What it does
Pixen is a native pixel-art editor for Mac, iPhone and iPad. It combines high-zoom drawing with a separate preview, editable palettes and filmstrip animation. Custom patterns can replace single-pixel marks, and projects can sync between its Apple-device editions through iCloud.
Draw close, preview at size
The preview shows the canvas at a smaller scale while you work at high zoom. It can also tile an image to reveal repeating patterns. Custom marks can be imported from one-bit images and used with Pencil, Line or Eraser.
On Mac, different tools can be assigned to the left and right mouse buttons, and JavaScript actions can automate repeated work. The iPad edition supports Apple Pencil gestures and hover on compatible hardware.
Palettes and animation files
Palette import and export covers Adobe Color Table, Microsoft Palette, JASC and GIMP formats. Frames are arranged in a filmstrip, with sprite sheets, GIF and animated PNG available for exchange.
The Mac page offers a direct purchase. Mac and iOS are separate editions. Check purchase coverage for each device if you need both.
Strengths
- Tiled preview exposes joins in a repeated texture
- Palette formats support exchange with other editors
- Mac scripting can automate repeated actions
Best for
- Apple-device artists creating low-resolution sprites
- Pixel artists building reusable drawing patterns
Sources
- Pixen for Mac: drawing, animation and purchase (Oct 27, 2026)
- Pixen for iPhone and iPad (Oct 27, 2026)