How to Stop a Procreate Canvas from Moving

The Procreate app can be challenging if you have to constantly reset the layers to keep them from shifting when you are painting or drawing. In addition, users often complain that their pieces are ruined because a random smudge on the screen moved the canvas. So, how do you stop a Procreate canvas from moving?

Using Procreate is a great escape and a fantastic piece to practice your drawing chops while on the go. However, it does come with a few minor hiccups that require you to take a deep dive into the advanced settings and get things back on track. So, read on and learn how to stop a Procreate canvas from moving!

How to Stop a Procreate Canvas from Moving

A tiny shift in your canvas can be ruinous for your project and set you back hours on your workday. However, knowing how to stop the canvas from shifting can be a game-saving maneuver. It takes a bit of poking around, but there are ways to keep the canvas rooted in the same spot until you are ready to unlock it.

The steps to stopping the Procreate canvas from moving are:

  1. Advanced Settings – Click on the Help tab in the Actions Menu. You should find the Actions section by looking for the wrench icon. It should be somewhere near the Gallery icon.
  2. Palm Support – In the Advanced menu, you should be looking for the Palm Support option. The iPad is very sensitive to touch, and even the slightest bit of resting by a hand or finger could be seen as a gesture to move the canvas down.
  3. Back to Painting – Once you have adjusted the Palm Support option, head back out onto the canvas. Now you should be able to rest bits of your palm, or whole hand, on the surface of the iPad without having any issues with the rest of the project.

Once you have set the canvas, it should stay in the same spot until you unlock or choose to realign it yourself. Having a steady screen gives you a fantastic base to build your artistic skills or pass the time while on your flight.

How Else to Get the Canvas to Stop Moving

One of the great things about Procreate is its responsiveness to your touch. The system used for tapping with multiple fingers gives the user several different ways to alter their projects. There are also other ways to accomplish this by using various tools.

The most common ways to work with Procreate on your iPad Pro are:

By using these implements, you have a few more pieces of functionality that could protect you from having a screen that moves or jumps. The important thing to concentrate on is keeping your hand away from the screen while using the pen or the stylus. Remember that it is very sensitive to touch, and any mistake could cost time and money.

Using the Apple Pencil is Another Great Way to Prevent Canvas Moving

Apple makes products that add increased functionality to all their business apps with the Apple pencil. However, this is less like a pencil and more like a remote control, as a couple of buttons on the stem allow the user to plug in hotkey-like commands.

A few reasons to use the Apple Pencil when using Procreate are:

  • Extra Functions – The buttons on the side of the pencil are phenomenal. They allow you to change color or brushes at the push of a button and can even cut and paste depending on the type of project you are working on.
  • Hand Freedom – The ability to move your hand around without adjusting or changing the art is crucial. Using the pencil gives you the option of keeping your hand a few inches from the screen, which will prevent it from moving.

Using the Apple pencil gives yourself a friendly buffer zone between your hand and the touchscreen. This zone could keep you from having to change the Palm Support option. It will also give you an error zone while working.

Using the Stylus Will Give a Few Benefits the Apple Pencil Does Not

You might not think that a stylus can compete with the functionality of the Apple pencil, but you would be wrong. A stylus is a simple tool that, when used properly, allows the user to make the same adjustments and corrections to their art while still keeping space from the screen.

A couple of ways that a stylus works better for using Procreate on your iPad Pro are:

  • More Time – The most significant thing about the Apple pencil is how short the battery life can be. With a stylus, you have an unlimited amount of time to get to work on your projects. It also means that there is less charging time to wait around for.
  • Any Stylus – You can choose any stylus you want. The good thing about them is that they are usually just faux pens with a rubber coating on the tip. This coating allows it to glide over the surface of your tablet, just like a ballpoint pen on paper.
  • Grip – Let’s face it, the Apple pen’s smooth surface can make it hard to hold onto. There are usually sections of plastic or rough materials with the stylus that gives the user a more firm grip on the tool.

A stylus is a valuable piece of technology. Like chimpanzees and sticks, humans lean on simple implements to help them complete everyday tasks. The Apple Pencil is the futuristic version of the stylus and is a great way to keep your screen from moving while working in Procreate.

Conclusion

The best way to keep your Procreate canvas from moving while working is to use Advanced Options and change the Palm Support option. Palm Support takes away the touchscreen’s ability to interpret taps and gestures as functions. Once switched, you are open to resting your palm while you work without having any issues with the art.

There are a few ways to get around having the canvas move in Procreate, and using a tool like a stylus or Apple pencil will be a good idea. While they don’t have the same effect as changing Palm Support, they give you a nice area between your hand and your palm to prevent any touches that could force a canvas to move.