Procreate time lapse settings to choose before you draw
Procreate time lapse quality and resolution lock in once you start drawing. Pick them first, plus the on/off switches and where to check them later.
Published October 17, 2026. Last updated: October 17, 20264 min readDrawDog
TL;DR: Procreate lets you set time lapse resolution (1080p up to 4K) and quality (Low up to Lossless) when you make a custom canvas, and you cannot change them mid-project. Leave Time-lapse Recording on and check that the Disable Time-lapse switch in iPad Settings is off before a client piece.
Want a record a client can check? Get your free certificate at drawdog.art/download, 3 free certificates a month. Drawing in Procreate on an iPad? Seal your .procreate file, nothing to install.
This page goes with our main guide, Procreate time lapse: how to export it and what it shows a client. Read it if you need the export steps.
DrawDog is a process-certificate tool by Hive Asset Group, LLC that records how creative work was made, without reading your files, and gives you one link a client can check.
Which settings exist
Four things control your Procreate time lapse:
- Resolution: how many pixels the video has. Procreate offers 1080p up to 4K.
- Quality: how much detail the video keeps. It goes from Low to Lossless.
- Time-lapse Recording: a switch for each canvas. It is on by default.
- Disable Time-lapse: one master switch in iPad Settings that stops recording on all your artworks.
Set quality and resolution on a custom canvas
Procreate says you can pick different time lapse settings for each new canvas. Here is how:
- In the Gallery, tap the + button.
- Tap the custom canvas icon (two rectangles with a small plus).
- Tap Time-lapse settings.
- Pick a resolution and a quality.
Procreate records at 1080p on the Good quality setting unless you change it. Low makes small files that are easy to share. Lossless makes large files with no loss of detail.
Here is the part that catches people. These settings cannot change mid-project. If you want a different setting, choose it before you draw the first line.
| Setting | What it changes | Smaller or bigger file? |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution (1080p to 4K) | Pixels in the video | Higher means bigger |
| Quality (Low to Lossless) | Detail kept in the video | Higher means bigger |
| HEVC | A kind of video compression | Off by default |
HEVC is a switch on the same screen. Procreate says it is off by default. If you do not know why you would want it, leave it alone.
Check the two time lapse switches
Two switches decide whether a canvas records at all. Check both before a client piece.
Time-lapse Recording is on
Procreate turns recording on by default when you create a new canvas. Still, look before a client piece.
- Open your artwork.
- Tap Actions, then Video.
- Make sure Time-lapse Recording is on.
If you switch it off, Procreate asks whether to purge the video so far. Read that pop-up before you tap. Purging deletes the recorded video and cannot be undone. If you hit a gap anyway, see Procreate time lapse not recording or missing strokes.
Disable Time-lapse is off
This is the master switch.
- Tap Help.
- Tap Advanced Settings.
- Open iPad Settings and find Disable Time-lapse.
When it is on, Procreate stops recording time lapse on all your artworks. Recordings you already made stay.
Check what a canvas has saved
Tap Actions, then Canvas, then Canvas information. The video settings show:
- Video length
- Video quality
- Video resolution
- Video file size
Look here when you finish. If the length is much shorter than the time you worked, part of the work was not recorded.
What to pick for client work
There is no single best setting. Higher quality and resolution look nicer on a big screen, but make bigger files that are harder to store and send. Pick what your iPad can hold and what your client can open.
- Export Full length, not 30 Seconds. The 30 second version is cut down to highlights.
- Keep your layered file.
- Write down which settings you used if a client asks.
What no setting can do
A time lapse stays on your iPad. It can be paused, and paused stretches are left out. No quality setting changes that.
So add a second record. DrawDog's Seal page makes a "Sealed record" of your .procreate file with nothing to install. It has limits: it cannot catch tracing over an imported image, or edits made before you sealed. DrawDog is not an AI detector. See what a certificate looks like in the sample, or compare the two options in time lapse vs process certificate.
Questions
Can I change Procreate time lapse quality after I start drawing?
No. Procreate says these settings cannot change mid-project. Choose them before you begin.
What is the best Procreate time lapse resolution?
Procreate offers 1080p up to 4K. Higher settings make larger files. There is no single best one, so pick what you can store and send.
Is HEVC on by default?
No. Procreate says HEVC is off by default. You can turn it on when you set up a custom canvas.
Where do I see my time lapse settings later?
Tap Actions, then Canvas, then Canvas information. It shows video length, quality, resolution and file size.
Does Procreate record my time lapse automatically?
Yes. Procreate turns Time-lapse Recording on by default for a new canvas. Check the Disable Time-lapse switch in iPad Settings too.
Get your free certificate at drawdog.art/download, 3 free certificates a month. Drawing in Procreate on an iPad? Seal your .procreate file, nothing to install.