ibis Paint X for PC Windows 10/11 — Download & Setup Guide (2026)

If you’ve been drawing in ibis Paint X on your phone and want to move to a bigger screen, this guide is for you. The app is available for Windows — either through the Microsoft Store as a native install, or through an Android emulator if you want to keep your brushes and purchases from your mobile account.

Both methods work. Which one you pick depends on your setup and whether you care about syncing your existing data.

What ibis Paint X actually is

ibis Paint X is a drawing app originally built for iOS and Android. It now has over 370 million downloads. The feature list is long: more than 15,000 brushes, a deep layering system with blend modes, automatic time-lapse recording, and a stabilizer for smoother lines.

It started as a mobile-first app, but there is a native Windows version on the Microsoft Store. Artists who prefer to stay in the Android ecosystem (for brush packs, purchases, and cloud sync) tend to use BlueStacks instead. Both paths work fine.

Method 1: Windows Store (native app)

This is the cleanest install. No emulator overhead, no Android layer between you and your stylus.

1. Open the Microsoft Store

Click the Start menu, search for “Microsoft Store,” and open it. In the search bar, type “ibis Paint X.”

2. Find the official app

The developer is ibis Inc. Make sure you’re installing from them specifically — there are a few third-party listings with similar names. Click the official ibis Paint X listing.

3. Install

Click “Get” or “Install.” Windows will download the app and install it automatically. It takes two to three minutes depending on your connection.

4. Sign in with your ibis account

When you open it for the first time, sign in with your ibis account if you have one. This syncs your gallery and some settings. If you’re brand new, you can skip this and sign up later.

The native app is lightweight, starts fast, and works directly with Wacom and Huion tablets without any extra configuration.

Method 2: BlueStacks emulator

This is the better route if you have custom brushes, a Pro subscription, or a large library saved to your Android account. Everything transfers because you’re running the exact same Android app.

1. Download BlueStacks

Go to bluestacks.com and download the latest version. BlueStacks 5 is generally recommended — it uses less RAM than earlier versions and runs most apps more smoothly.

2. Install and set it up

Run the installer. BlueStacks will walk you through the setup, including signing in with a Google account. That Google account is what gives you access to the Play Store inside the emulator.

3. Install ibis Paint X from the Play Store

Once BlueStacks is running, open the Play Store, search for “ibis Paint X,” and install it. The app that appears is identical to what you’d install on a phone.

4. Adjust the graphics settings

Before you start drawing, go to BlueStacks Settings and find the Graphics section. Set the engine to “Performance” and switch to OpenGL or DirectX depending on your GPU. If you skip this step, brush strokes may lag slightly behind your pen — especially on high-res canvases.

If you’re using a drawing tablet, BlueStacks recognizes it as a standard input device. Pressure sensitivity works in the app once your tablet driver is installed on Windows.

Using a drawing tablet

ibis Paint X works with most drawing tablets on PC. Wacom, Huion, and XP-Pen are all compatible. The pressure sensitivity carries through to the brush strokes as long as your tablet driver is installed and active.

One thing to note: in the native Windows version, pen pressure typically works right away. In the emulator version, you may need to go into BlueStacks Settings, find the “Input” section, and enable “Use special input for stylus” or similar. It varies slightly between BlueStacks versions.

For most users, once it’s set up correctly, the difference between drawing in ibis Paint on a phone and drawing on a PC with a proper stylus is significant. The canvas has more room, your hand position is more natural, and you can actually see your full layer list without pinch-zooming.

The brush library

ibis Paint ships with over 15,000 brushes. That number sounds like marketing but it is genuinely large — you get dip pens, airbrushes, gouache-style brushes, fan brushes, hatching brushes, and specialty texture brushes. The search and filter system inside the app helps you find specific types quickly.

Custom brushes are distributed as QR code images. If you download a brush pack from a creator online, you’ll get a QR code image, which you import via the “Import Brush QR Code” option in the brush menu. This works the same way in both the native app and the emulator version.

Layers and blending modes

The layering system is similar to Photoshop in terms of what’s available. You get all the standard blend modes: Multiply, Screen, Overlay, Color Dodge, and more. Layer count is technically unlimited and capped only by available RAM.

