diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bc8f2b0..1cfdfa7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ import { useState } from "react";
 export default function InputMask() {
 
     const mask = useMask({
-        masks: [ 'R$ #,##' ],
+        masks: '$ #,##',
         placeholder: '0',
         reverse: true,
         infinity: {
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ import { useMask } from 'mask-hooks';
 export default function Time() {
 
     const time = useMask({
-        masks: [ '[0-23]:[0-59]:[0-59]' ]
+        masks: '[0-23]:[0-59]:[0-59]'
     });
 
     return (
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ function useCompleteMask(settings: MaskProps, onComplete ?: (result : string, cl
  - **Function `applyMask`**: use a mask directly on the target
 
 ```ts
-function applyMask<T extends Stringable>(target: T, settings: MaskProps): string
+function applyMask<T extends Stringable>(target : T, settingsOrMasks : MaskProps | string | string[]) : string
 ```
 
  - **Class `Mask`**: application mask core
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ The useMask receives the settings parameter of type MaskProps. See available set
 
 |Prop|Type|Default|Details|
 |---|---|---|---|
-|**masks**|`Array<string>`||The masks that will be applied to the target. By default the characters `?`, `#`, `@` will be replaced by letters or numbers, numbers, letters, respectively. This character pattern can be changed. You can also use a Numerical Range to limit a numeric value to be entered using the pattern [\<number\>-\<number\>]. To escape a replacement character use `\` before it.|
+|**masks**|`string`<br />`Array<string>`||The masks that will be applied to the target. By default the characters `?`, `#`, `@` will be replaced by letters or numbers, numbers, letters, respectively. This character pattern can be changed. You can also use a Numerical Range to limit a numeric value to be entered using the pattern [\<number\>-\<number\>]. To escape a replacement character use `\` before it.|
 |**placeholder**|`string`|`''`|Autofill of the mask to be filled|
 |**reverse**|`boolean`|`false`|Mask fill in inverted mode|
 |**transform**|`'uppercase'`<br />`'lowercase'`<br />`'capitalize'`<br />`'capitalizeAll'`<br />`'none'`|`'none'`|Apply a transformation to the result string|
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 252f450..ea71a6a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "mask-hooks",
-  "version": "3.2.1",
+  "version": "3.3.0",
   "description": "Lightweight package with functions and hooks for masking data inputs and outputs for Node.JS projects",
   "main": "dist/common/index.js",
   "module": "dist/module/index.js",
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index bd10e88..cf87412 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ export function useCompleteMask(settings : MaskProps, onComplete ?: (result : st
 
 }
 
-export function applyMask<T extends Stringable>(target : T, settings : MaskProps) : string {
+export function applyMask<T extends Stringable>(target : T, settingsOrMasks : MaskProps | string | string[]) : string {
 
-    const mask = new Mask(settings);
+    const mask = new Mask(typeof settingsOrMasks === 'object' && !Array.isArray(settingsOrMasks) ? settingsOrMasks : { masks: settingsOrMasks });
     return mask.apply(target);
 
 }
diff --git a/src/mask.class.ts b/src/mask.class.ts
index 941aade..7f382ef 100644
--- a/src/mask.class.ts
+++ b/src/mask.class.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
  */
 
 export type MaskProps = {
-    masks        : string[];
+    masks        : string[] | string;
     patterns    ?: { [key in string] : RegExp };
     placeholder ?: string;
     reverse     ?: boolean;
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ export type MaskProps = {
     maxentries  ?: number | null;
 }
 
+export type RequiredMaskProps = Required<{ masks : string[] } & Omit<MaskProps, 'masks'>>;
+
 type Extra = {
     each : number;
     add  : string;
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ export default class Mask {
 
     /* STATIC RESOURCES */
 
-    public static defaultPatterns : Required<MaskProps>['patterns'] = {
+    public static defaultPatterns : RequiredMaskProps['patterns'] = {
         // test only one char at a time
         '#': /[0-9]/,
         '@': /[A-Za-z]/,
@@ -51,7 +53,7 @@ export default class Mask {
         return target.split('').reverse().join('');
     }
 
