Clip Studio Paint Ver. 4.0.0 is out now!

March 12, 2025

Clip Studio Paint EX/PRO Ver. 4.0.0 for Windows / macOS / iPad / iPhone / Android was released on March 12.

This update is available to owners of the following:

• Annual/Monthly plan

• Update Pass

• One-time purchase (perpetual version) for Ver. 4.0
  This includes those who upgraded with the pre-release offer for Ver. 4.0 and those who upgraded from Ver. 3.0 or 2.0 perpetual versions via upgrade.

If you have a one-time purchase (perpetual license) for Ver. 3.0 or earlier and have not subscribed to the Update Pass, please consider using the Update Pass.
If you’re new to Clip Studio Paint, check out our recommended plan guide to find the best plan to suit your needs.

On Windows and macOS, you can update the app from Clip Studio.
All versions other than Windows and macOS will be available for download from their respective app stores as soon as the review process is complete.

New Features in Clip Studio Paint Ver. 4.0

The following functions have been added to Ver. 4.0.0.

Adjust character poses more easily with Puppet Warp (EX /PRO)

Puppet warp has been added to the Edit menu > Transform. Puppet warp creates a mesh over a selection. You can pin parts of the mesh to have more control over the adjustments.

Snap to objects (EX / PRO)

You can now snap to other objects when moving or transforming vector layers, rulers, text, and more.

• Snapping is available when using the Object sub tool, Light table sub tool, Control point sub tool, and the Text tool or commands under the Edit menu > Transform. You can access snapping settings from the Sub Tool Detail palette > Enable snapping. When turned on, you can move and transform objects while snapping to other objects or the canvas grid.

New filters to add finishing effects

• Lens blur has been added to the Filter menu > Blur. This creates a natural blur effect similar to that of a camera. Lens Blur has also been added to the Quick Effects panel.

• Crystallize has been added to the Filter menu > Effect. This gives a complex mosaic effect as if viewing through a kaleidoscope or crystal.

Improvements to lasso selection

• The Lasso category has been added to the Sub Tool Detail palette for selection tools including the Lasso sub tool. In the Lasso category, turn on Magnetic lasso to create a selection area that snaps to lines on the reference layer (or the current layer if there is no reference layer or the area of the reference layer is empty). If there is no reference layer, the tool will snap to the current layer. You can further customize with Magnet settings and Snap to vector paths. You can use the Lasso settings with the Lasso fill sub tool in the same way. (EX / PRO)

• The Lasso selection mode setting has been added to the Sub Tool Detail palette for selection tools including the Lasso sub tool and to the Tool Property palette for some tools. You can set this to Single stroke to make lasso selections in the same way as before. When set to Multiple input, you can create a selection area that combines freehand and polyline actions by combining dragging and clicking. You can also use modifier keys with the Lasso tool, such as holding down the Shift key to snap at 45-degree increments.

Paint on 3D objects

You can now draw on 3D primitives and 3D drawing figures with drawing tools like the Pen tool.

Enhancements to ambient light

• When a 3D layer is selected, you can now set the type of ambient light in the Light Source category of the Sub Tool Detail palette to Single-color light, File, Material, or Panorama. The shading of the 3D model will be adjusted according to the chosen image.

• Rotation angle has been added to the Panorama category in the Sub Tool Detail palette when a 3D layer is selected. You can adjust the rotation angle of the panorama material.

Improvements to the Sub Tool palette

• In the Sub tool palette and Select sub tool dialog, you can now select multiple sub tools using the Ctrl key and Shift key.

• The option Select with checkbox has been added to the Sub Tool palette’s command bar and palette menu. When turned on, a checkbox will appear beside each sub tool so you can easily select and deselect them. You can also select multiple sub tools.

• You can now export multiple sub tools as a group file. When you use Export sub tool while multiple sub tools are selected, you can choose Export sub tools as separate files or Export as one group file. Selecting Export sub tools as separate files allows you to export the sub tools to individual sub tool files (extension: sut). Selecting Export as one group file allows you to export multiple sub tools to a single sub tool group file (extension: sutg). (EX / PRO)

• When you use Import sub tool in the Sub tool palette to import a sub tool file (extension: .sut), the file name will now be used as the sub tool name.

