Edited: February 27, 2025
Cricut Smart Materials are materials designed to feed directly into your Cricut Maker 3 & later, Cricut Explore 3 & later, or Cricut Venture machine without a mat.
Note: This article applies to Smart Materials for Cricut Explore 3 & later, Cricut Maker 3 & later, and Cricut Venture. For information about loading Cricut Joy Smart Materials, visit this help article.
Smart Materials for Cricut Explore 3 & later, Cricut Maker 3 & later allow you to cut a single shape or repeated cuts up to 11.7 in (29.7 cm) wide and 12 ft (3.6 m)* long without a machine mat! Follow the steps below to load and unload Smart Materials.
*Smart Iron-On - 11.7 in x 4 ft (29.7 cm x 1.2 m) | Smart Vinyl - 11.7 in x 12 ft (29.7 cm x 3.6 m) | Smart Paper - 11.7 in x 11.2 in (29.7 cm x 28.4 cm)
- When your project design is complete, select Make It.
- Select what you'll be loading into your machine from the Material Load Type drop-down. Design Space will tell you how much material you need. Then select Continue.
Note: Your machine allows some space above and below your design for the for the rollers to grip and load your material, for sensors to sense that enough material is loaded, and to feed materials back and forth through the machine. To ensure you have enough Smart Materials for your design, wait to trim them until after the cut is complete.
- Select your Cricut machine from the Connect machine drop-down.
- Select the right setting for your material. Select Browse All Materials to search or browse through all compatible materials.
- When material is selected, the light on top of the machine will blink, indicating it’s ready to load your material.
- Align material against left material guide on the machine, then slide it under the mat guides and up against the machine rollers.
- For best results, make sure your material has a straight edge.
- Press the load button. The machine measures your material to ensure there’s enough for your project.
- If your material loaded crookedly it will try to realign the material as it measures.
- Smart Materials may bow up in the middle when loading. If your material isn’t lying flat by the end of the measuring process, press the unload button, realign your material with the left material guide and under the mat guides, and reload
- Press the Go button and watch the magic happen!
- When your cut is complete, press the unload button.
Smart Materials for Cricut Venture allow you to cut a single shape up to 24 in (60.9 cm) wide and 140.75 in (3.57 m)* long, or 12 in (30.5 cm) wide and 140.75 in (3.57 m)** long without a machine mat! You can also make repeated cuts up to 896.75 in (22.77 m) on a 75 ft (22.86 m) roll. Follow the steps below to load and unload Smart Materials.
*Smart Iron-On - 24 in x 140.75 in (60.9 cm x 3.57 m) | *Smart Iron-On – Glitter 24 in x 56.75 in (60.9 cm x 1.44 m) | Smart Vinyl – 24 in x 140.75 in (60.9 cm x 3.57 m) | Smart Paper - 12 in x 21.75 in (30 cm x 55.24 cm)
**Smart Iron-On – 12 in x 140.75 in (30.5 cm x 3.57 m) | *Smart Iron-On – Glitter 12 in x 56.75 in (30.5 cm x 1.44 m) | Smart Vinyl – 12 in x 140.75 in (30 cm x 3.57 m)
- When your project design is complete, select Make It.
- Select what you'll be loading into your machine from the Material Load Type drop-down (Without Mat). Design Space will tell you how much material you need. Then select Continue.
Note: Cricut Venture will allow some space above and below your design for the for the rollers to grip and load your material, for sensors to sense that enough material is loaded, and to feed materials back and forth through the machine. To ensure you have enough Smart Materials for your design, wait to trim them until after the cut is complete.
- Select your Cricut machine from the Connect machine drop-down.
- Select the right setting for your material. Select Browse All Materials to search or browse through all compatible materials.
- Make sure the machine is flush with the edge of your table or stand.
- Following the prompts in Design Space:
- Load the Performance Blade in clamp B.
- Raise lever
- For 13 in / 33 cm wide material:
- Move the right Pinch Roller to position 1
- Raise the left and middle guides
- For 25 in / 63.5 cm wide material
- Move the right Pinch Roller to position 2
- Raise the left and right guides
- Insert the material from the top of the machine, making sure it goes under the material guides
- Insert the material until it reaches the front edge of the machine – this ensures it covers the lower sensor
- Lower lever
- Press the load button
- If your material loaded crookedly it will try to realign the material as it measures.
- Press the Go button and watch the magic happen!
- When the cut is complete, cut off the material.
- To remove uncut material, lift the lever and pull material back out of the machine.