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If your strokes are mirrored, turn off Drawing Assist on the affected layer. To remove the symmetry lines, turn off Drawing Guide under Actions → Canvas. To stop symmetry across the canvas, turn off the guide and check layers for an Assisted label if strokes still seem assisted.
- Remove the guide: Actions (wrench) → Canvas → turn off Drawing Guide.
- Stop mirrored strokes but keep the guide visible: Layers → tap the layer → turn off Drawing Assist.
These instructions are for Procreate on iPad. The Drawing Guide controls the visible overlay; Drawing Assist applies the guide’s behavior to strokes on a particular layer.
Turn off symmetry completely
To remove the symmetry overlay and return to ordinary freehand drawing:
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- Tap the Actions button, the wrench icon.
- Open the Canvas tab.
- Turn Drawing Guide off.
This removes the guide from the canvas. Procreate documents the control under Actions → Canvas.
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Stop mirrored strokes but keep the symmetry guide
If you want the symmetry axis as a visual reference but want to draw normally on a layer, disable Drawing Assist for that layer:
- Open the Layers panel.
- Tap the layer to open Layer Options.
- Tap Drawing Assist to switch it off.
When Drawing Assist is active, Procreate shows an Assisted label beneath the layer name. If you see that label, tap the layer and disable Drawing Assist. The guide can remain on while strokes on that layer are drawn without assisted mirroring. See Procreate’s Layer Options documentation and its explanation of Drawing Assist.
Which setting should you use?
| Your goal | Use this control | What remains |
|---|---|---|
| Remove the lines and stop assisted drawing | Actions → Canvas → Drawing Guide off | Normal freehand drawing |
| Stop mirroring on one layer | Layers → layer → Drawing Assist off | The guide may remain visible |
| Keep the axis as a reference | Leave Drawing Guide on; disable Drawing Assist | Visible guide without mirrored strokes on that layer |
| Make the lines less distracting | Edit the guide and reduce Opacity or Thickness | Mirroring may continue |
Hide the symmetry lines without changing your artwork
Turning off Drawing Guide or Drawing Assist is not an erase command. These controls affect the guide and how subsequent strokes behave; they do not delete strokes already on the layer.
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For a layer-by-layer workflow, such as a freehand sketch alongside a mirrored construction layer, leave the guide enabled and switch Drawing Assist off only where needed. Repeat this for each layer where assisted drawing is enabled.
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Make the guide less visible instead
If the lines are distracting but you want to keep the guide, soften its appearance:
- Open Actions → Canvas → Edit Drawing Guide.
- Select Symmetry from the guide options.
- Reduce the guide’s Opacity or Thickness, or change its color.
These settings affect appearance only. Lowering opacity or thickness does not necessarily stop mirrored drawing while Drawing Assist remains enabled. See Procreate’s Symmetry Guide documentation.
Mirror Symmetry and Rotational Symmetry are not the off switch
Procreate’s Symmetry settings include Vertical, Horizontal, Quadrant, and Radial symmetry, along with Mirror Symmetry and Rotational Symmetry.
These options change the pattern used to reproduce strokes; they do not disable symmetry. Turning off Rotational Symmetry changes the result back to ordinary mirrored behavior. To stop symmetry, turn off Drawing Guide or Drawing Assist, depending on whether you want to remove the guide or stop assisted strokes.
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If symmetry is still active
If strokes still look mirrored or otherwise assisted, check the settings in this order:
- Turn off Actions → Canvas → Drawing Guide.
- Open Layers and look for the Assisted label under the active layer.
- Tap that layer and turn off Drawing Assist.
- Test a short stroke on a new or ordinary layer.
- If the behavior continues, check other automatic drawing features, such as QuickShape or stroke stabilization.
If lines remain after Drawing Assist is disabled, that is expected while Drawing Guide is on: Drawing Assist controls stroke assistance, while Drawing Guide controls the visible overlay. Turn off Drawing Guide separately to remove the lines.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Turn symmetry back on
To restore symmetry later:
- Tap the Actions wrench.
- Choose Canvas and turn on Drawing Guide.
- Tap Edit Drawing Guide and choose Symmetry.
- Tap Done.
- Select the layer where you want mirrored drawing, open its Layer Options, and enable Drawing Assist.
Procreate normally remembers a canvas’s previous Drawing Guide settings, so turning the guide back on may restore the earlier configuration. If you need to recreate it, see Procreate’s Guide creation documentation. Handbook paths such as 5.1, 5.3, and 5.4 identify documentation editions; they do not establish which app version is installed on your iPad.
FAQ
Does turning off symmetry delete existing strokes?
No. Turning off Drawing Guide or Drawing Assist changes the guide and how new strokes behave; it is not an erase command for existing artwork.
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Can I disable symmetry on only one layer?
Yes. In the Layers panel, tap the layer and turn off Drawing Assist in Layer Options. The guide may remain visible, and other assisted layers are not necessarily affected.
Can I keep the symmetry line but draw freely?
Yes. Leave Drawing Guide on and turn off Drawing Assist for the layer where you want to draw normally.
Why do I still see lines after turning off Drawing Assist?
Drawing Assist controls how strokes behave; Drawing Guide controls the visible overlay. Turn off Actions → Canvas → Drawing Guide to remove the lines.
Does turning off Rotational Symmetry disable symmetry?
No. It changes the reproduction mode back to ordinary mirrored behavior. Turn off Drawing Guide or Drawing Assist to disable the guide or assisted drawing.
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