Your Procreate color wheel looks dull because the canvas is using a CMYK color profile instead of an RGB profile. CMYK is designed for print and produces muted, less vibrant colors on a screen, which directly causes the procreate color wheel dull appearance you are seeing.
Why your Procreate color wheel looks dull
The single documented cause for a dull color wheel in Procreate is a canvas set to a CMYK color profile. CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) is a color space intended for physical printing, where inks absorb and reflect light differently than a digital display. When you work in CMYK on an iPad or iPhone screen, the color wheel shows a narrower, more muted range of colors because the profile is simulating what a printer can produce, not what your display can show. RGB (Red, Green, Blue) profiles, such as sRGB or P3 Wide Color, are designed for screens and offer a much wider, more vibrant gamut for digital art.
Check your current canvas color profile
To find out which color profile your existing document is using, open the document in Procreate for iPad. Tap the Actions menu (the wrench icon), then go to Canvas, then Canvas information, and finally look at Color profile. This will display whether the canvas is set to an RGB or CMYK profile.
Set an RGB profile for new canvases
When creating a new canvas, tap the + icon in the Gallery. On the New Canvas screen, you will see a section for color profiles. Choose an RGB profile like sRGB or P3 Wide Color before creating the document. Procreate includes native RGB profiles such as sRGB and P3 Wide Color, plus CMYK options. Selecting an RGB profile at this stage ensures your color wheel starts vibrant and accurate for screen-based artwork, which is essential for tasks like coloring, shading and rendering in Procreate.
Fix the color profile on a canvas template
If you use a canvas template that has a dull color wheel, you can edit its profile. In the Gallery, tap the + icon, swipe left on the canvas template, then tap Edit > Color Profile, and select an RGB profile. This will update the template so that any new canvas created from it uses the vibrant RGB color space.
Import a custom color profile
If the built-in RGB profiles in Procreate do not meet your specific needs, you can import a custom .icc color profile file. Procreate supports importing .icc color profile files through the Import option in the color profile area. This allows you to work with specialized color spaces, such as those used for specific print or display standards, while still keeping your color wheel vibrant.
What about existing CMYK documents?
Procreate's own help says color profiles are chosen when creating a new canvas, and existing documents use the profile already assigned to that canvas. The documented workflow only shows how to check the profile or change it for templates. The practical workaround is to create a new RGB canvas and manually recreate or copy your artwork into it. This ensures the color profile is correct from the start.
Does this apply to Android?
The official Procreate help pages only cover Procreate for iPad and Procreate Pocket. There is no documented version of Procreate for Android, so the color profile settings and fixes described here do not apply to any Android device. Procreate Pocket color-profile controls are in the Pocket interface, not Android.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does CMYK make colors look dull on screen?
CMYK is a subtractive color model used for printing, where colors are created by mixing inks that absorb light. On a backlit screen, this profile artificially limits the color range to what a printer can produce, resulting in a muted, less saturated appearance compared to an RGB profile.
Can I fix an existing document without losing my work?
The documented Procreate help pages do not show a way to convert an existing canvas from CMYK to RGB in place. The only workaround is to create a new RGB canvas and manually transfer your layers or recreate the artwork.
Does Procreate Pocket have the same color profile settings?
Yes, Procreate Pocket includes the same RGB and CMYK profile options, but the controls are located in the Pocket interface rather than the iPad version. You can still check and set profiles when creating a new canvas.
What if I accidentally choose a custom profile that makes the wheel dull?
If you import a custom .icc profile that causes a dull color wheel, you can change it by going to Actions > Canvas > Canvas information > Color profile and selecting a different profile, such as sRGB or P3 Wide Color.
Is there a way to preview CMYK colors accurately on my iPad?
Procreate does not provide a soft-proofing tool within the app to preview CMYK output. The color wheel will always show the muted CMYK gamut when that profile is selected, so for accurate print previews, you would need to export the file and use a separate application.
For the wider topic, see coloring, shading and rendering in Procreate.