• You can now delete multiple sub tools at once by selecting them and using Delete sub tool.

• The Sub Tool palette menu and sub tool group context menu now include Delete sub tool group. You can delete a sub tool group and all of its included sub tools at once.

• You can now move multiple sub tools at once by selecting and dragging them.

• You can now register multiple sub tools as materials at once. When you use "Register sub tool as material” with multiple selected sub tools, you can register them as individual materials. (EX / PRO)

• You can now change multiple sub tools' tool icons and icon background colors at once by opening Sub tool settings while multiple sub tools are selected.

• Multiple sub tools' settings can now be saved collectively as default settings. When you have selected multiple sub tools, you can use Save as default from the Sub Tool palette menu or context menu to save all sub tools at once.

Batch export multiple pages with watermarks (EX)

The Watermark setting has been added to the Export settings dialog when running Batch export from the File menu > Export multiple pages. You can add a watermark on all pages.

Preview the selected color in the Color Settings dialog

When making color changes with the Color Settings dialog, you can now preview the changes on the canvas for some functions.

Faster mesh transformation (EX / PRO)

The operation speed of Mesh Transformation in the Edit menu > Transform has increased. While adjusting the handles, a temporary low-quality preview will be shown.

Main updates in Version 4.0.0

Version 4.0.0 includes the following updates.

All Grades

• Crystallize has been added to the Filter menu > Effect. This gives a complex mosaic effect as if viewing through a kaleidoscope or crystal.

• Lens blur has been added to the Filter menu > Blur. This creates a natural blur effect similar to that of a camera. Lens Blur has also been added to the Quick Effects panel.

• The Lasso selection mode setting has been added to the Sub Tool Detail palette for selection tools including the Lasso sub tool and to the Tool Property palette for some tools. You can set this to Single stroke to make lasso selections in the same way as before. When set to Multiple input, you can create a selection area that combines freehand and polyline actions by combining dragging and clicking. You can also use modifier keys with the Lasso tool, such as holding down the Shift key to snap at 45-degree increments.

• You can now draw on 3D primitives and 3D drawing figures with drawing tools like the Pen tool.

• Clip Studio Paint can now display vertex colors when there is a glTF format file on a 3D layer.

• In the Layer search palette, you can now separately search for standard 3D layers and 3D layers compatible with Ver. 1.5.

• Improved the time it takes for the next action to be reflected when editing a 3D layer that contains a 3D object material with a large number of parts.

• When a 3D layer is selected, you can now set the type of ambient light in the Light Source category of the Sub Tool Detail palette to Single-color light, File, Material, or Panorama.

• Rotation angle has been added to the Panorama category in the Sub Tool Detail palette when a 3D layer is selected. You can adjust the rotation angle of the panorama material.

• In the Sub tool palette and Select sub tool dialog, you can now select multiple sub tools using the Ctrl key and Shift key.

• The option Select with checkbox has been added to the Sub Tool palette’s command bar and palette menu. When turned on, a checkbox will appear beside each sub tool so you can easily select and deselect them. You can also select multiple sub tools.

• You can now move multiple sub tools at once by selecting and dragging them.

• You can now copy multiple sub tools at once by selecting them and using Duplicate sub tool.

• You can now delete multiple sub tools at once by selecting them and using Delete sub tool.

• The Sub Tool palette menu and sub tool group context menu now include Delete sub tool group. You can delete a sub tool group and all of its included sub tools at once.

• You can now lock or unlock multiple sub tools at once by using the Lock command from the Sub Tool palette menu or context menu.

• You can now reset multiple sub tools to default at once by using Reset to default from the Sub Tool palette menu or context menu.

• Multiple sub tools' settings can now be saved collectively as default settings. When you have selected multiple sub tools, you can use Save as default from the Sub Tool palette menu or context menu to save all sub tools at once.

• You can now change multiple sub tools' tool icons and icon background colors at once by opening Sub tool settings while multiple subtools are selected.

• When making color changes with the Color Settings dialog, you can now preview the changes on the canvas for some functions.

• Added support for importing node constraints set in VRM format 3D files.

• When importing VRM format 3D files, parts without bone weights are now rendered.

