Drawpile2.3.0

Drawpile is a free and open source collaborative drawing software that supports Windows, macOS, Linux and Android. It also provides a web version that can be opened directly. Several people can enter the same canvas at the same time, and each other’s brushstrokes will appear in real time. It can also be used as a normal drawing tool when you just want to draw alone.

The software puts brushes, layers, selections, transforms and color blends into a familiar desktop interface, and also adds session passwords, user permissions, chat and canvas history. It’s suitable for doodling with friends, remote painting exercises and small creative activities. Official public servers allow users to create sessions for free, and in most cases do not require account registration.

Core functions

• Multi-person real-time painting Participants paint on the same canvas, and strokes, layers, and operations are synchronized to other people in the session. Invitation links can be sent to friends, and supported servers can also allow them to join through the web version.
• Complete painting tools The software provides pixel brushes and MyPaint brushes, layers and layer groups, selections, transformations, gradients, lasso fills, clipping layers, and multiple blending modes, even when used offline.
• Session Permissions The moderator can set a password, assign administrative, trusted or normal permissions to members, and can also restrict operations such as layer, paste, fill and timeline. Public events can also kick or ban disruptors.
• Canvas History Drawpile will record the collaboration process, and you can reconnect and continue synchronization after being disconnected. The session host can reset the canvas, and the DPCS file is used to save the canvas with collaboration information.
• Animation Production The timeline supports tracks, keyframes, onion skinning and flipping previews, and frames can be exported as pictures, animated pictures or videos. The specific export format will vary by system and component.
• Cross-platform joining Collaboration is available on desktop, Android and web. There are no native apps for iPhone and iPad, so you can use the browser version.

Product Features

Drawpile’s collaboration capabilities are in the drawing interface, and the host does not need to deploy the server first. Open the “Host Session” page of the start dialog box, select a public server and set a password, and then send the invitation link. The official document recommends that ordinary users give priority to using public or community servers. The built-in server of the machine requires port forwarding and exposes the home network address, so it is not suitable as the default choice.

Public conversations require moderator management. The more people there are, the busier the host will be. Canvass that anyone can join may encounter malicious modifications. The official permission levels, layer locking and banning tools can only reduce risks and cannot replace manual care. When creating content that needs to be kept private, you should set a session password and check the rules and privacy policy of the server you are using.

The interface provides Simplified Chinese, and the main branch still retains complete Chinese translation files. The function density is also relatively high, and new users will see multiple panels such as brushes, layers, user lists, and chats at the same time. Start with a small conversation first. After you learn to draw offline, it will be easier to figure out the role of each area when you enter a password-protected collaboration session.

Installation and usage tutorial

1. Enter the official download page of Drawpile. Choose the 64-bit installer for ordinary Windows computers. Macs with Apple chips and Intel chips should download the corresponding versions respectively. Linux can be installed from Flathub first, and Android users can use F-Droid.
2. Launch the software after completing the installation. When you just want to paint alone, create a new canvas and select the width and height, then use the brushes and the Layers panel to start creating. You can keep the default layout and brushes when using it for the first time.
3. When collaboration is required, open the “Host Session” page in the start dialog box. Existing canvases can also enter the hosting function from the Session menu. Select a public server, set a password for the private session, and click Host.
4. After the software displays the invitation page, copy the link and send it only to those who plan to draw together. If the other party has Drawpile installed, the link can be opened directly. When the server supports web page addition, the browser entry will also be displayed on the invitation page.
5. Once in the canvas, assign permissions in the user list and session settings. First control the scope of the image modification to the participant’s own layer, and then limit the pasting, filling and timeline operations when there are many strangers.
6. When making animations, open the timeline from the “View” menu, switch to frame view, create a new track and layer group, and then create keyframes for the current frame. Turn on onion skinning to compare the previous and next frames, and use the flip preview to check the speed and range when you’re done.
7. When saving, give priority to retaining the DPCS file of Drawpile to facilitate continued editing. Also export copies to PNG, ORA or other common formats regularly to avoid leaving the only finished product in a temporary session.

Applicable scenarios

• Remote graffiti with friends Several people can enter the password-protected canvas through invitation links without exchanging files.
• Painting teaching and comments Teachers can directly demonstrate brush strokes on students’ canvases, students can see the modification process, and layer permissions can also reduce misoperations.
• Small-scale creative activities The host can arrange for members to be responsible for their respective layers, and cooperate with chat and permission management to complete solitaires or theme paintings.
• Pixel painting and frame-by-frame animation Pixel brushes, timelines, key frames, and onion skinning are suitable for making small-size animations or game materials.
• Personal offline painting You can use brushes, layers, selections and animation tools without connecting to the server. It is suitable for users who want open source desktop painting software.

Free scope and license

Drawpile client, server and web version are all free and open source software, and the source code adopts GPL-3.0 license. Official installation packages for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android are free to download, the software and official website are ad-free, and public servers allow hosting of regular sessions for free. When users rent servers or domain names by themselves, the relevant costs still need to be borne by themselves.

Usage evaluation

Drawpile is very suitable for replacing “sending files to others for modification” into a real-time shared canvas. It retains the layers, brushes, and selection tools required by independent painting software, and you can control who can change what content during collaboration. For acquaintance groups, the process of setting a password and sending an invitation link is enough.

Its threshold mainly comes from interface and session management. When you open it for the first time, you will see a lot of panels, and you need to carefully deal with permissions, rules, and member behavior in public conversations. People who only need a lightweight whiteboard will find it to have too many tools. Users pursuing a professional illustration workflow should first confirm whether the brushes, colors and file formats are in line with their own habits. Multiplayer drawing and simple animation fall right into the realm of what it does best.

Update instructions

The current stable version is 2.3.0, which was released on November 19, 2025, and the macOS correction version was subsequently updated on November 22. This version adds DPCS canvas format, gradient and lasso fills, layer transparency locking, pixel art input and larger canvas and layer limits, as well as improved disconnection reconnection and session management. Windows x86_64 installer is approximately 22.75 MiB. 2.3.1-beta.1 has entered public testing, ordinary users can still choose the stable version first.