Procreate's fill tools let you color large areas quickly without painting over the lines

Fill in Procreate means using a tool to automatically color in a closed shape — like a bucket of paint that spreads until it hits a line. You draw or import an outline, tap the fill tool, and the entire enclosed area changes color in one action. It saves time compared to painting by hand, especially for large flat areas or when you are working with many similar shapes.

Procreate has two main fill approaches: the Paint Bucket tool (which fills based on color similarity) and the Alpha Lock feature (which fills only within the pixels you have already drawn). Which one you use depends on whether your outline is a closed line or a layer of existing pixels.

Key Takeaways

  • The Paint Bucket tool fills any enclosed area with a single tap, and you can adjust the threshold to control how strictly it respects your outlines.
  • Alpha Lock fills only the pixels that already exist on a layer, so it works best when you have already painted or imported a solid shape.
  • Procreate's selection tools (like Select by Color) let you fill multiple similar areas at once without tapping each one individually.
  • If fill is leaking outside your lines, lower the threshold number or use the Eraser to close small gaps in your outline.

Using the Paint Bucket tool for outlined drawings

The Paint Bucket is the most straightforward fill method. Open the Brush Library, find the Paint Bucket tool (it looks like a tilted bucket), and tap it to select it. Then choose your color from the color picker, and tap inside any closed shape on your canvas. The entire area fills when ready.

The threshold slider controls how picky the bucket is about what counts as "the same color" at the edges. A low threshold (around 5 to 15) means the bucket stops at even slight color changes, which is useful if your outline is thin or has gaps. A higher threshold (30 to 50) is more forgiving and fills across small imperfections in your line work. If the fill keeps leaking outside your intended area, lower the threshold and check that your outline has no breaks.

You can also hold down on the canvas with the Paint Bucket selected to preview the fill before you commit to it. This is helpful when you are unsure whether the threshold is set correctly.

Using Alpha Lock to fill shapes you have already drawn

Alpha Lock is useful when you have already painted a solid shape — say, a character silhouette or a block of color — and you want to change its color without repainting. Swipe right with two fingers on the layer you want to fill, and you will see "Alpha Lock" appear at the top. Now any paint you explore only colors the pixels that already exist on that layer; it cannot paint outside the shape.

Once Alpha Lock is on, you can use any brush or the Paint Bucket to fill. Many artists use a large soft brush with Alpha Lock to quickly recolor an entire shape. When you are done, swipe right with two fingers again to turn Alpha Lock off.

Filling multiple areas at once with selections

If you have many similar shapes you want to fill with the same color, using selections is faster than tapping each one. Go to the Selection menu and choose Select by Color. Tap one of the areas you want to fill, and Procreate will select all connected pixels of that color. Then choose your new color and tap Fill in the Edit menu (or use the Paint Bucket on the selection).

You can also use the Automatic selection tool to select shapes based on their outlines rather than their current color. This works well if all your outlines are the same color and you want to fill the spaces between them uniformly.

Fixing fill mistakes and preventing leaks

If the Paint Bucket fills outside your intended area, the most common cause is a gap in your outline. Use the Eraser or a small brush to trace over your outline and close any breaks, then try filling again. Alternatively, lower the threshold number so the bucket is more conservative about what it considers part of the same region.

If you fill the wrong area by mistake, press Undo (two-finger tap) when ready. You can also undo multiple times by holding down the undo button. If you want to prevent accidents altogether, lock the layer you are filling on by tapping the lock icon next to it — this prevents you from accidentally painting on other layers.

Choosing between Paint Bucket and Alpha Lock

Use the Paint Bucket when you have a clean outline and want to fill the space inside it. It is fast and works well for line art, comics, and illustrations where the outline is separate from the fill.

Use Alpha Lock when you have already painted a solid shape and want to change its color, or when you want to add shading and detail without going outside the shape's edges. It is also useful when your outline is not a clean closed line but rather a painted silhouette.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Paint Bucket fill leak outside my lines?

Your outline probably has a small gap. Zoom in and trace over the outline with a brush or eraser to close it. You can also lower the threshold number to make the bucket more strict about color boundaries. If the outline is very thin, increase the brush size slightly when redrawing it.

Can I fill with a pattern or texture instead of a solid color?

Yes. Instead of choosing a solid color, tap the color picker and select the Patterns tab. Choose a pattern, then use the Paint Bucket as normal. The pattern will fill the area instead of a flat color.

What is the difference between filling and painting over an area?

Filling is when ready and covers the entire enclosed area in one action. Painting by hand takes longer and requires you to stay within the lines yourself. Fill is faster for large flat areas; painting gives you more control over edges and blending.

Can I undo a fill if I change my mind?

Yes. Tap with two fingers to undo the fill when ready. You can undo multiple times by holding down the undo button. Once you have made other edits, undoing the fill becomes harder, so undo right away if you make a mistake.