To turn down opacity on Procreate, you can adjust a layer's transparency using the Layers panel or the Adjustments menu on iPad, and the same controls are available on iPhone through Procreate Pocket. These methods give you precise control over how transparent your artwork appears, which is essential for coloring, shading and rendering in Procreate.
How to turn down opacity on Procreate for iPad
Procreate for iPad offers two primary methods for reducing layer opacity. The first uses the Adjustments menu, which applies a permanent change to the entire layer. Tap Adjustments then Opacity to open the opacity interface. The interface starts at 100% opacity. Slide your finger left to make the layer more transparent and right to make it more solid. The interface starts at 100% opacity.
The second method uses the Layers panel for per-layer control. Open Layers in the top right, then tap the small letter beside the layer name, by default, this is N. Use the opacity slider directly beneath it. Procreate also documents a shortcut: two-finger-tap a layer, then slide left or right on the canvas to reduce or increase the layer’s opacity. The layer-opacity control affects the whole layer and ignores any current selection.
How to turn down opacity on Procreate Pocket for iPhone
On Procreate Pocket for iPhone, the Adjustments path is slightly different. Tap Modify > Adjustments > Effects > Opacity. Slide left to reduce opacity and right to increase it. To finish, tap the Adjustments icon again, or tap the canvas to open Adjustment Actions and tap Apply.
For per-layer control, Procreate Pocket uses a bottom slider. On iPhone 11 and later, the bottom slider controls brush opacity. On iPhone 6s through XS models with 3D Touch, you can control size and opacity through pressure. If the iPhone does not support 3D Touch, the slider defaults to Pressure, and you can switch it to Opacity by long-holding the slider button until a haptic tap or visual pulse occurs.
How to control brush opacity with speed
Procreate’s Brush Studio includes a Brush Opacity behavior tied to stroke speed. Brush Studio documents -100% to +100% for its opacity-speed behavior. This setting dynamically changes stroke transparency based on how fast you draw. At -100%, drawing slowly reduces opacity. At +100%, drawing faster reduces opacity. At 0%, strokes stay at a uniform 100% opacity. This is useful for creating varied line weights and transparency effects without manually adjusting sliders.
For basic brush opacity control on iPad, select a brush and drag the lower slider on the Sidebar up to increase brush opacity or down to decrease it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can opacity be adjusted for a selection?
Yes. On Procreate for iPad, make a selection, then go to Layers, two-finger-tap the layer, and slide on the canvas to adjust the opacity of only the selected area.
Does layer opacity change just the selected area?
No. The layer-opacity control in the Layers panel affects the entire layer and ignores any current selection. To adjust opacity for a selection only, use the selection-based method described above.
Can I change the opacity of multiple layers at once?
However, you can use Alpha Lock on a single layer to lock its transparent pixels, then adjust opacity on that layer while other layers remain unaffected.
Is Procreate available on Android?
No. Procreate is documented for iPad and iPhone only. No official Android version or Android-specific opacity controls exist in the official help pages.
What devices support Procreate Pocket's opacity sliders?
Procreate Pocket documents the left-side size and opacity sliders for iPhone 11 or later. iPhone 6s through XS models use 3D Touch for pressure-based opacity control.
