ibisPaint is a popular drawing app for Android and iOS. There is also a version for Windows PCs.
If you’re confused about whether your iPhone, smartphones, and tablets (including iPads) can run ibisPaint without issues, you have come to the right place.
I will address frequently asked questions about the ibisPaint system requirements.
Table of Contents
ibisPaint Minimum and Recommended System Requirements
ibisPaint for Windows OS
Based on the ibisPaint website, the following table lists the minimum and recommended system requirements for the Windows Operating system version.
| Specification | Minimum Requirement | Recommended Requirement |
| OS | Windows 10 version 2004 or newer | Windows 11 version 21H2 or newer |
| Processor | Intel or AMD CPU on the x64 platform | Intel or AMD CPU with at least four cores |
| Graphics Card | Integrated Graphics Card compatible with DirectX Version 11 | Dedicated Graphics Card from Nvidia or AMD compatible with DirectX Version 11 |
| RAM | 2 GB | 4GB or more |
| Display | XGA (1024 x 768) | FHD (1920 x 1080) or higher preferred |
| Storage Drive | At least 2GB of free storage space on a HDD | At least 2 GB of free storage space on an SSD |
| Drawing Tablet | Pen tablet and styluses compatible with Windows Ink Platform | A Wacom pen tablet or one compatible with Windows Ink is preferred |
| Internet Connection | An internet connection is required to download and update the app from the Microsoft Store. | An internet connection is suggested for utilizing some software features and purchasing add-ons. |
This table is based on my experience using ibisPaint on a Windows laptop (an HP Spectre with an i7 processor and 16 GB of RAM).
Note that there is no difference between the system requirements for ibisPaint (Paid) and ibisPaint X (Free).
Sadly, MacBook users can’t use ibisPaint. It’s available only on the x64 versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11.
If you have a Windows laptop with a Snapdragon processor (or an ARM chip), it won’t be compatible with ibisPaint.
Because there is no system requirement table for the Android and iOS versions of ibisPaint, I needed to manually deduce it based on the minimum iOS and Android OS versions.
ibisPaint for iPad
Here are my deductions for the ibisPaint iPad version
| Specification | Requirement |
| OS | iPad OS 13.1 or later |
| Recommended iPads | iPad 6th generation (2018) and later Pad Air 3 (2019) and later iPad Mini 5 (2019 and later iPad Pro 2nd generation (2017) and later |
| Supported Stylus | Apple Pencil Apple Pencil 2 |
| Free Storage | At least 200 MB of free storage |
| Internet connection | Required for login and cloud backup |
ibisPaint for iPhone & iPod Touch
Here is the table for ibisPaint for the iOS version:
| Specification | Requirement |
| OS | iOS 12 or later |
| Supported iPhone and iPod touch | iPhone XS or iPhone released after 2018 iPod touch (7th generation) |
| Supported Stylus | Adonit Pixel Intuos® Creative Stylus Intuos® Creative Stylus 2 Bamboo Stylus fineline Bamboo Fineline 2 Bamboo Fineline 3 Bamboo Sketch |
| Free Storage | At least 200 MB of free storage |
| Internet Connection | Required for login and cloud backup |
Note: These iPhones support ibisPaint after you update them to at least iOS 12:
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone 6
- iPhone SE (1st generation)
- iPhone 5s
For iPod touch:
- iPod touch (6th generation)
Source: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ibis-paint-x/id450722833?platform=iphone
ibisPaint for Android Smartphones and Tablet
Based on my experience using ibisPaint on a Samsung Galaxy S22 and Samsung Galaxy Tablet S7 Plus:
| Specification | Requirement |
| Operating System | Android 5.0 and up |
| Processor | Smartphones equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 or 4 series or better chipset. |
| RAM | 4 GB of RAM or more |
| Supported Stylus | Wacom One Staedtler Noris Lamy EMR digital pen |
| Drawing Tablet | Wacom Drawing Tablet Huion Drawing Tablet XP-Pen Drawing Tablet Xencelabs Drawing Tablet Ugee Drawing Tablet |
| Free Storage | At least 100 MB of free storage |
| Internet Connection | Required for account creation and cloud backup |
Source: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.ne.ibis.ibispaintx.app
If you’re looking for drawing apps other than ibisPaint, check out these articles:
Clip Studio Paint System Requirement
How much RAM does ibisPaint Require?