-    public static transform(target : string, type : Required<MaskProps>['transform']) : string {
+    public static transform(target : string, type : RequiredMaskProps['transform']) : string {
 
         function capitalize(target : string, all: boolean = false) : string {
             if(all) return target.split(' ').reduce((p, c, i) =>  i ? p + ' ' + capitalize(c) : capitalize(c), '');
@@ -99,7 +101,7 @@ export default class Mask {
     private _cleaned   : string  = '';
     private _remnant   : string[][];
 
-    private _props : Required<MaskProps>;
+    private _props : RequiredMaskProps;
 
     /* PUBLIC METHODS */
 
@@ -148,7 +150,7 @@ export default class Mask {
 
     }
 
-    public get props() : Readonly<Required<MaskProps>> {
+    public get props() : Readonly<RequiredMaskProps> {
         return this._props;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/presets.const.ts b/src/presets.const.ts
index f75e963..af65f47 100644
--- a/src/presets.const.ts
+++ b/src/presets.const.ts
@@ -40,54 +40,54 @@ export function getPresetMask(preset : PresetOption, change : Partial<MaskProps>
 const presets : { [key in PresetOption] : MaskProps } = {
 
     ONLY_NUMBERS: {
-        masks: [ '#' ],
+        masks: '#',
         infinity: true
     },
 
     ONLY_LETTERS: {
-        masks: [ '@' ],
+        masks: '@',
         infinity: true
     },
 
     ONLY_CHARS: {
-        masks: [ '?' ],
+        masks: '?',
         infinity: true
     },
 
     DATE_STAMP: {
-        masks: [ '####-##-##' ]
+        masks: '####-##-##'
     },
 
     DATE_PTBR: {
-        masks: [ '##/##/####' ]
+        masks: '##/##/####'
     },
 
     DATETIME_STAMP: {
-        masks: [ '####-##-## ##:##:##' ]
+        masks: '####-##-## ##:##:##'
     },
 
     DATETIME_PTBR: {
-        masks: [ '##/##/#### ##:##' ]
+        masks: '##/##/#### ##:##'
     },
 
     DATE_STAMP_LIMITED: {
-        masks: [ '[1800-2200]-[1-12]-[1-31]' ]
+        masks: '[1800-2200]-[1-12]-[1-31]'
     },
 
     DATE_PTBR_LIMITED: {
-        masks: [ '[1-31]/[1-12]/[1800-2200]' ]
+        masks: '[1-31]/[1-12]/[1800-2200]'
     },
 
     DATETIME_STAMP_LIMITED: {
-        masks: [ '[1800-2200]-[1-12]-[1-31] [0-23]:[0-59]:[0-59]' ]
+        masks: '[1800-2200]-[1-12]-[1-31] [0-23]:[0-59]:[0-59]'
     },
 
     DATETIME_PTBR_LIMITED: {
-        masks: [ '[1-31]/[1-12]/[1800-2200] [0-23]:[0-59]' ]
+        masks: '[1-31]/[1-12]/[1800-2200] [0-23]:[0-59]'
     },
     
     PHONE_USA: {
-        masks: [ '(###) ###-####' ]
+        masks: '(###) ###-####'
     },
 
     PHONE_BR: {
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ const presets : { [key in PresetOption] : MaskProps } = {
     },
 
     CURRENCY_POINT: {
-        masks: [ '#.##' ],
+        masks: '#.##',
         placeholder: '0',
         reverse: true,
         infinity: {
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ const presets : { [key in PresetOption] : MaskProps } = {
     },
 
     CURRENCY_COMMA: {
-        masks: [ '#,##' ],
+        masks: '#,##',
         placeholder: '0',
         reverse: true,
         infinity: {
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ const presets : { [key in PresetOption] : MaskProps } = {
     },
 
     CURRENCY_DOLLAR: {
-        masks: [ '$#.##' ],
+        masks: '$#.##',
         placeholder: '0',
         reverse: true,
         infinity: {
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ const presets : { [key in PresetOption] : MaskProps } = {
     },
 
     CURRENCY_PTBR: {
-        masks: [ 'R$ #,##' ],
+        masks: 'R$ #,##',
         placeholder: '0',
         reverse: true,
         infinity: {
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ const presets : { [key in PresetOption] : MaskProps } = {
     },
 
     CURRENCY_DOLLAR_LIMITED: {
-        masks: [ '$#.##' ],
+        masks: '$#.##',
         placeholder: '0',
         reverse: true,
         infinity: {
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ const presets : { [key in PresetOption] : MaskProps } = {
     },
 
