Open file
Select File menu > Open, or tap the Open icon on the Command Bar.
·In Windows, macOS, Android, and Chromebook, the Open dialog box will appear where you can select the files you want to open.
·When using an iPad, the OS Files app will appear.Select a file from the Files app.
Compatible file formats
You can open the following file formats: Clip Studio format (extension: clip), Clip Studio Paint format (extension: lip), BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, Targa (extension: tga), Adobe Photoshop document (extension: psd), Adobe Photoshop Big document format (extension: psb), ibisPaint files (extension: ipv), and kakooyo! work files (extension: kako).
·When using an iPad, files with ver.1.5 compatible 3D layers cannot be edited.
·When PRO is used to open a file in Clip Studio format (extension: clip) where the timeline is enabled, the timeline will be displayed as read-only if a negative number is set as the start frame or if there are more than 25 frames in the timeline.
·When you open an ibisPaint work file, the settings for the canvas size, resolution, layer information, and title are carried over.However, tone layers may appear differently to how they are displayed in ibisPaint.
·kakooyo! files can be opened from the Manage works menu inside Clip Studio.You can download files from the Cloud tab from the Clip Studio Manage works menu.
In addition to the above file formats, PRO and EX support the following files.
PRO/EX
·When using Windows/macOS, IllustStudio documents (extension: xpg) and ComicStudio page files (extension: cpg) can be imported.For details, see "Open IllustStudio and Comic Studio files (Windows/macOS)".
·Adobe Photoshop documents, Adobe Photoshop big documents, TIFF, and JPEG files using CMYK are also supported.Images in CMYK format are converted into RGB format when opened in Clip Studio Paint.To display images in the CMYK color space, turn on Preview from the View menu > Color profile.
EX
Clip Studio Paint EX supports management files (extension: cmc), and Clip Studio name files (extension: csnf), and PDF.
The Create story folder dialog box will appear when opening a PDF file.Select where to save your management folder in the Create story folder dialog box to create a new Clip Studio Paint management file (extension: cmc) and Clip Studio page files (extension: clip). The original PDF will stay unchanged.
Single page PDFs will also trigger the Create story folder dialog box and will behave the same as a multiple page project.
Memo | When using iPad, a message may appear when selecting a Clip Studio Paint EX management file from a location other than the Clip Studio app folder.Please follow the instructions in the message to open the file. |
Clip Studio Paint DEBUT file restrictions
Clip Studio Paint DEBUT has some restrictions on which file formats can be imported.
·CMYK color files can be imported only if they are saved in Clip Studio Paint format (extension: clip). Other file formats in CMYK cannot be imported.
·The tone layers in ibisPaint work files (extension: ipv) are rasterized in Clip Studio Paint.Selection layers also cannot be imported.
The following file types cannot be opened in Clip Studio Paint DEBUT even if created in Clip Studio Paint PRO or EX.
·Canvases larger than 10000 x 10000 pixels
Some functions are limited when you open a file in Clip Studio Paint DEBUT.
·You can edit text layers and image material layers regardless of the expression color.
·You cannot create layer colors or draft layers, but you can edit them as normal layers.
·Crop marks, the inner border, and grids will be deleted.
The following types of layers cannot be edited in Clip Studio Paint DEBUT.
·Raster layers with the expression color set to Gray or Monochrome
·Vector layers
·Frame border folders
·Balloon layers
·Fill layers
·Gradient layers
·Selection layers
·Layers including rulers
·Layers with Edge turned on in the Layer Property palette
·Layers with Tone turned on in the Layer Property palette
·Layers with Expression color (preview) displayed in Expression color on the Layer Property palette
You can open files with the following settings, but the entire file will be read-only.
·Tonal Correction layers
·Canvases with the basic expression color set to Monochrome
·Animations with 25 frames or more
·Files where a negative number is set as the start frame of the timeline
Open IllustStudio and Comic Studio files (Windows/macOS)
When using Windows/macOS, you can open IllustStudio documents (extension: xpg) and Comic Studio (Manga Studio 3/4) page files (extension: cpg).
Memo | You cannot open IllustStudio or Comic Studio files in Clip Studio Paint DEBUT. |
Opening a Comic Studio work file (extension: cst) displays the Create story folder dialog box.Select where to save your management folder in the Create story folder dialog box to create a new Clip Studio Paint management file (extension: cmc) and Clip Studio page files (extension: clip). The original Comic Studio work file will stay unchanged.
Important | When using Android or macOS with Apple M series chips, IllustStudio and Comic Studio documents cannot be imported. |
IllustStudio document and Comic Studio page file layers will change in the following ways when imported in Clip Studio Paint.Some layers may not be editable.