Based on the recommended system requirement, ibisPaint needs at least 4 GB of RAM.
But, according to my experience using ibisPaint on my laptop, you need at least 8 GB RAM to draw in ibisPaint without lags.
4 GB of RAM is simply not enough. Even though 4GB of RAM is the minimum requirement for ibisPaint, Windows 10 and 11 will utilize at least 2 GB of your memory for essential background services.
With only 2 GB of memory left, it’s insufficient for intensive drawing and painting sessions in IbisPaint.
With 8GB of RAM, you can:
- Utilize more layers in ibisPaint for drawing
- Use complex brushes like glow, hair, or texture brushes
- Multitask smoothly. If you want to open Google Chrome, Discord, Spotify, and ibisPaint at the same time, at least 8 GB of RAM is needed.
- Draw on a high-resolution canvas (4K or higher) in ibisPaint
Does ibisPaint require an SSD?
IbisPaint doesn’t necessarily require an SSD. An HDD is sufficient for drawing and painting in IbisPaint.
However, there are benefits to installing ibisPaint on an SSD. For example:
- Faster loading times. SSDs generally have quicker read/write speeds than HDDs.
- Virtual memory support. When your system RAM is depleted, SSDs can act as faster virtual memory, temporarily storing crucial data like layers, used tools, undo history, brush strokes, filters, and more.
- Support for high-resolution canvases. Drawing on large canvases, like 4K or higher, becomes more feasible.
- SSD Improves brush stroke responsiveness in ibisPaint. The speed of an SSD can enhance the fluidity of brush strokes.
- Future compatibility. Consider the possibility that ibisPaint might not support HDDs in future updates.
- Increased reliability. SSDs are generally more durable and have a longer lifespan than HDDs. If your HDD fails, you risk losing all your data, while SSDs often provide more stable storage.
Given that most laptops now come equipped with SSDs, you should consider using an HDD primarily as a backup for your collection of completed digital art.
SATA vs. NVMe SSD for ibisPaint:
There’s no noticeable performance difference when installing ibisPaint on a SATA SSD or an NVMe SSD. IbisPaint doesn’t particularly benefit from the faster read speeds that NVMe SSDs offer.
If I had to choose between SATA or NVMe, I would always opt for NVMe.
The 2 or 3-second difference might seem negligible, but it can quickly accumulate over time, especially if you frequently open and draw in ibisPaint.
FAQS
Is ibisPaint Available on Mac?
ibisPaint is not available on macOS. This means you can’t use ibisPaint on your MacBook.
If you have a MacBook with an Intel Processor, you can use Crossover, Wine, and Parallels to run ibisPaint on your MacBook.
MacBooks with the M series chip can’t use ibisPaint, even with a compatibility layer application.
Can you Use ibisPaint on a laptop?
ibisPaint is lighter than professional drawing software like Photoshop. A laptop from 5 years ago can easily run ibisPaint without any lags.
Make sure the laptop has at least 8 GB of RAM and a dual-core processor. Anything less may require patience when you’re drawing with ibisPaint.
Does ibisPaint Require a Dedicated Graphics Card?
ibisPaint doesn’t mandate the use of a dedicated graphics card. For most artists, integrated graphics cards suffice.
The application leans heavily on the processing capabilities of your PC’s CPU, rendering the GPU’s importance relatively minimal.
However, equipping your Windows PC with a dedicated graphics card from Nvidia could be a smart move for future-proofing.
However, if you’re considering exploring other software like Photoshop or Blender, having a dedicated graphics card can enhance your experience, as these programs can be more demanding in graphics processing.