• Improved the operation speed of 3D layers that contain a semi-transparent model. Improved the smoothness of operation while changing camera angles and poses of 3D drawing figures by pseudo-transparently displaying the background as a pattern. When you finish operating the 3D figure, it will return to the normal semi-transparent view.

• (mac / iPad /iPhone /Android) When you export a timelapse from the canvas, the canvas recovery backup and auto-save processes will run for any open canvasses.

• Certain STL format 3D files can now be imported as 3D object materials.

• (mac / iPad /iPhone /Android) When creating a new canvas or opening one, the canvas recovery backup and auto-save processes will run for any open canvasses.

• (mac / iPad /iPhone /Android) When exporting an image from the canvas, the canvas recovery backup and auto-save processes will run for any open canvasses.

• On the home screen of Clip Studio, Open other files has been added to the top right of Continue drawing. Tap this to open the file browser and open a file from any folder.

• In the File menu > Export animation dialog box, Embed ICC profile has been added to Image sequence. You can export image sequences with embedded ICC profiles.

• You can now log in to Clip Studio using certain external service accounts.

• (iPad / iPhone / Android) Lens Blur has been added to the Filter Gallery in Simple Mode. This creates a natural blur effect similar to that of a camera.

• (iPad / iPhone / Android) In the New canvas dialog in Simple Mode, Create from movie has been added for the Animation project type. You can create a new canvas with a timeline along with importing the movie file.

• (Windows / macOS) The command Create new from movie has been added to the File menu. You can create a new canvas with a timeline along with importing the movie file.

• (iPad / iPhone) You can now import movie files (.mp4 or QuickTime .mov) from the File menu > Create new from photo library. You can create a new canvas with a timeline along with importing the file.

• (Android) You can now import movie files (.mp4) from the File menu > Create new from device storage. You can create a new canvas with a timeline along with importing the file.

• (Android) Improved the smoothness of using touch gestures by reducing snap effects when zooming in, out, or rotating.

• You can no longer change the color of 3D primitives or the outline color of 3D models by selecting colors on the Color Wheel palette.

• Improved import of material parameters for glTF format 3D files, resulting in brighter display compared to before.

• 3D layers and materials compatible with Version 1.5 are not recommended for use in Ver. 4.0 and later.

• In the Material palette, a warning icon will be shown on 3D materials compatible with Ver. 1.5. When you select a material with this icon, "Old format" will appear at the beginning of the Type.

• In the Layer palette, different icons are now used for standard 3D layers and 3D layers compatible with Ver. 1.5.

• Increased the width and height of MP4 format (extension: mp4) files that can be exported from the File menu > Export animation > Movie.

• The opacity of 3D layers now appears correctly even when the Display settings for editing is set to High in the Tool Property palette or Sub Tool Detail palette.

• Finger tips are now rendered correctly when importing certain VRM format files.

• Revised the UI for Fisheye Perspective in the Sub Tool Detail palette when a Panorama material is selected.

• The animation controllers of 3D drawing figures or 3D characters will be displayed in the correct position even if other 3D drawing figures or 3D characters have manga perspective enabled.

• Fixed an issue where the rendering speed drops when operating 3D layers on some devices since Ver. 3.1.0.

• When using Filter menu > Quick Effects > Artistic (Lines only), areas in the selection that are blurred due to anti-aliasing will no longer get darker.

• When some filters are applied to a selection made from Selection > Blur border, the borders of the selection are now shown correctly.

• (Windows / iPad / iPhone / Android) On devices that support touch gestures, it is now possible to set the hierarchical relationships for 3D materials in the Sub Tool Detail palette’s Object list using a pen, even if the Disable operation by finger or mouse on palette setting in the Preferences dialog is turned on.

• (iPad / iPhone / Android) When you export an image in Simple Mode, the preview now reflects the color profile.

• (iPad / iPhone / Android) When using Filter > Effect > Artistic (Lines only) in Simple Mode, areas in the selection that are blurred due to anti-aliasing will no longer get darker.

• (Windows) The tail switch of the tablet pen now operates correctly when switching between the canvas and areas outside the canvas by using the tail switch.

