How to Create Custom Designs & Use the Custom Design Pro Editor | ACNH - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch)

Personalize your character by learning how to create your own custom designs and see the features of unlocking the Custom Design Pro Editor in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH).

How to Create Custom Designs

Open the Custom Design Editor

You can create custom designs using the Custom Designs app on your NookPhone.

Select a Slot to Save Your Design to

Keep in mind what you're making a design for

The design will look better if you specifically create it for an item: is it for a shirt, or face paint?

Top	Face Paint	Canvas

You can preview what it looks like on the specific item by selecting Swap Preview on the toolbar.

If you use the Custom Design Pro Editor, you will select a type of clothing to create a design for.

Play Around with Colors

Color Palette	There are 15 palettes to choose from, and each palette has 16 different colors. Changing the color palette affects current colors on the canvas.
Select Between Colors	You can rotate through the colors by pressing the L & R buttons.
Color Picker	To select a specific color on the canvas, point the cursor at the color and press the L & R buttons at the same time.
Change Color	Customize colors from a palette. Only availble with the Custom Design Pro Editor upgrade.

Try Out All the Drawing Tools

Drawing Tools
Pen	Pointer used for freehand drawing. Size is changeable.
Line Tool	Draw a line from point A to point B.
Rectangle Tool	Draw a rectangle outline from point A to point B.
Circle Tool	Draw a circle outline from point A to point B.
Fill	Change the color of a group of pixels to a different color.
Round Stamp	Draws a circle with fill and outline. Size is changeable.
Star Stamp	Draws a star with fill and outline. Size is changeable.
Heart Stamp	Draws a star with fill and outline. Size is changeable.

Change tool sizes

Mess around by adjusting the sizes. You can change the sizes of the pen and the stamps.

Utilize Other Tools

Other Tools
Fill All	Fills the whole canvas with a single color.
Drag Design	You can drag the design on the whole canvas by moving the left joystick. Note that you cannot undo this action.
Swap Preview	Swaps the current preview to top, face paint, and canvas.
Mirror Mode	Press the ZR button turn on Mirror Mode. This allows you to draw on one side and it will be mirrored to the other side. The mirror is always vertical.
Undo/Redo	You can undo or redo a single action by pressing the - button.

Name Your Design

Give your design a name! This can be viewed by other players so remember to put a proper name!

Explore and Create Designs

We have guides for custom designs that you can use as paths and more! Check out their individual pages to learn more!

How to Make Custom Designs
How to Make Custom Fireworks Designs	How to Make Wooden Paths
How to Make Brick Paths	How to Make Platforms
How to Make Dirt Paths | The Path	How to Make Tatami Mats
How to Make Seashell Paths	How to Make Sweets Floor Designs
How to Make Flowerbeds	How to Make Flower Patches
How to Make Tile Patterns	-

Custom Design Pro Editor

How to Unlock the Custom Pro Editor

You can unlock the Custom Pro Editor after upgrading to Nook Miles+. You can redeem it for 800 Nook Miles.

It is definitely worth unlocking if you want to show your creativity to the world!

What Should You Spend Nook Miles on First?

Create Designs for Different Types of Clothing

With Custom Design Pro Editor unlocked, you can create designs for a specific type of clothing.

Custom Design Pro Types of Clothing

Tank top	Short-sleeve tee	Long-sleeve dress shirt
Sweater	Hoodie	Coat
Sleeveless dress	Short-sleeve dress	Long-sleeve dress
Round dress	Balloon-hem dress	Robe
Brimmed cap	Knit cap	Brimmed hat

Customize Colors from Palettes

You can customize each color from a palette by selecting Change Color. You can adjust the hue, vividness, and brightness.

Customize Each Side of the Clothing

For each type of clothing you choose, you can design all the sides of the item including the front, left sleeve, right sleeve, and back sides.

Custom (PRO) Designs for Clothes

What Can You Do with Custom Designs?

Wear as Face Paint

For the first time in the Animal Crossing series, you can wear a custom design as face paint. The design's canvas will be distributed to the character's forehead and cheeks.

You can even do facial features such as eyebrows, beauty marks, and freckles.
How to Use and Erase Face Paint

Put on Display

You can put your designs on display as a painting or put it over a mannequin for others to see!

Top Custom Design Patterns for Signs and Decorations

Displayed on Ground

You can display your designs on the ground, which can be used as a ground pattern, or even use it as a path after unlocking the Island Designer app.

Inside your house, you can spread it in the room as a flooring or lay it down as a tile mat.

Top Custom Design Patterns for Paths, Floors and Ground

On Walls

On the walls of your house, you can spread your design as a wallpaper, or you can display it on a canvas or on a hanger as a shirt.

Share Custom Designs Online

You can share custom designs online after unlocking the Able Sisters tailor shop.

You can also save other players' custom designs, as well as designs from previous Animal Crossing games by scanning QR codes. Check out our guide to learn more.
Custom Designs Portal - How to Share Custom Designs Online

Top Custom Designs Patterns

Check out our hand-picked custom design patters submitted by other users. Get the chance to have yours featured too!

List of Custom Designs
Clothes and Accesories	Face Paint
Paths, Floors and Ground	Signs and Decorations
Top Dream Addresses and Dream Towns

Related Links

Animal Crossing Switch Wiki Guide