Procreate on Windows turns up sites offering a free download. There is no Windows version of Procreate, so these are not official, and running their installers puts your PC at risk. To work on the art on Windows, convert it to PSD and open it in an app you already have.
Next steps
- Editing in Photoshop: open a Procreate file in Photoshop
- Using a free editor: open a Procreate file in GIMP or in Krita
- Just need an image: Procreate to PNG
- Looking before you convert: view a Procreate file online
- Lost the iPad: get your Procreate files back without an iPad