• (macOS) The application will no longer force quit if you use the Filter menu > Quick Filters or Quick Effects and tap OK.

• (Android) On devices with many multiple-page projects saved, the time it takes for the File menu > File operation/Share dialog to appear has been shortened to be about the same as in Ver. 3.1.5.

• (Android) In the Preferences dialog > Color conversion category, changing the RGB profile no longer affects the color tone of the canvas.

• (Android) You can now repeatedly overwrite the canvas.

EX / PRO

• Puppet warp has been added to the Edit menu > Transform. Puppet warp creates a mesh over a selection. You can pin parts of the mesh to have more control over the adjustments.

• The Lasso category has been added to the Sub Tool Detail palette for selection tools including the Lasso sub tool. In the Lasso category, turn on Magnetic lasso to create a selection area that snaps to lines on the reference layer (or the current layer if there is no reference layer or the area of the reference layer is empty). If there is no reference layer, the tool will snap to the current layer. You can further customize with Magnet settings and Snap to vector paths. You can use the Lasso settings with the Lasso fill sub tool in the same way.

• You can now register multiple sub tools as materials at once. When you use "Register sub tool as material” with multiple selected sub tools, you can register them as individual materials.

• You can now export multiple sub tools as a group file. When you use Export sub tool while multiple sub tools are selected, you can choose Export sub tools as separate files or Export as one group file. Selecting Export sub tools as separate files allows you to export the sub tools to individual sub tool files (extension: sut). Selecting Export as one group file allows you to export multiple sub tools to a single sub tool group file (extension: sutg).

• The Sub Tool palette menu and sub tool group context menu now include Export sub tool group. You can export a selected sub tool group and all its sub tools at once. When a sub tool group is selected, you can choose to export using Export sub tools as separate files or Export as one group file, similar to when multiple sub tools are selected.

• You can now import sub tool group files (extension: .sutg) from the Sub Tool palette > Import sub tool. When you import a sub tool group file, the sub tool group will be added to the selected tool. The name of the new sub tool group will be the same as the imported file name.

• When you use Import sub tool in the Sub tool palette to import a sub tool file (extension: .sut), the file name will now be used as the sub tool name.

• The sub tool group context menu now includes Import sub tool group. In the file browser, you can filter and import only sub tool group files (*.sutg).

• The operation speed of Mesh Transformation in the Edit menu > Transform has increased. While adjusting the handles, a temporary low-quality preview will be shown.

• Increased the rendering speed of layers that have the Layer Property palette's Border Effect set to Edge.

• You can now use Combine Pages or Split Pages on multiple pages in the Page Manager window.

• Snapping is available when using the Object sub tool, Light table sub tool, Control point sub tool, and the Text tool or commands under the Edit menu > Transform. You can access snapping settings from the Sub Tool Detail palette > Enable snapping. When turned on, you can move and transform objects while snapping to other objects or the canvas grid.

• Snap has been added to the View menu. You can modify the following settings: Snap to canvas edge/inner border, Snap frames to canvas edge/inner border, Snap to objects, Snap to control points, Show guides when snapping, Snap to rulers, Snap to special rulers, Snap to grid, and Toggle special ruler snapping. The existing Snap to rulers, Snap to special rulers, Snap to grid, and Toggle Snap Special Ruler have been moved to Snap.

• The Magnetic lasso sub tool has been added to the Selection tool. You can create a selection area by snapping to the lines on a reference layer with a transparent background. If there is no reference layer, the tool will snap to the current layer.

• In the New dialog, new presets for vertical videos and square video editing have been added in the Animation project type.

• When you register a body shape material for a 3D drawing figure, the thumbnail will now show a 3D drawing figure reflecting the body shape.

• When you register a full-body pose material for a 3D drawing figure, the thumbnail will now show the 3D drawing figure with the applied pose.

• 3D characters imported to a 3D layer can now be registered as 3D character materials. 3D character materials registered in Clip Studio Paint will be compatible with Ver. 4.0 and later. You can publish your own 3D characters on Clip Studio Assets. Materials downloaded from Assets and 3D characters imported to the canvas in versions earlier than Ver. 4.0 can be registered to the Material palette, but cannot be published to Clip Studio Assets.