     CURRENCY_PTBR_LIMITED: {
-        masks: [ 'R$ #,##' ],
+        masks: 'R$ #,##',
         placeholder: '0',
         reverse: true,
         infinity: {
@@ -160,11 +160,11 @@ const presets : { [key in PresetOption] : MaskProps } = {
     },
 
     DOCUMENT_CPF: {
-        masks: [ '###.###.###-##' ]
+        masks: '###.###.###-##'
     },
 
     DOCUMENT_CNPJ: {
-        masks: [ '##.###.###/####-##' ]
+        masks: '##.###.###/####-##'
     },
 
     DOCUMENT_CPF_CNPJ: {
@@ -175,15 +175,15 @@ const presets : { [key in PresetOption] : MaskProps } = {
     },
 
     ZIPCODE_USA: {
-        masks: [ '#####' ]
+        masks: '#####'
     },
 
     ZIPCODE_BR: {
-        masks: [ '##.###-###' ]
+        masks: '##.###-###'
     },
 
     PRODUCT_KEY: {
-        masks: [ '?????-?????-?????-?????-?????' ],
+        masks: '?????-?????-?????-?????-?????',
         transform: 'uppercase'
     },
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ const presets : { [key in PresetOption] : MaskProps } = {
     },
 
     CAPITALIZE_ALL: {
-        masks: [ '.' ],
+        masks: '.',
         patterns: { '.': /./ },
         infinity: true,
         transform: 'capitalizeAll'
diff --git a/tests/index.spec.ts b/tests/index.spec.ts
index e4df8f1..3206c3c 100644
--- a/tests/index.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/index.spec.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ describe('Functions and hooks tests', () => {
     test('Function applyMask', () => {
 
         expect(applyMask('1a2b3c', getPresetMask('ONLY_LETTERS', { transform: 'uppercase' }))).toBe('ABC');
+        expect(applyMask('1a2b3c', '###')).toBe('123');
 
     });
 
diff --git a/tests/mask.spec.ts b/tests/mask.spec.ts
index 6cbc2a2..0c3c216 100644
--- a/tests/mask.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/mask.spec.ts
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ describe('Mask class tests', () => {
 
     test('Apply mask and transform', () => {
 
-        const masks = [ '=> @@@@@ @@@!' ];
+        const masks = '=> @@@@@ @@@!';
         const target = 'aBcDefGh';
 
         expect(new Mask({ masks, transform: 'none' }).apply(target)).toBe('=> aBcDe fGh!');
@@ -214,9 +214,6 @@ describe('Mask class tests', () => {
 
     test('Mask strange types', () => {
 
-        // @ts-ignore
-        expect(new Mask({ masks: '1#3#5' }).apply('24')).toBe('12345');
-
         // @ts-ignore
         expect(new Mask({ masks: 12345 }).apply('')).toBe('12345');
 
@@ -228,7 +225,7 @@ describe('Mask class tests', () => {
     test('Mask numerical range in date', () => {
 
         const mask = new Mask({
-            masks: [ '[1-31]/[1-12]/[1900-2100]' ]
+            masks: '[1-31]/[1-12]/[1900-2100]'
         });
 
         expect(mask.apply('4302010')).toBe('04/03/2010');
@@ -248,7 +245,7 @@ describe('Mask class tests', () => {
     test('Mask numerical range misc', () => {
 
         const mask = new Mask({
-            masks: [ '[50-2300]' ]
+            masks: '[50-2300]'
         });
 
         expect(mask.apply('4')).toBe('04');
@@ -261,19 +258,19 @@ describe('Mask class tests', () => {
     test('Mask numerical range escape', () => {
 
         const mask = new Mask({
-            masks: [ 'a[0-3]b\\[0-3]c' ]
+            masks: 'a[0-3]b\\[0-3]c'
         });
 
         expect(mask.apply('000')).toBe('a0b[0-3]c');
 
         const mask2 = new Mask({
-            masks: [ '[0-9] (\\[0-9]) - ###' ]
+            masks: '[0-9] (\\[0-9]) - ###'
         });
 
         expect(mask2.apply('0123')).toBe('0 ([0-9]) - 123');
 
         const mask3 = new Mask({
-            masks: [ '[0-99]\\[0-99] ?' ],
+            masks: '[0-99]\\[0-99] ?',
             infinity: true
         });