Smartphones with Clip Studio Paint installed can be used in Companion mode with Clip Studio Paint on your tablet or, Windows or macOS computer. Companion mode is a feature that allows you to use your smartphone as a handheld shortcut remote for Clip Studio Paint. With it, you can control computers or tablets with Clip Studio Paint installed.

 

You can use Companion Mode on your smartphone even if you don't have an active Clip Studio Paint plan.

Setup

First, make sure that Clip Studio Paint is installed on both your smartphone and computer or tablet device.

Once installation is complete, connect both devices to the Internet using the same router or access point. Please note that this feature cannot be used with Wi-Fi Direct.

Main device:

1. Start Clip Studio Paint on your main device.

 

2. Tap Connect to smartphone on the Command Bar to generate the QR code.

 

Note:

A confirmation message from your device’s OS or security software may appear the first time you use Connect to smartphone. Please make sure you grant permission for data transmission to use this feature.

 

Smartphone:

1. Launch Clip Studio Paint on your smartphone.

 

2. Tap [Get Started] on the License authentication screen.

 

3. Tap [Menu]→[Companion Mode**.

 

4. Tap [Scan QR code] on the confirmation screen.

 

5. Scan the QR code displayed on your main device with your smartphone camera.

 

6. Clip Studio Paint will switch over to Companion mode on your smartphone and connect to Clip Studio Paint on your main device.

 

Note:

You can use Companion mode for as long as you want, even if using the free, time-limited version of Clip Studio Paint on your smartphone. However, if you switch to Companion mode while the canvas is displayed, time spent in Companion mode will count as part of your free usage time.

 

 

See below for how to set up Companion Mode.

 

Using Companion mode

The Quick Access palette will appear on your smartphone when you first switch to Companion mode.

This will feature the same functionality as the Quick Access palette on your computer or tablet. Tapping each of the buttons on your smartphone will perform the action on your connected computer or tablet.

For example, tapping Pencil on your smartphone’s Quick Access palette will select the “Pencil” tool in Clip Studio Paint on your computer or tablet.

 

Many other Sub Tools besides the Pencil tool can also be assigned to the Quick Access palette.

You can set function buttons on your computer or tablet by clicking the Companion mode Quick Access Settings. For more on how to change these settings, check out this article.

 

Note:

Clip Studio Paint's interface can be changed to dark or light mode.

You can adjust the intensity of the color mode from the menu in the upper left corner of the screen → [App settings]→ [Preferences] → [Interface] .

Note: The images in this article are from the Clip Studio Paint UI set to dark mode.

 

Switching modes

There are many other functions that can be used other than the Quick Access palette in Companion mode. Use the Mode button at the bottom of the screen to switch modes.

If your smartphone is in landscape mode, the Mode button will be on the left side of the screen.

 

Note:

Depending on the device size, you might not see the whole of the Mode button. Swipe left on the Mode button row to see the whole button.

　1) Quick Access

You can use all the functions registered to the Quick Access palette on your computer or tablet. For details, see "Using Companion mode."

 

　2) Color Wheel

You can select colors in the same way as with the Color Wheel palette. Use the slider at the bottom to adjust the opacity and brush size of the currently selected tool.

 

　3) Gesture Pad

You can control the canvas using the same gestures as the tablet and smartphone versions of Clip Studio Paint. Single swipe to move the canvas and Two-finger tap to undo the last action. Refer to on-screen instructions for more details.

Use the button at the bottom of the screen to switch the canvas view.

Left to right: Reset Display, 100%, Reset rotation, Fit to Navigator, Fit To Screen, Flip Horizontal, Flip Vertical

 

　4) Sub View palette

You can import another image, select colors from it, and even use it as a reference.

Below the image are icons with colors picked up from the image, which you can use to select colors.

Tap Import to select an image to load from your photo library manager to the Sub View palette.

Or, tap Camera to open your camera app and take a photo to import.

 

You can save multiple images to the Sub View. To switch between your images, tap To previous image or To next image. To delete a saved image, tap Clear.

Tapping Open image on canvas will cause Companion mode to close. You can then edit the image that is displayed in the Sub View palette on the Smartphone version of Clip Studio Paint.

 

　5) Color Mixing

Use brushes and the Color Mixing tool in the drawing area to make a color, then use the Eyedropper to select the color. You can use this area as a palette.

See below for more details.

 

　6) Webtoon Preview

Use the Webtoon preview feature to see how your webtoon will look on the smartphone. In addition to Webtoon projects, you can use this Mode to preview multi-page comics and illustrations as well.

See below for more details.

 

　7) Mode switch

The Mode switch feature allows you to use the full functionality of the selected tool as well as modifier keys such as Shift, Ctrl (command on macOS), and Alt (option on macOS).

While pressing the button you will be able to see what functions are available and go straight to using them.

When you have a drawing tool like a Pen tool selected you will be able to use Shift to draw a straight line, Alt to use the Eyedropper, change the brush size with Ctrl + Alt, and more through this feature. The tool will switch to the function while you hold the corresponding button.

This will be helpful with tools like the Bezier curve Sub Tool, which has many functions that can be assigned shortcuts with modifier keys. For example, Shift changes the step of the angle, Ctrl edits Control points, and Alt switches corners.

 

　8) Settings

Here you can change your Companion mode settings such as the layout of your Mode buttons, Quick Access set list displays, and more.

 

Closing Companion mode

To end Companion mode, tap Close, or select any of the following: Service Menu, Manage works, Manage materials or Communication Management.

 

 

Reconnecting

After launching Clip Studio Paint on your computer or tablet, open the Clip Studio Paint app on your smartphone. Tap on Companion mode once the Manage works screen appears.

If the canvas you are currently working on is displayed on your smartphone, close the canvas to bring up the Manage works screen.

If you cannot connect this way, tap Connect to smartphone in the Command Bar on your computer or tablet to generate a QR code for your smartphone to scan.

 

 

 

Note:

You can switch to Companion mode even when you have an active canvas, however, using Companion mode in this way will be counted as part of your free usage time. We recommend that you first close your active canvas before switching to Companion mode.