Edited: August 30, 2023
Make colorful DIY vinyl decals with Cricut Printable Vinyl. The Print Then Cut feature in Design Space gives you endless possibilities using your home printer and Cricut machine to print and cut out images, patterns - even photos! Follow the instructions below to cut and apply Printable Vinyl.
What you need
- Cricut smart cutting machine (Print Then Cut compatible*)
- Design Space software on computer or mobile device
- Fine-Point Blade and Housing
- Cricut LightGrip machine mat
- Cricut Printable Vinyl
- Inkjet home printer**
- Item to embellish
Note: *Cricut Joy is not capable of Print Then Cut. Cricut Explore Air 2 and older machines can Print Then Cut on non-reflective white materials only; Gold and Silver Printable Vinyl are not compatible with these machines. All colors compatible with Cricut Maker machines, Cricut Explore 3, Cricut Venture, and Cricut Joy Xtra.
Important: **For use with inkjet printers only. Using a laser printer may damage the materials or printer.
Preparation
- Take a moment to identify the printable side of the material. The printable side is blank, while the back of the material had a grid and Cricut logo on it.
- The new material has green printing on the back.
- The old white material has gray printing on the back. The old Clear Printable Sticker Paper has no printing.
- Check your printer’s instructions or print a test page on printer paper to ensure you know which way to load the printable side of the material.
- Ensure your project surface is clean and dry.
Design and Print Then Cut
- Customize your design in Design Space, then select Make It.
Tip: On metallic Printable Vinyl, light colors can get lost in the metallic effect. To make sure your stickers pop, use bright, bold colors in a deeper color palette.
- Load Cricut Printable Vinyl into your home printer. Make sure to print on the front of the vinyl. The back side has grid lines and the Cricut logo printed in green. If you have the older version of Printable Clear Sticker Paper, print on the shiny side; the frosted side is the liner.
Important: For use with inkjet printers only. Using a laser printer may damage the materials or printer.
Note: The older versions of Cricut printable materials, which have a gray printed liner, are thick. We recommend adjusting your printer settings for a thicker material and/or using the manual feed tray on your printer.
- Follow the instructions in Design Space to print your design.
- Allow the ink to dry before proceeding to cut.
- Place the printed vinyl (liner side down) on Cricut LightGrip cutting mat and loadinto your machine. Ensure the page is oriented on the mat as it appears in Design Space.
- Select Browse All Materials, then select the setting that matches your specific material (on Cricut Explore Air 2 and older, turn the Smart Set dial to "Custom" first):
- Printable Vinyl, White (Green Liner Printing)
- Printable Vinyl, Specialty
- Printable Vinyl, Transparent
- Printable Vinyl, White (Gray Liner Printing)
- Printable Sticker Paper, Clear
- Select Go and watch the magic happen!
- When the cut is complete, select Unload.
Apply
- Ensure your project surface is clean and dry.
- Peel sticker from the liner by hand and place on your project surface.
Important: Do not use transfer tape with Printable Vinyl.
FAQ
How can I tell which is the old Printable Vinyl, and which is the new?
You can tell by looking at the printing on the liner. The old material has gray printing and the old Cricut logo (with antennas) on the liner. The old Clear Printable Sticker Paper has no printing. The new material has green printing and the current Cricut logo on the liner.
How do I know which side is the printable side, and which is the back?
The printable side is blank, but the liner has gridlines and the Cricut logo on it. For Printable Clear Sticker Paper, print on the shiny side; the frosted side is the liner. Be sure to check your printer’s instructions or print a test page on printer paper to ensure you are loading the material into your printer with the correct side up.
Can I use transfer tape with Printable Vinyl?
No. Transfer tape can remove the printable coating on top of the vinyl.
Should I use an inkjet printer or a laser printer with these materials?
Inkjet only. Laser printers, and your material, may be damaged as laser printers use heat to affix toner to the page.
What colors look best on the metallic printable vinyl sticker sets?
Light colors can get lost in the metallic effect. To make sure your stickers pop, use bright, bold colors in a deeper palette.
What are the best printer settings for Printable Vinyl?
Set your printer to “high quality,” “best quality,” or “photo paper” settings to have the brightest, crispest images. This will use more ink and print more slowly to reduce streaking. If you start to see some smudging, reduce the print quality to “good”, as your printer may be applying too much ink for the material. Use the bypass tray to load individual sheets, or remove printer paper from tray and load and print only one sticker sheet at a time.
Is the adhesive permanent or removable?
The adhesive is permanent for long-lasting durability.