On a PC with 8GB or more of RAM, you can work with high-resolution canvases and a large number of layers without the app becoming sluggish. On a phone, complex projects start to lag at a certain point.

One feature worth knowing about: ibis Paint automatically records your drawing session as a time-lapse. You can export this as a video directly from the app. Some artists use it to catch mistakes in their process; others use it for social media content.

System requirements

You do not need a powerful PC to run ibis Paint X. The native Windows version is lightweight. The emulator version adds some overhead, but it is still manageable on mid-range hardware.

Component	Minimum	Recommended
OS	Windows 10 (64-bit)	Windows 11 (64-bit)
RAM	4 GB	8 GB or more
Graphics	Integrated (Intel UHD)	Dedicated GPU (any)
Storage	2 GB free	10 GB (for projects)
Processor	Intel Core i3 / Ryzen 3	Intel Core i5 / Ryzen 5

If you run BlueStacks, add about 2 GB of RAM overhead to those numbers.

Common problems and fixes

Brush lag in BlueStacks: Go to Settings > Graphics > Engine and switch between OpenGL and DirectX. Try both — which one works better depends on your GPU.

Tablet pressure not working: Make sure your tablet driver is installed and the ibis Paint process has permission to receive input. In some cases, running BlueStacks as administrator fixes this.

App crashes on startup: This usually comes from an outdated graphics driver. Update your GPU drivers from the manufacturer’s site (not through Windows Update — manufacturer sites have newer versions).

Can’t find purchases from the mobile app: Sign in with the same ibis account you used on mobile. Your Pro subscription and gallery sync through your account, not through Google Play.

The canvas looks blurry: Check your display scaling settings. If Windows is set to 125% or 150% scaling, some apps render blurry until you set them to override high-DPI scaling. Right-click the app shortcut, Properties > Compatibility > Override high DPI scaling.

How it compares to other free options

ibis Paint X is one of the few drawing apps at this level that stays genuinely free with ads. Two other options often mentioned alongside it:

Krita is completely free, open-source, and has a more traditional desktop UI. It is built for PC first, which shows in how the interface is laid out. If you come from Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint, Krita will feel familiar faster.

Medibang Paint is another free option that syncs across devices. It has a cleaner interface than ibis Paint but fewer brushes and a smaller community for brush packs.

ibis Paint has the largest mobile-first community, which means the most tutorials on YouTube are filmed in ibis Paint. If you learn better by following video tutorials, that matters.

Other PC apps for creators

If you’re putting together a creative toolkit for Windows, these might be useful:

• PixelLab for PC — graphic design and text art
• CapCut for PC — video editing
• InShot for PC — quick video editing for social media
• KineMaster for PC — multi-layer mobile video editor on desktop
• TikTok for PC — use TikTok on your desktop browser or via app

Frequently asked questions

Is ibis Paint X free on PC?
The native Windows version has a free tier with ads, and a paid Pro option that removes ads and unlocks some features. The emulator version (via BlueStacks) is the same as the Android free app.

Does it work with Wacom tablets?
Yes. Both the native app and the emulator version support Wacom, Huion, and XP-Pen tablets with pressure sensitivity.

Can I export to PSD?
Yes. You can export your files as PSD from ibis Paint X, which makes moving projects to Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint straightforward.

Is there a watermark on exported images?
No. Even the free version exports without any watermark.

Can I use my mobile brushes on PC?
Yes, if you use the emulator method and sign in with the same Google account. Your Play Store purchases and custom brushes carry over. With the native Windows version, you’d need to re-import brush packs manually.

Which version should I install — Store or emulator?
If you’re starting fresh, use the Microsoft Store version. If you have years of brushes and work saved on Android, use BlueStacks.

Wrapping up

ibis Paint X on PC is a workable setup for anyone who wants a free drawing app with a large brush library and proper layer support. The native Windows version installs like any other app and works well with drawing tablets. The emulator route takes a bit more setup but preserves your existing library.

Either way, moving from a phone screen to a monitor makes the actual drawing process easier.