• In the New dialog, the Shueisha presets available when Show all comic settings is selected as the project type have been unified into one preset.

• (iPad / iPhone / Android) In the New canvas dialog in Simple Mode, new presets for vertical videos and square video editing have been added in the Animation project type.

• The size of the bounding box when selecting vectors with the Object sub tool has been changed to be based on the vector path. If the Mode in the Tool Property palette is set to Move control points & scale/rotate, the previous size of bounding box will be displayed. However, when enlarging or reducing, the corners of the bounding box will be based on the vector path.

• The option to snap to the inner border has been removed from the Sub Tool Detail palette for shape tools such as the Figure tool. To snap to the edge of the canvas and the inner border, trim margin, and bleed border, enable snapping in Sub Tool Detail palette > Correction category, then turn on Snap to canvas edge/inner border in the View menu > Snap. Make sure that Snap frames to canvas edge/inner border is turned off. When creating a frame folder with the Comic tool > Frame Border group, you can also snap when Snap frames to canvas edge/inner border is turned on.

• When the Object tool > Tool Property palette > Selection mode is set to Add to selection, tapping on a vector control point to select it will now only deselect of other control points, without deselecting other vector lines.

• The name of the Snap setting in the Tool Property palette when selecting a ruler or special ruler with the Object sub tool has been changed to Snap lines to selected rulers.

• The name of the Snap setting in the Tool Property palette when selecting a frame border folder with the Object sub tool has been changed to Snap lines to selected frame borders.

• When snapping to a parallel curve ruler and drawing lines with a brush tool on a vector layer, it has become less likely for sharp control points to appear on smooth curve sections.

• When Show field guides is turned on in the Sub Tool Detail palette of the Object sub tool, frames will now move when you move a layer mask.

EX

• The Watermark setting has been added to the Export settings dialog when running Batch export from the File menu > Export multiple pages. You can add a watermark on all pages.

• In the File menu > Export animation dialog box, Embed ICC profile has been added to Export animation cels. You can export animation cels with an embedded ICC profile. However, the ICC profile settings are not available if you turn on Export for PaintMan.

• In the Page Management menu, the maximum and minimum values that can be set for Align crop marks have been expanded, such as under the Story menu > Combine Pages and the View menu > Crop marks/Inner border settings.

• Text will no longer appear outside the canvas when entering text in the Story Editor while the New text property in Preferences is set to Selected text tool property, and the Text tool’s Tool Property palette has Vertical writing turned on, Circular text turned off, and Wrap text at frame turned on.

• Text will no longer appear outside the canvas when entering text in the Story Editor after inputting text with Vertical turned on and Circular text turned off, then deleting all text in the Story Editor, saving the file, and then opening it again with New text property in the Preferences dialog set to Copy from existing text.

• (Windows) The following are no longer available under File > Export multiple pages: Export in Kindle format, Preview of exported Kindle data, Open export destination of Kindle format, and Export settings for Kindle format. You can export EPUB data for Kindle from File > Export multiple pages > Export EPUB data.

What’s New in Clip Studio Ver. 4.0.0?

Version 4.0.0 includes the following updates.

All Grades

• On the home screen of Clip Studio, Open other files has been added to the top right of Continue drawing. Tap this to open the file browser and open a file from any folder.

• You can now log in to Clip Studio using certain external service accounts.

• 3D layers and materials compatible with Version 1.5 are not recommended for use in Ver. 4.0 and later.

• In the Material palette, a warning icon will be shown on 3D materials compatible with Ver. 1.5. When you select a material with this icon, "Old format" will appear at the beginning of the Type.

• In the Layer palette, different icons are now used for standard 3D layers and 3D layers compatible with Ver. 1.5.

EX

• (Windows) Features to export projects to Kindle format have been removed. Kindle Format has also been removed from “Type” in the Projects screen.

Microsoft, Windows, and Edge are registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.
macOS, iPad, iPhone, iCloud, and iCloud Drive are trademarks or registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the United States and other countries.
Android and Google Play are trademarks or registered trademarks of Google LLC.
VRM is a registered trademark of the VRM Consortium, a general incorporated association.

Release notes before version 3.2.3 can be found here