IllustStudio/Comic Studio (Manga Studio 3/4) | Clip Studio Paint | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Raster layer (1 bit) | Raster Layer | The expression color will be converted to Monochrome and the drawing color will be converted to black. |
Raster layer (2 bits) | Raster Layer | The expression color will be converted to Monochrome, and the drawing color will be converted to Black and White. |
Raster layer (8 bits) | Raster Layer | The expression color will be converted to Gray and the drawing color will be converted to black. If Tonization or Pseudo tone is set for Color reduction method in Comic Studio, the layer will be imported with Tone on the Layer Property palette turned on. |
Raster layer (32 bits) | Raster Layer | The expression color will be converted to Color. |
Vector layer (2 bits) | Vector layer | The expression color will be converted to Monochrome, and the drawing color will be converted to Black and White. |
Vector layer (32 bits) | Vector layer | The expression color will be converted to Color. |
Base Layer | Raster Layer | |
Reference layer | Reference layer | |
Text layer | Text layer | ·If the text is edited in Clip Studio Paint, it is replaced with Clip Studio Paint's text. ·Text may be substantially different due to differences in text specifications and so on. ·Furthermore, text layer options such as edges, letter/background color, TateChuYoko (Horizontal in Vertical), and other styles will not be maintained. |
Balloon layer (ruler balloon) | Balloon layer (including text) | Balloons will turn into Balloon layers and text will turn into Text layers in the following cases: ·The color of the balloon line is not black ·The color of the balloon fill is not white ·The balloon is inside a text layer |
Balloon layer (raster balloon) | The balloon is an image material layer The text is a text layer | |
Patterned tone layer | Image material layer | |
Normal tone | Fill layer | Tone on the Layer Property palette is turned on. |
Gradient tone | Gradient layer | Tone on the Layer Property palette is turned on. |
Background tone | Image material layer | Tone on the Layer Property palette is turned on. |
Frame folder | Frame border folder | A line art raster layer will be added above the Frame Border folder in the following cases: ·Rasterize vector is enabled in Preferences ·The frame is double-lined If the border is outside the red line indicating the frame range, the Frame folder will be duplicated to handle the frame range as one frame border. |
Layer folder | Layer folder | |
3D workspace folder | Layer folder | You cannot edit 3D materials in Clip Studio Paint. |
3D preview layer | Raster Layer | You cannot edit 3D materials in Clip Studio Paint. |
Clipping folder | Layer folder | Layers in the layer folder will be set to Clip to Layer Below. |
Clip to Layer Below | Clip to Layer Below | |
Filter layer (Brightness/Contrast) | Tonal Correction layer (Brightness/Contrast) | |
Filter layer (Tone curve) | Tonal Correction layer (Tone curve) | |
Filter layer (Level correction) | Tonal Correction layer (Level correction) | |
Filter layer (Inverse) | Tonal Correction layer (Reverse gradient) | |
Filter layer (Mask (Whole area hidden)) | Layer mask | |
Filter layer (Mask (Whole area hidden)) | Layer mask | |
Filter layer (Gradient map) | Tonal Correction layer (Gradient map) | |
Filter layer (Hue/Saturation/Luminosity) | Tonal Correction layer (Hue/Saturation/Luminosity) | |
Filter layer (Color balance) | Tonal Correction layer (Color balance) | |
Filter layer (Texture) | Image material layer | Overlay texture on the Layer Property palette is turned on. |
Inverse layer | Tonal Correction layer (Reverse gradient) | |
Masking layer | Layer mask | |
Focus lines layer | Raster Layer | Focus lines cannot be edited. |
Speed lines layer | Raster Layer | Speed lines cannot be edited. |
Vanishing Point Layer | Raster Layer | Vanishing point cannot be edited. |
Sub ruler layer | Deleted | When there are drawings on the ruler, it is converted into a raster layer. |
Ruler layer | Deleted | |
Selection layer (1 bit) | Selection layer | |
Selection layer (8 bits) | Selection layer | |
Paper layer | Paper layer | |
Guide layer | Deleted | |
Grid layer | Deleted | |
Crop marks/Inner border layer | Deleted | The layer will be deleted, but the crop marks and inner border will be shown. |
Border ruler layer | Raster Layer | The expression color will be converted to Gray. |
Importing a Comic Studio file into Clip Studio Paint will convert the following functions:
·A paper layer will be added.
·Content made with Comic Studio's Work menu > Edit Memo will not be applied.
·When text entered in the Story Editor of Comic Studio EX is shown in the Story Editor of Clip Studio Paint EX, the text order may be changed.
Memo | You can adjust settings for importing IllustStudio and Comic Studio files in Preferences > File. |
Open recent files
Go to File menu > Recent to see a list of recently used files.Select a file to open it in Clip Studio Paint.