Getting started
From a new canvas to your first saved Pixel Studio file.
Installation
Public downloads are not available on this website yet. The current development build is Windows software, with separate x64 and ARM64 executables. macOS and Linux builds are not available; the website itself works on mobile, but the desktop editor does not run in a mobile browser.
If you already have a private Windows build, extract its ZIP before launching the executable for your machine. Final installation requirements and signing details will be added before public release.
First launch
Start with the home screen, then create or open a file. The editor has tools on the left, the canvas in the center, color and layer controls beside it, and animation browsing in the bottom area.
Use F to fit the artwork to the canvas. Tab toggles the focused canvas view. You can restore individual panels from the View menu.
New file
- Choose File → New or press Ctrl + N.
- Choose the canvas dimensions and document options.
- Draw on a visible, unlocked pixel layer. Start small when making icons or game textures.
Open file
Use File → Open or Ctrl + O. Each open document has its own tab. An unsaved indicator means changes have not been written to the file. Ctrl + Tab moves to the next document tab.
Saving
Press Ctrl + S to save your native .pxst file. Use Ctrl + Shift + S for Save As.
Keep a native file as your editable master. Exported PNGs, GIFs and videos do not retain the complete layer, mask, reference and project structure. Pixel Studio 0.23.0 stores layer masks in native .pxst files. Keep a backup before opening your work in another version; older builds may not support all saved data.
Files and projects
A pixel file contains artwork, layers and animation data. A project organizes files and groups. Use the project commands to create, open and save that organization; continue saving the artwork files themselves.