Install pens, blades, scoring, engraving, and other compatible tools in Cricut Maker 5.
Cricut Maker 5 has a dedicated Pen Holder (1) and a Tool Clamp (2). As you make your project, Design Space tells you exactly which tool to install for each step of your project. Before you start your project, take a quick look to make sure the tool in your machine matches the tool shown in Design Space.
Tool basics
Here are a few helpful definitions to introduce you to the different tools for Cricut Maker 5.
- Housing – The larger part of some tools that holds a blade or tip
- Replaceable blade housing – A housing with a blade you can remove and replace.
- QuickSwap Housing – A housing that lets you swap compatible tips for scoring, debossing, wavy cuts, perforations, and engraving.
- One-piece tools – Tools that are ready to place directly in the Tool Clamp. The blade or tip is built in, so you do not need to assemble or replace a separate blade before using them.
Before you begin
- Confirm the tool in the clamp matches the tool shown in Design Space.
- Confirm that the Pen Holder is empty unless the current step is a Draw step.
- Remove protective caps from blades before use.
- Check that the tool sits fully down in the Tool Clamp, and the latch is closed.
- Keep unused tools capped, clean, dry, and out of reach of children.
Using the Pen Holder
-
Remove the cap from a compatible Cricut pen or marker. Compatible pens feature this symbol on the barrel, near the tip:
- Hold the pen with its tip pointing down and align it over the Pen Holder.
- Press straight down until the pen clicks securely into place. You do not need an adapter to use pens with Cricut Maker 5.
- When the drawing step is complete, pull the pen straight up out of the Pen Holder and replace its cap.
Important: Only use pens and markers marked as compatible with Cricut Maker 5 with this symbol: . You can find this symbol on the pen barrel and on the side of the pen packaging. Pens made for earlier Cricut Maker machines do not fit the Cricut Maker 5 snap-in Pen Holder.
Important: Remove the pen before any step that uses a blade or tool in the Tool Clamp. The Pen Holder and Tool Clamp move together, so leaving the pen in during a cut step will cause the machine to unintentionally draw on your material.
Open and close the Tool Clamp
When your project uses multiple tools, Design Space will pause automatically and prompt you when it’s time to install, remove, or swap tools.
- Do not attempt to switch tools while the machine is actively executing your project. Wait for the machine to stop its current step. If you need to switch tools before Design Space prompts you, pause or cancel the current action.
- Open the Tool Clamp latch.
- Lift out the installed housing or tool.
- Place the new tool into the clamp so it is straight and fully seated down on the top surface of the clamp. For tools with gears, make sure the gears on the machine and tool fit together.
- Close the latch securely. The tool must not lift or wobble in the clamp.
Important: Blades and tool tips are sharp. Handle tools with the housing or upper body and keep fingers away from the cutting edge.
How to replace the blade in a blade housing
Applicable to Premium Fine-Point Blade+Housing, Deep Point Blade+Housing, and Fabric Blade+Housing
- Remove the blade housing from the Tool Clamp.
- Press and hold the plunger at the top of the housing to expose the blade.
- Carefully pull the used blade straight out.
- Remove the protective cap from the replacement blade and insert it into the housing so that the sharp side of the blade points out of the housing. A magnet holds it in place.
- Release the plunger and confirm the blade retracts into the housing, then reinstall the housing in the Tool Clamp.
Install Cricut Maker 5 one-piece tools
Applicable to Premium Fine-Point Cutting Tool, Deep Cut Tool, Scoring Tool, and Engraving Tool
The Cricut Maker 5 Premium Fine-Point, Deep Cut, Scoring, and Engraving tools have an integrated, one-piece design that makes installation simple. Unlike replaceable blade housings, the blade or tip is already built into the tool, so there is no separate housing and blade to assemble. Just install the full tool in the Tool Clamp.
Important: Before installing it in the machine, check the icon on top of the tool and the shape of the tip to confirm it matches the tool shown in Design Space. While the machine does scan for the right tool when you’ve selected a geared housing tool in Design Space, the machine does not distinguish between these other tools which do not use a geared housing:
| Tool | Icon | Description |
| Premium Fine-Point Cutting Tool | The Premium Fine-Point Cutting Tool icon shows a blade tip cutting through a single line. This is the standard cutting tool used for most materials. | |
| Deep Cut Tool | The Deep Cutting Tool icon shows a blade tip cutting through two stacked lines. | |
| Scoring Tool | The Scoring Tool icon shows a pointed tip above a broken line, with a gap on both sides of the tip. The actual tool tip has curved sides and a rounded point rather than a very sharp point. | |
| Engraving Tool | The Engraving Tool icon shows a pointed tip above a single continuous, unbroken line. The actual tool tip has straight sides that taper to a very sharp point. |
Once you have verified the correct tool is being used:
- Install the tool that is shown in Design Space: Seat it fully in the clamp and close the latch.
- Replace protective caps after use when provided with the tool.
Install QuickSwap tools
The QuickSwap Housing makes it easy to switch tips for scoring, debossing, perforation and more without replacing the entire tool.
- Remove the QuickSwap Housing from the Tool Clamp.
- Press and hold the release button at the top of the housing. Tip: Change the tip over a table or flat surface in case the tip is dropped.
- Carefully remove the installed tip off the housing. Caution: Cutting and Engraving tools are sharp. Use extreme caution. Avoid touching sharp edges.
- While holding the release button, align the new tip and push it onto the housing until it is firmly seated.
- Release the button, confirm the tip is secure, and reinstall the housing in Tool Clamp.
Compatible QuickSwap tips include Scoring Wheel, Double Scoring Wheel, Debossing Tip, Perforation Blade, Wavy Blade, and Engraving Tip.
Using Rotary Blade, Knife Blade, or Foil Transfer Tool
If Design Space asks you to calibrate before using Rotary Blade, Knife Blade, or Print Then Cut, follow the on-screen prompts before making your project. Calibration is usually a one-time step, so you’ll only need to do it again if Design Space prompts you to.
Rotary Blade
- Like other geared tools or housing + tip tools, open the Tool Clamp latch.
- Place the new tool into the clamp so it is straight and fully seated down on the top surface of the clamp. For tools with gears, make sure the gears on the machine and tool fit together.
- Close the latch.
Knife Blade
- The Knife Blade is currently supported on Design Space for Desktop only.
- Like other geared tools or housing + tip tools, open the Tool Clamp latch.
- Place the new tool into the clamp so it is straight and fully seated down on the top surface of the clamp. For tools with gears, make sure the gears on the machine and tool fit together.
-
Close the latch.
Foil Transfer Tool
For Foil Transfer projects, use Design Space for Desktop and carefully follow the prompts in Design Space to install the Foil Transfer Tool, switch tips when applicable, and add Foil Transfer Sheets to your project. Learn more about using the Foil Transfer Tool here.