Create a new image

To create a new image in Pixelmator Pro, you can pick from a variety of gorgeous, pre-made templates and mockups, select from plenty of image size presets, or just create a new empty image from scratch by entering custom dimensions.

Create a new image in Pixelmator Pro#

  1. Launch Pixelmator Pro by opening it from the Dock, Launchpad, or the Applications folder.
  2. Do one of the following:
    1. In the Pixelmator Pro Welcome screen, click "Create a new document".

      If the Welcome screen doesn't show up, choose Window > Welcome to Pixelmator Pro from the Window menu at the top of the screen. You can also press Command ⌘ + Shift ⇧ + 1 on your keyboard.

    2. Choose File > New from the File menu at the top of your screen.
    3. Control ⌃ – click the Pixelmator Pro icon in the Dock and choose New.
    4. Browse a beautifully designed collection of templates and mockups for social media, print, and more, create a new empty using image size presets on the left, or create a new image with custom dimensions.

Create an image using an image size preset#

If you're looking to create a new blank image for a specific purpose, you can choose from a range of image size presets for web, photo, print, device, or more.

  1. In the template browser, choose All Templates then click the Preset pop-up menu in the sidebar on the right to open the preset browser.
  2. Browse the different preset categories to find the template size you need. You'll find the following preset categories: International Paper, US Paper, Photo, Web, Social, Film & Video, Iconography, and Devices.
  3. When you select a preset, you can also change the document orientation — portrait or landscape — in the sidebar on the right.
  4. Click Create or press the Return ↵ key to create a new document.

To create a new custom image size preset:#

  1. In the template browser, choose All Templates, then enter your new image dimensions into the sidebar on the right.
  2. Open the preset browser in the sidebar on the right, then click Add to save a new preset.

If you don’t want to keep the new preset, Control ⌃ – click it in the preset browser and choose Remove. In the same menu, you can also rename, duplicate, redefine, or reset templates.

Create an image with a custom size#

  1. In the sidebar on the right, choose the document orientation or choose the measurement units, resolution, and color depth from the pop-up menus.
  2. Enter the width and height of the image.
  3. Click Create or press the Return ↵ key to create a new document.

Create an image from the clipboard#

The new image will be created using the image you have saved to the clipboard. The clipboard is a macOS feature that contains the last thing you copied on your Mac — if it’s an image, the clipboard option will appear in the template browser. If it's text or something else, that option will not be shown.

  1. On your Mac, iPhone, or iPad, copy an image to Clipboard.
  2. Open Pixelmator Pro by clicking the Pixelmator Pro icon in the Dock, Launchpad, or the Applications folder.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • In the Pixelmator Pro Welcome screen, click Create a new document. If the Welcome screen doesn't show up, choose Window > Welcome to Pixelmator Pro from the Window menu at the top of the screen.
    • Choose File > New from the File menu at the top of your screen.
    • Control ⌃ – click the Pixelmator Pro icon in the Dock and choose New From Clipboard.
  4. In the template browser, choose the Clipboard option.
  5. Click Create or press the Return ↵ key.

And, with Universal Clipboard, you can even copy media on one Apple device and create a new document in Pixelmator Pro on another.