Krita is an amazing tool for digital artists. It is free. It is powerful. And it gives you a huge collection of brushes to play with. But after a while, things can get messy. You download new brushes. You create custom ones. You test packs from other artists. Suddenly, your brush list feels crowded and confusing.
TLDR: Deleting custom brushes in Krita is simple once you know where to look. Open the Brush Presets docker, find the brush you want to remove, and delete it from the resource folder. You can also manage brushes by opening the resource folder directly from Krita’s settings. Cleaning your brushes makes Krita faster, neater, and more fun to use.
Let’s walk through everything step by step. Nice and easy.
Why You Might Want to Delete Custom Brushes
All Heading
First, let’s talk about why this even matters.
- Your brush list feels too long.
- You installed packs you don’t use.
- You created test brushes that didn’t turn out great.
- Krita feels slightly slower when loading.
Too many brushes can slow your workflow. You waste time scrolling. You lose focus. Creativity suffers.
Cleaning up helps you:
- Work faster
- Stay organized
- Find your favorite tools quickly
- Reduce clutter
Think of it like cleaning your art desk. Less mess. More magic.
Understanding How Krita Stores Brushes
Before deleting anything, it helps to understand how Krita handles brushes.
Krita brushes are called brush presets. They are saved as files in Krita’s resource folder. These files usually have the extension .kpp.
When you install or create a custom brush, Krita saves it there.
To truly delete a brush, you remove the file from this folder.
Simple idea. But the folder may not be obvious at first.
Method 1: Delete a Brush Directly Inside Krita
This is the easiest method for most people.
Step 1: Open the Brush Presets Panel
In Krita:
- Go to Settings
- Select Dockers
- Make sure Brush Presets is checked
The Brush Presets docker should now be visible.
Image not found in postmetaStep 2: Find the Brush You Want to Delete
Scroll through your brushes.
Click on the one you no longer want.
Make sure you select the correct one. Double-check the name.
Step 3: Remove the Brush
Right-click on the brush preset.
If deletion is allowed, you may see an option like:
- Delete Resource
Click it.
Krita will ask for confirmation. Confirm it.
Done.
If the delete option is grayed out, don’t panic. Some brushes are default system brushes. These cannot be removed that way. For those, move to Method 2.
Method 2: Delete Brushes from the Resource Folder Manually
This method works every time for custom brushes.
Here is how to do it.
Step 1: Open Krita’s Resource Folder
Inside Krita:
- Go to Settings
- Click Manage Resources
You will see a window showing installed resources.
Look for an option like:
- Open Resource Folder
Click it.
Your file explorer will open.
Image not found in postmetaInside the resource folder, look for a folder named:
- paintoppresets
This is where your brush preset files live.
You will see many .kpp files.
Each one is a brush.
Step 3: Find and Delete the Brush File
Look for the file that matches the brush name.
If you’re unsure, you can:
- Sort by date modified
- Look for recently added brushes
Once you find it:
- Right-click the file
- Select Delete
The file goes to your system recycle bin.
Restart Krita.
The brush will be gone.
Method 3: Deleting an Entire Brush Pack
Sometimes you install a full brush pack. Then regret it.
No problem.
Step 1: Open Manage Resources
- Go to Settings
- Click Manage Resources
Step 2: Find the Bundle
Brush packs usually come as bundles.
In the resource manager, look under:
- Bundles
Select the bundle you installed.
Step 3: Remove or Disable the Bundle
You may have options like:
- Deactivate
- Remove
Deactivate hides the brushes.
Remove deletes them.
Restart Krita to finalize the change.
Image not found in postmetaWhat If a Brush Keeps Coming Back?
This can happen.
Usually because:
- The brush is part of an active bundle.
- You deleted it from the wrong folder.
- Krita recreated it during startup.
To fix this:
- Check if it belongs to a bundle.
- Deactivate the bundle.
- Restart Krita.
If it is a default Krita brush, you usually cannot remove it permanently. But you can ignore it or use tags to hide it.
Bonus Tip: Organize Instead of Delete
Not sure whether to delete a brush?
You can organize instead.
Krita allows tags.
Tags help you group brushes into categories like:
- Sketch
- Inking
- Texture
- Favorites
To manage tags:
- Open the Brush Presets docker
- Right-click a brush
- Assign or remove tags
This helps reduce clutter without permanent deletion.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Let’s save you some headaches.
- Do not delete random files from other Krita folders.
- Do not remove system files unless you know what you are doing.
- Always restart Krita after big changes.
- Check recycle bin first if something important disappears.
Slow and careful is better than rushed and regretful.
Does Deleting Brushes Improve Performance?
Good question.
If you have hundreds or thousands of brushes installed, yes. It can help.
Krita loads resources at startup.
Fewer brushes mean:
- Faster startup time
- Smoother preset browsing
- Less memory usage
The difference may not be huge. But it feels cleaner.
And that matters.
How Often Should You Clean Your Brushes?
There is no strict rule.
But a good habit is:
- Clean after testing new packs
- Review brushes every few months
- Keep only what you truly use
Professional artists often use fewer brushes than beginners.
Why?
Because mastery beats quantity.
Final Thoughts
Deleting custom brushes in Krita is not complicated. It just feels hidden at first.
Remember:
- Use the Brush Presets docker for quick removal.
- Use the Manage Resources window to open the resource folder.
- Delete .kpp files from the paintoppresets folder if needed.
- Deactivate bundles to remove full brush packs.
Keep your workspace clean.
Keep your tools focused.
Your creativity will thank you.
Now open Krita. Scroll through your brushes. And let go of the ones you never touch.
It feels surprisingly good.
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