To make a background transparent in Procreate, turn off the Background layer in the Layers panel. This reveals the checkerboard transparency grid, and you can then export your artwork as a PNG to keep the transparent backdrop.
How to make a background transparent in Procreate: The direct method
The quickest way to achieve a transparent background is by hiding the default white Background layer. This method works on Procreate for iPad and Procreate Pocket.
- Open your artwork and tap the Layers icon (the two overlapping squares) in the top-right corner.
- In the Layers panel, locate the layer named Background. It is usually the bottom layer and has a white thumbnail.
- Tap the checkmark to the right of the Background layer name. This unchecks and hides the layer, revealing the gray-and-white checkerboard pattern underneath.
- To export with the transparency preserved, go to Share (the wrench icon) and choose PNG as your file format. JPEG will fill the transparent areas with white.
This method instantly removes the solid white backdrop, leaving all other layers intact.
What is transparency in Procreate?
In Procreate, transparency means that a pixel or area has no visible color and allows layers beneath it to show through. Opacity controls how visible a pixel is, a layer starts at 100% opacity unless you change it. Layers themselves are transparent by default until you add content to them. The checkerboard pattern you see in the canvas indicates areas that are fully transparent; any content you place on those spots will appear, and the background will remain clear when exported. The opacity page for iPad help center was dated 2025-06-30 and last updated 2026-03-09. The Procreate handbook opacity page was last updated 2026-09-17.
Using layer masks for selective transparency
Layer masks let you non-destructively hide or show parts of a layer without erasing any pixels. This is ideal for making only certain areas of your background transparent while keeping other elements visible. Layer masks work only on the mask’s grayscale visibility, not by directly deleting the parent layer’s pixels. The layer mask page was retrieved for Procreate handbook versions 5.0 and 5.1, and the Pocket handbook page was also retrieved.
- In the Layers panel, tap the layer you want to edit to open the Layer Options menu.
- Tap Mask. A white mask thumbnail appears next to the layer. By default, a white mask reveals everything on the layer.
- To make the background transparent, tap the mask thumbnail and choose Invert. This turns the mask black, hiding the entire layer content.
- Select a brush and set its color to white. Paint over the areas you want to reveal (the subjects or elements you want to keep visible).
- If you paint over something you meant to hide, switch your brush color to black and paint over that area again. Gray on the mask creates partial transparency.
Layer masks are non-destructive, meaning you can always return to the mask and edit it later without losing your original artwork.
Common mistakes to avoid
Lowering layer opacity does not create a true transparent background for export. Reducing a layer’s opacity in the Layers panel only makes that layer more see-through on screen; it does not remove the background content. When you export as a PNG, the background will still be present, just faded. In the Layers panel, tap the small letter to the right of the layer name (N by default) to access the opacity slider. You can also go to Adjustments > Opacity and slide left to make the layer more transparent. To keep the opacity change, tap the Adjustments icon again or another tool; to discard it, tap Cancel.
Alpha Lock constrains edits but does not remove backgrounds. Alpha Lock locks the transparent pixels of a layer so you can only paint or draw on existing artwork. It protects transparent areas from being painted over, but it does not delete or hide the background itself. Alpha Lock cannot create new pixels in transparent areas because it only affects existing pixels. To remove a background, you must first hide the Background layer or use a mask. In Procreate Pocket, you can swipe a layer left-to-right with two fingers to activate Alpha Lock.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to save as PNG to keep transparency?
PNG is the only file format in Procreate that preserves transparent areas. JPEG automatically fills any transparent pixels with white, which would undo your work.
Is making the background transparent reversible?
Yes. If you hid the Background layer by unchecking it, simply tap the checkmark again to make it visible. If you used a layer mask, you can delete the mask or invert it back to restore the original background.
Can I make only parts of the background transparent?
Yes. Use a layer mask and paint with black to hide specific sections of the background, or use white to reveal them. This gives you full control over which areas become transparent.
Does this work on Procreate Pocket?
Yes. Procreate is not available on Android.
Can I use the Magic Wand tool to make background transparent?
Procreate’s official documentation does not include a Magic Wand tool for removing backgrounds. The supported methods are hiding the Background layer, adjusting opacity, using Alpha Lock, and applying layer masks.
For the wider topic, see coloring, shading and rendering in Procreate.
