Edited: March 6, 2026
This article applies to Cricut Explore 3 and later, Cricut Maker 3 and later, Cricut Joy, Cricut Joy 2, and Cricut Joy Xtra machines.
This is caused by interference to the mat/material sensors. Cleaning the sensors will help the machine realize it can stop checking for mat/material, and the rolling sequence will stop.
Step 1: Unplug your machine from power.
Step 2: Use compressed air or a microfiber cloth to clean the machine sensors. Depending on your machine model, these sensors may be located near the material guides on the left or right side of the machine, in front of and/or behind the machine bars. Refer to the images below to find the sensor placement for your machine.
Cricut Explore 3 & 4, Cricut Maker 3 & 4 — Sensors are near the left side
Cricut Explore 5 — Sensors are near the right side
Cricut Joy Xtra — Sensors are near the left side
Cricut Joy — Single sensor is centered and behind the front bar
Cricut Joy 2 — Sensors are near the right side
If cleaning off the sensors did not fix the issue, contact Member Care for further assistance.