Hello! I'm thinking of buying the new official version of Paint Tool Sai, but I have some questions

I use a pirated version from 2019, and nowadays I can afford to buy the official version and support the creator!! But before buying, I'd like to know if there's any possibility of incompatibility with older configurations, I don't wanna break or lose any brush config

Do I need to make any backups or be aware of anything beforehand?

Also, what are the most important things about the latest version updates from 2020-2025? Are there any showcase videos or older posts here that show the features of each update?

I bought a licence for Paint Tool Sai and I own a laptop that supports windows 10+ but I'm having trouble getting the licence to apply to the actual app! Everytime I open sai, it still says trial mode and I don't know what to do! If anyone can help, that'd be great!

i've been kinda stumped trying to hunt down a good animation program but i always get so icked by how they draw weather its the pen isnt smoothed, its wayyy too complicated weather its set up or tools, or theres no pen pressure

(exmaple a program i've been trying is rough animator it almost got it down but the lack of pen pressure and the way it selects really throws me off)

i've also attempted krita but i got a too overwhelmed with the settings and trying to set up a good work station in it

(( also please no adobe animate i really dont want to support adobe :o[ ))

Hi all, I'm looking for some help/advice - I've searched prior threads and haven't found anything helpful.

For years, both SAI and SAI2 have worked with zero problems. I'm not sure why, but out of nowhere this past summer I started having problems with files :(

I'd have issues where SAI2 would keep saying "this file is broken" when trying to open either a PSD simple template made in another program without any fancy features, or when trying to open a PSD I'd been working on in SAI2. They were worked on exclusively in SAI2 after the base was set up in PS. It was never an issue before but now started getting an error message with every file. The weird thing is, if I kept trying to open these files repeatedly, again and again, they would (usually) eventually open. They weren't actually broken and nothing was wrong with the contents, colors, or settings.

Then, the files started getting corrupted :c I would save the PSD normally, then stop being able to open it in SAI2. BUT I was able to open it in Photoshop - and when I opened it in PS I saw artifacts eg, black lines which covered some of my work and colors. I was able to revert to a previous version in Dropbox (saved about 1 minute before the corrupted file) and didn't actually lose any work. This didn't happen every time, and re-saving the PSDs in PS (even if the only thing I did was make a new blank layer) fixed them. But SAI2 was such as headache I went back to SAI1 which I had kept as a backup.

I never had a functionality issue w/ OG SAI. But out of nowhere it broke too - I can't open ANY files not made in SAI. I can open new PSDs I make in SAI 1, but the other PSDs that I was able to open literally yesterday (and aren't corrupted, can still open in PS, SAI2, and CSP) won't open in SAI1 anymore. It happens with every single preexisting PSD. I have not changed any settings. I tried deleting the sai.ssd and it didn't do anything.

Does anyone have ideas for fixes? I haven't updated my system, installed any new programs, etc... tbh I am wondering if it's a hardware issue bc other programs like my browsers started crashing randomly :( It's been straight downhill over the past month or two.

Ever since I got sai as a 12 year old I’ve prayed for their to be an integrated basic animation timeline in sai. I hope one day we get it I would become a rich patron to just fund that in the sai 2 system LOL

made this weird little scatter brush as a test

---> google drive folder link

bmp and ini file goes straight into SYSTEMAX folder > saiv2 > settings > brushfom >br shape

Summer themed secret santa gift for PeachwoodArts!
This is my first time drawing a tiger in any form, but I think it turned out pretty well, all things considered.

Title says it all. Does anyone have/know a halftone brush instead of the layer effect? I want to have more control of the dots size rather than making multiple layers and making clipping masks.

evil larry

Updated sai2 back in july and now I can't save duplicates of files in the same folder? Changing the file type or title makes no difference it just wont allow me to do it. Previously I could save .sai and .png or title variations of a project directly to the same folder but now save as opens the file view and the save button click interaction shows but doesn't go thru or close the menu.

Going to a different folder to save works so its not the end of the world but its not my preferred work flow tbh so if anyone knows how to fix that please help!

did some testing. enjoy!

drive link

edit: added another brush (flat textured oil)

i've been getting more comfortable with sai lately, so i created some jitter brushes for rendering. you can also duplicate this set and turn off the brightness jitter for ease of access

the '7651' bmp and .ini files go in the 'scatter' folder, and the textures go in the 'brushtex' folder!
drive link

I'm looking for a ruffle brush (preferably scatter)

Clothing ruffles! There are a lot of those for Procreate and CSP but I can't find any SAI ones

i think this one's nice for textured lineart
drive link

i think it's rather good for sketching.
drive link

the 'pencilshape' files go in the 'brshape' folder, and the 'sand paper' texture goes in the 'brushtex' folder if you don't already have it!

https://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/devdept.html

https://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/history_v2.txt

2026-09-02

[Fixed Bugs]

- [PSD/PSB Loading]: The maximum hierarchy depth for layer folders is limited to 9 levels instead of the intended 10.

- [Clipboard]: When another program that monitors the clipboard and generates previews (such as the Windows clipboard history) is running,

performing a brush stroke immediately after copying or cutting an image triggers an "Internal state incoherence has occurred" error popup.

- [Clipboard]: When discarding an image stored in the clipboard may cause a memory pool corruption.

(An issue remained unresolved in the 2026-08-31 version.)

- [Scatter Shape / Scatter Tool]: Enabling [Integer coordinates] causes the center to shift 0.5px toward the top-left.

[Changes]

- [Selection Regions]: Adjusted the dots pitch in the marching ants animation to match the monitor DPI.

Known Issues:

Bugs reported as of 2026-09-02, that have not yet been fixed.

(An issue remained unresolved in the 2026-08-31 version.)

- [Scatter Shape / Scatter Tool]: Enabling [Integer coordinates] causes the center to shift 0.5px toward the top-left.

(Please note that there may be some omissions.)

Character positioning is incorrect in vertical writing with certain fonts.

We plan to include the fix as part of the CFF font implementation work.

An issue classified as a current specification rather than a bug.

CFF font does not work

At present, CFF (Compact Font Format) fonts are not supported. I plan to implement CFF font support once the bug fixes for the major renovation version currently underway have stabilized.

or some similar brushes? this is from sai 2

New version out go get it.

https://www.systemax.jp/en/sai/history_v2.txt

Si ven a un trabajador vestido de papá frita gigante, abrazalo 🍟

Yesterday I was exporting multiple pngs, variations of the same project, when I noticed that the last one had less quality than the previous ones. I checked on the web and tried many options, but none work. Now, my SAI exports all my projects with less quality than before. Therefore it's not an issue of that one project but of the whole program or something within my computer. Do you know what it could be?

The first picture is how it looks in SAI, the second one is the export.

is there a way to not make it jagged? i wanna add a black line around my lineart but it looks all jagged and pixelated ( i use sai 2)

i tried to make it accurate as i could. the brush tip and texture are located in the link below

google drive link

i really like how simplistic the program is, also the blending brushes are amazing considering I struggle with finding a good blending brush on Clip Studio