Krita for PC: How to Download and Install on Windows 11 (2026 Guide)

Professional digital painting software used to mean an expensive subscription, but Krita changed that. This free, open-source art studio is trusted by illustrators, comic artists, and concept designers worldwide, and it gives beginners the same professional tools at no cost.

This guide shows you how to download and install Krita on Windows 11 (it also works on Windows 10) using only the official source, the hardware that makes painting smooth, and how to start your first drawing in minutes.

What Is Krita?

Krita is a free and open-source digital painting application developed by the Krita Foundation and a worldwide community of artists and programmers. In development since 1999, it is built specifically for creating artwork from scratch — illustrations, comics, concept art, textures, and animations — rather than for editing photographs.

What makes Krita special is its focus on the feel of real drawing and painting. It ships with brushes that imitate pencils, inks, oils, watercolours, and pastels, supports graphics tablets with full pressure sensitivity, and includes the layer, masking, and colour tools professionals expect.

Key Features of Krita

Professional brush engines: Over 100 brushes — pencils, ink pens, chalk, watercolour, airbrush, and textures — all customisable and pressure-sensitive.
Brush stabilisers: Built-in smoothing turns shaky hand movements into clean, confident lines that beginners especially appreciate.
Layers and masks: Non-destructive layer groups, transparency masks, and blending modes for building artwork safely piece by piece.
Comic and manga tools: Panel templates, speech balloon vector tools, and text features for comic page creation.
Animation support: A frame-by-frame animation timeline with onion skinning for 2D animation work.
Colour management: Full support for colour profiles, HDR painting, and professional colour models.
Resource manager: Import or create brush bundles, patterns, and palettes, and share them with the Krita community.

System Requirements

Operating System: Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit)
Processor: Any modern dual-core Intel or AMD CPU; faster processors make large brushes smoother
RAM: 4 GB minimum, 8 GB or more recommended for large canvases with many layers
Storage: About 700 MB for the application, plus space for your artwork files
Graphics: A GPU with OpenGL 3.0 or Direct3D 11 support helps canvas rotation and zooming stay fluid
Internet: Only required for the download; painting and saving work fully offline
Account: None — no sign-up, licence, or activation is needed
Optional hardware: A graphics drawing tablet (Wacom, XP-Pen, Huion and similar) for pressure-sensitive strokes

How to Download Krita (Official Method)

Unofficial sites sometimes repackage Krita or try to charge for it — neither is necessary, since the Krita Foundation publishes it free of charge. Always download from the official Krita website for the genuine, latest version.

Official Website: Download Krita from the official website

Step-by-Step Installation

Open your browser and go to the official Krita download page linked above.
Click the big download button for the Windows version (the 64-bit installer is selected by default) and save the krita-setup file.
When the download completes, double-click the installer in your Downloads folder to start setup.
Approve the Windows permission prompt and click Next to accept the licence agreement.
Keep the default install location, choose whether to create a desktop shortcut, and click Install.
Wait for the files to copy, then click Finish — tick the option to run Krita if you want to open it straight away.
On first launch, Krita shows a start screen where you can create a new file or open recent artwork.

First launch note: If Krita’s interface looks small or large on a high-resolution display, open Settings > Configure Krita > General > Window and adjust the “Enable Hi-DPI support” option, then restart the app.

How to Start Your First Drawing in Krita

Your first canvas takes less than a minute to set up:

On the start screen, click “New File” (or press Ctrl+N).
Choose a canvas size — 1920 × 1080 pixels at 300 ppi is a comfortable starting point.
Click Create, and your blank canvas appears, ready to paint on.
Select the Brush tool from the toolbox (or press B), then pick a brush from the Brush Presets panel.
Choose a colour, then draw directly on the canvas with your mouse or drawing tablet.
Save early and often with Ctrl+S — use the .kra format to keep layers editable.

Is Krita Really Free?

Yes. Krita is open-source software, and the version on the official website is completely free, with every brush, layer feature, and animation tool unlocked and no time limits. The Krita Foundation funds development through donations and community support. You may also see Krita at a price in stores such as Steam or the Microsoft Store — that paid listing is simply an optional way to support the developers and receive automatic updates; the program is identical to the free official download, so paying is a choice, never a requirement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to download Krita from the official website?
Yes. The official Krita website is operated by the Krita Foundation, the organisation behind the software, and its downloads are the genuine releases. Using that link protects you from adware bundles and fake “premium” versions on unofficial pages.

Is Krita really free, or is there a hidden paid version?
Krita is genuinely free from the official website, with no features held back. The paid Steam and Microsoft Store listings are optional supporter versions with identical features; they fund development and provide automatic updates, not extra tools.

Does Krita work with my drawing tablet?
Almost certainly yes. Krita supports Wacom, Huion, XP-Pen, and most other popular graphics tablets, including pen pressure and tilt where the hardware offers it. For best results, install the latest driver from your tablet maker’s website before launching Krita.

Can Krita open and save Photoshop (PSD) files?
Yes, Krita can open PSD files and save your work in PSD format, making it easier to share files with Photoshop users. Very complex documents using Photoshop-only features may not translate perfectly, so keep a .kra copy as your editable master file.

Conclusion

Krita gives you a professional painting studio on Windows without subscriptions, licences, or watermarks. Whether you are sketching a first character or painting a finished illustration, every tool is there from day one. Download it from the official website and start making art today.

Download Krita from the Official Website

Krita for PC: How to Download and Install on Windows 11 (2026 Guide)