Bring a world of color to your project with the Print Then Cut feature. Print your images on your home printer (inkjet only) and then watch your Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore cut them out with high precision - no scissors required!
Note: Print Then Cut can be used with Cricut Explore and Maker models. Cricut Joy can Cut and Draw only.
How to make the image printable?
You can convert any image into a printable image by changing the Linetype. If you want to convert multiple layers to print together, you can use the Flatten tool from the Layers panel.
The Cricut image library contains Printable images which are pre-designed with decorative patterns. They come onto the design screen ready to Print Then Cut. They show up in the Layers panel as a single layer and have a Print linetype, indicating the image will be printed on your home printer, then cut on the Cricut Explore or Maker machine.
You can find Printables by clicking on the Filters icon and checking the box marked Printables. Select a Printable image (a small printer icon will appear on the image tile), add it to your Canvas, and then select Make It to Print Then Cut.
Windows/Mac:
iOS/Android:
Print Then Cut projects
- Once you have inserted printable images in your project or changed your images' Linetype to Print, select Make It from Design Space. A preview of the image with an added cut sensor marking (rectangle outline) will be shown. Select Continue to proceed to the cut interaction.
- On the next screen click, select your machine from the drop-down menu. Then select Send to Printer to open the Print Then Cut dialog.
- An image bleed will automatically be applied to the image(s) so that there is no white border left once the cut is complete.
- Print the page using your home printer, then place the paper on the Cricut cutting mat and feed it to the Cricut machine. The machine will scan for the sensor marking then cut around the image with precision.
Note: The maximum image size for Print Then Cut is 9.25" x 6.75" and the default material is 8.5" x 11". This cannot be changed at this time.
Important: Reflective materials, colored materials, or materials containing any kind of pattern may interfere with the cut sensor marks being read by the Cricut Explore machine. We recommend using an Inkjet Printer and 8.5" x 11" white materials for all your Print Then Cut projects with Cricut Explore. The Cricut Maker, though, can Print Then Cut on light to medium colored papers (Learn More).
Things To Remember
- Image Bleed: Each image is given a bleed by default. The bleed is a small border around each image that allows for more precise cutting. Although we recommend printing with a bleed for best cut results, you do have the option to turn the bleed on or off, from the Project Preview screen. The bleed may make the printed image look fuzzy or distorted, but this border will be trimmed off in the cutting process, yielding a precisely cut image.
- Print Then Cut all in one session: The entire process, from creating the project to the final Print Then Cut, should all be done in the same browser and on the same computer to avoid error. While you can save your Print Then Cut project within Design Space and come back to it, switching browsers or computers in the middle of printing and cutting or saving a Print Then Cut image as a PDF and printing it outside the Design Space flow will result in incorrectly sized cut sensor marks. For best results, Print Then Cut your project in a single Design Space session.
- Correct placement of materials on the cutting mat: Place your printable material in the top left corner of your cutting mat directly along the top left edge of the adhesive on the cutting mat. Be sure the material is straight and contains no wrinkles; this helps to ensure that the machine can properly detect the cut sensor marks around your image. Use the Cricut LightGrip mat if you print on a standard printer or copy paper.
Print Then Cut - Troubleshooting
- Explore or Maker is not reading sensor marks - Follow the steps from this article if you're getting an error stating that the machine cannot read the cut sensor marks.
- Print Then Cut Calibration - Series of simple cuts, questions, and answers designed to help your Cricut machine cut exactly along the edge of your printed image.
Note: In order to use Print Then Cut from your iOS device, ensure that your printer is AirPrint capable. To know more about AirPrint, please visit this help article from Apple.
Important: The Print Then Cut feature is not yet available in Android.