Ever wished your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island reflected your unique style? Custom designs are the key to making your world truly yours, from personalized paths to one-of-a-kind outfits. But figuring out how to create and use these designs can feel overwhelming at first.
Understanding custom designs is essential for anyone who wants their island to stand out. This guide will walk you through the basics, share easy steps for creating and sharing designs, and offer tips to spark your creativity.
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How to Use Custom Designs in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons gives you endless ways to personalize your island, your home, and even your clothing. One of the most creative tools in the game is the “Custom Designs” feature. Whether you’re hoping to make unique clothing, decorate your town paths, or add dazzling patterns to your furniture, custom designs let your imagination run wild.
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how custom designs work, how to make and use your own, and how to get creative with shots of inspiration from other players around the globe.
What Are Custom Designs in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
Custom designs are pixel-art images you create or download and apply to clothing, furniture, the ground, signs, and many other surfaces. They let you:
- Wear homemade t-shirts, hats, dresses, and more.
- Personalize your town’s path, flags, and face paint.
- Decorate furniture and other objects.
- Share your creativity with other players online.
Custom designs are central to making your island reflect your personal style!
How to Create Custom Designs
1. Access the Custom Designs App
Every Animal Crossing: New Horizons player automatically gets the Custom Designs app on their NookPhone at the start of the game.
- Open your NookPhone.
- Tap the “Custom Designs” icon.
2. Draw Your Design
In the app, you’ll see a grid with pixel squares. Use this to “paint” your desired pattern.
- Select an empty slot to start a new design.
- Use the pencil, fill, erase, and mirror tools to help with your drawing.
- There are color palettes you can change for more variety.
3. Save Your Design
Once satisfied with your creation, give it a name and save it. You can edit it at any time.
Custom Designs Pro Editor: Take Your Art Further
If you really want to dive deep, purchase the Custom Designs Pro Editor from the Nook Stop terminal in Resident Services. This upgrade unlocks:
- Pro Clothing Designs: Create shirts, hats, dresses, and more types of wearable items.
- Advanced Editing Tools: Use symmetry, more colors, and a grid overlay.
- Face Paint & Sleeve Customization: Even more ways to get creative.
To get the Pro Editor:
- Visit Resident Services and interact with the Nook Stop terminal.
- Spend Nook Miles for the “Custom Designs Pro Editor.”
- Relaunch your Custom Designs app to see the new features!
Using and Displaying Custom Designs
On Clothing
- Open the Custom Designs app and select your design.
- Choose “Wear” to put the design on as a shirt, dress, hat, or face paint.
- If you used the Pro Editor, you’ll have more clothing options.
On Paths and the Ground
- With a design selected, choose “Display on Ground.”
- Your design will appear as a tile. Arrange multiple tiles to form paths, plazas, or murals.
On Furniture
- Some furniture items allow you to use custom designs as their pattern (like bedsheets or cushions).
- Stand near the item and choose “Customize,” then select your design.
On Walls, Signs, and More
- Some interior and exterior decorations can showcase your masterpieces.
- Use custom designs for tapestries, framed art, or public signs.
Sharing and Downloading Custom Designs
Nothing makes the community experience richer like sharing designs!
The Able Sisters Shop
Once you unlock the Able Sisters’ shop, you gain access to the Custom Design Portal.
- Go to the terminal inside the shop.
- Upload your own designs for others to use.
- Search by Creator ID or Design ID to find stellar designs made by others.
Using QR Codes
With the Nintendo Switch Online mobile app and the older Animal Crossing games’ QR code system:
- Scan QR codes with your phone’s NookLink function in the Nintendo Switch Online app.
- Designs are transferred to your New Horizons game.
Benefits of Using Custom Designs
- Unlimited Creativity: Showcase your personality and style all over your island.
- Community Connection: Download and enjoy thousands of clever designs from players worldwide.
- Event and Themed Decorations: Celebrate holidays, special events, or fandoms with timely designs.
- Functional Pathways: Create beautiful, unique, or themed paths and town squares.
Best Practices and Pro Tips
Design Tips
- Build up from simple patterns to more complex images.
- Use symmetry tools to make shapes and patterns repeat neatly.
- Check popular communities and creator showcases for inspiration.
- Experiment with shading and gradients, even within the limited palette.
Organizing Your Designs
- Name your designs clearly to keep track.
- Use individual design slots for multi-tile paths or murals.
Island Theme Consistency
- Match designs across signs, clothing, and structures for a cohesive look.
- Use seasonal colors to reflect the current in-game season.
Sharing Etiquette
- Always give credit to creators when sharing designs (especially on social media).
- Respect other creators’ requests regarding usage, especially for large or complex patterns.
Challenges and Considerations
Design Slot Limitations
- There’s a cap on how many custom designs you can save—plan ahead!
- Delete or replace lesser-used designs to free up slots for new projects.
Uploading and Downloading
- You need an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription to share/download via the Custom Design Portal.
- Be careful when editing shared designs; it’s respectful to keep others’ work intact unless explicitly allowed.
Furniture Compatibility
- Not every furniture item supports custom designs—check for customization options before planning your décor.
Cost Tips
Custom designs themselves don’t cost in-game currency. However:
- Nook Miles: The Pro Editor upgrade costs Nook Miles, which you earn through gameplay.
- Nintendo Switch Online Subscription: Needed for online sharing and searching for designs.
- No Real Shipping/Shipping Charges: All custom designs transfer digitally—no cost for shipping or receiving designs from other players!
A Quick Inspiration Boost
Thousands of talented players make breathtaking designs for everything from cobblestone roads to famous artworks. Explore in-game galleries or portals to find just the perfect fit for your island! Whether you want a rustic cottage-core path or a superhero logo on your t-shirt, someone has likely made it (or you can try your hand at creating it yourself).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I get more custom design slots?
As you progress, unlock the Custom Designs Pro Editor and the Pro Editor+, which increases your design slots. Additional upgrades may be offered after certain in-game milestones.
Can I use someone else’s design on my island?
Yes! Visit the Able Sisters’ shop and use the Custom Design Portal. Search for designs by Creator ID or Design ID, then download them into your own slots.
What items can I customize with my designs?
You can use custom designs on clothing, hats, face paint, select furniture, signs, ground tiles, canvases, and more. Not all furniture supports patterns, so check for the paintbrush icon when customizing items.
Do I need to pay for custom designs in Animal Crossing?
Custom designs are free to use, make, and edit. However, sharing and downloading via the online portal requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, and some advanced editor features cost Nook Miles.
Can I import designs from previous Animal Crossing games?
Yes! If you have QR codes from Animal Crossing: New Leaf or Happy Home Designer, you can transfer them to New Horizons using the Nintendo Switch Online app and the NookLink feature.
Conclusion
Custom designs are at the heart of Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ charm, letting you pour your creativity into every corner of your island. With simple tools, a lively player community, and endless sources of inspiration, you’ll never run out of ways to make your tropical getaway truly your own. Dive in, experiment, and share your artistry with the world!