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Aseprite Documentation

Learn how to create animated sprites and pixel art with the most powerful sprite editor for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

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Quick start

Get up and running with Aseprite in just a few steps.

1

Install Aseprite

Download Aseprite from the official website or build from source. Aseprite is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
2

Create your first sprite

Launch Aseprite and create a new sprite with File → New. Choose your canvas size and color mode (RGBA, Indexed, or Grayscale).
# Or create a sprite from the command line
aseprite --batch --new 32,32,rgba --save-as my-sprite.aseprite
3

Draw and animate

Use the drawing tools to create your pixel art. Add frames to create animations using the timeline. Enable onion skinning to see previous and next frames while drawing.
4

Export your work

Export your sprite as a PNG, GIF, or sprite sheet with File → Export. You can also automate exports using the CLI or Lua scripting API.

Explore by topic

Dive into the features that make Aseprite the ultimate sprite editor.

Core concepts

Understand sprites, layers, frames, and color modes

Drawing tools

Master the pixel-perfect drawing tools and brushes

Animation

Create smooth animations with timeline and onion skinning

Sprite sheets

Export and import sprite sheets for game development

Lua scripting

Automate workflows with the powerful Lua scripting API

Command line

Batch process sprites with the CLI interface

Key features

Discover what makes Aseprite the go-to tool for pixel artists and game developers.

Layer-based composition

Organize your sprites with layers and groups. Each frame maintains independent layer states for complex animations.

Multiple color modes

Work in RGBA, Indexed (up to 256 colors), or Grayscale mode. Full support for color profiles and palette management.

Pixel-perfect tools

Pixel Perfect mode, shading ink, custom brushes, symmetry tool, and tiled mode for seamless patterns.

Animation workspace

Real-time preview, onion skinning, frame tags, and timeline controls. Export to GIF, sprite sheets, or PNG sequences.

Community & support

Get help and connect with other Aseprite users.

Community forum

Ask questions and share your work

Discord server

Chat with the community in real-time

GitHub

Report issues and contribute to development

Ready to create amazing pixel art?

Start building your sprites and animations today with our comprehensive guides and tutorials.

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