How to Get Started With Print Then Cut on Cricut: A Beginner-Friendly Guide

If you have a Cricut sitting on your craft table and keep wondering, “Okay…but how do I actually make all those cute printable things I keep seeing?” — Print Then Cut is a great place to start.

Print Then Cut lets you combine your regular home printer with your Cricut to create colorful projects without having to layer a bunch of different vinyl colors.

Think printable stickers, planner accessories, bookmarks, gift tags, journal pieces, affirmation cards, party decorations, labels and all kinds of fun paper crafts.

You print it, cut it, create it and enjoy it.

And once you understand how the process works, it’s much easier than it looks.

What Is Cricut Print Then Cut?

Print Then Cut is a Cricut feature that allows you to print a design with your home printer and then have your Cricut cut around it.

Instead of your Cricut drawing or creating the colorful design itself, your printer prints the artwork.

Then your Cricut does the cutting.

The basic process looks like this:

Choose your design → Upload it to Cricut Design Space → Print it → Let your Cricut scan it → Cut it

When you print your project, Cricut Design Space adds special registration markings around the printable area.

Your Cricut uses its sensor to read those markings so it knows where your printed images are located on the page.

Then it cuts around your designs.

Pretty cool, right?

What Can You Make With Cricut Print Then Cut?

This is where Print Then Cut gets really fun.

Once you know the basics, you can use the same process to make tons of different projects.

Some of my favorite Print Then Cut ideas include:

• Printable stickers and journal stickers

• Bookmarks

• Planner tabs and accessories

• Gift tags

• Labels

• Affirmation cards

• Mini cards and notes

• Party decorations

• Scrapbook and journal pieces

• Paper crafts

• Kids' activities

• Holiday crafts

• Printable organization tools

• Vision board pieces

And you definitely don't need to start with anything complicated.

A simple sheet of printable stickers or a set of bookmarks is a perfect first project.

What You Need to Get Started

You don't need an entire craft room full of supplies to try Print Then Cut.

For a basic project, you'll need:

A compatible Cricut machine

You'll need a Cricut model that supports the Print Then Cut feature.

A home printer

Your printer creates the colorful portion of your project before it goes into your Cricut.

Cricut Design Space

This is where you'll upload and prepare your printable design.

A Cricut cutting mat

You'll place your printed sheet onto the appropriate mat before loading it into your machine.

Printable material

The exact material depends on what you're creating.

You might use:

• Printable sticker paper

• Cardstock

• Printable vinyl

• Regular printer paper

• Other compatible printable materials

And, of course, you'll need a cute design to print.

PNG or SVG: Which File Should You Use?

This is one of the first things that can confuse new Cricut users.

For many Print Then Cut projects, you'll be working with a PNG file, especially when the design includes colorful artwork.

A PNG can have a transparent background, which makes it easier for Cricut Design Space to recognize the shape you want to use.

SVG files are also commonly used with Cricut, especially for cut files and designs containing separate elements or layers.

If you purchase a printable craft, always check the instructions included with your files so you know which version was created for your project.

How to Upload Your Print Then Cut Design

Open Cricut Design Space and start a new project.

Choose Upload and select the file you want to use.

Add the uploaded design to your canvas.

From here, check the size of your design and make sure it's appropriate for the project you're creating.

If your project contains several individual pieces that should print together, arrange them before continuing.

One important thing to remember:

Print Then Cut is different from a basic cut project.

Your goal is to have the artwork printed by your printer while Cricut cuts around the appropriate edge of the design.

Depending on the file you're using and how it was created, you may need to use Design Space tools such as Flatten to prepare multiple elements as one printable image.

Check Your Design Before Printing

Before you hit Make, take a second to look at your project.

Ask yourself:

Where do I actually want Cricut to cut?

If you're making a sticker of a flower, for example, you probably want Cricut to cut around the outside of the flower or around a small white border surrounding it.

You probably don't want Cricut trying to cut every tiny line inside the flower.

This is one of the biggest differences between creating a clean Print Then Cut project and ending up with something that doesn't cut the way you expected.

Send Your Project to Your Printer

Once your design is ready, choose Make in Cricut Design Space and follow the prompts for Print Then Cut.

Design Space will prepare your printable page and add the markings your Cricut needs to scan the project.

Send the page to your printer.

Here's an important beginner tip:

Do not crop off the Cricut registration markings after printing.

Your machine needs those markings to determine where to cut.

Also make sure you load your printable material into your printer correctly so you're printing on the intended side.

If you're using expensive sticker paper or another specialty material for the first time, doing a test on regular printer paper can save you from wasting supplies.

Place Your Printed Sheet on Your Cricut Mat

After printing, place your sheet onto your Cricut cutting mat.

Line it up carefully with the grid and smooth the material down so it is flat and secure.

Try not to wrinkle, bend or shift the paper.

Then load the mat into your Cricut.

Let Cricut Scan the Page

This part feels a little magical the first time you watch it happen.

Your Cricut will move around the page while its sensor scans the registration markings.

It's figuring out exactly where your printed designs are located.

Once the scan is complete, the machine begins cutting around the designs.

When your project is finished, unload your mat and carefully remove your pieces.

You just made your first Print Then Cut project!

A Few Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

If your first project isn't perfect, don't assume you're doing something wrong. Print Then Cut has a small learning curve.

One common problem is changing the size of a project without considering the printable area available in Design Space.

Another is accidentally preparing an image as a regular cut design instead of a printable design.

You can also run into trouble if the printed page is placed incorrectly on the mat or if the registration markings are damaged, obscured or altered.

And if your cuts consistently aren't lining up with the printed design, your Cricut may need Print Then Cut calibration.

Calibration helps your machine improve the alignment between what your printer printed and where your Cricut cuts.

Start Simple

Your first Print Then Cut project does not need 47 pieces, six types of paper and an entire Saturday afternoon.

Seriously.

Start with something easy.

Print a sticker sheet.

Make a bookmark.

Create a few cute gift tags.

Cut out some journal pieces.

Once you've successfully gone through the process once or twice, the whole thing starts making much more sense.

Then you can move on to bigger Print and Cut craft ideas and start combining different printable elements into complete projects.

Why I Love Print Then Cut

One of my favorite things about printable crafting is that it sits right in the sweet spot between digital and handmade.

You get the convenience of printing a finished colorful design without having to create every tiny detail yourself.

But you still get to make something.

You choose the paper.

You cut the pieces.

You assemble the project.

You decide how to use it.

And that is exactly what Maker Beautiful is about.

We're not making things just because they're cute sitting on a computer screen.

We're making things to actually use, create, organize, celebrate, enjoy and make everyday life a little more beautiful.

Ready to Try Your First Print Then Cut Project?

Don't overthink it.

Choose one simple printable project, grab your Cricut and give it a try.

The first project teaches you how the process works.

The second one feels easier.

And before long, you'll be looking at practically everything and thinking:

“Wait…I could Print Then Cut that.”

And honestly?

That's when the fun really starts.

Print • Cut • Create • Be Happy.

Maker Beautiful is an independent brand and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Cricut®. Cricut® and Cricut Design Space® are trademarks of their respective owner.