10 Best Silhouette Troubleshooting Tips

Not surprisingly the large majority of Silhouette questions I get from beginners - and experienced users -  are about troubleshooting either Silhouette Studio or the Silhouette cutting machines. 

For this reason, I've gathered our 10 most popular Silhouette CAMEO troubleshooting tips and tutorials into one place so you have a one stop shop if when you run into an issue.

#1: Firmware Issues

Issue:  Pause Status, Stray Cut Lines, Incomplete Cuts, AutoBlade Cutting Too Deep, AutoBlade Not Cutting Deep Enough

Fix: Update the Firmware to the most recent version. The Silhouette CAMEO 3 needs a firmware update out of the box. Updating the firmware before you even make your first cut, will help eliminate some of the above issues. 

#2:  CAMEO 3 Autoblade NOT Cutting

Issue: CAMEO 3 AutoBlade Not Cutting

Fix: Ensure the blade is seated completely into the carriage and locked into place. Also, be sure the red line on the Autoblade is moving when the machine is tapping to adjust it to the recommended cut settings.  Read the full Silhouette CAMEO 3 Not Cutting Troubleshooting Tutorial

#3 Bluetooth Doesn't Connect

Issue:  Bluetooth isn't working

Fix: Ensure you have correctly set up and paired the Bluetooth between the Silhouette CAMEO 3 or Portrait 2 and the computer.  The cutting machine should be in range and the Bluetooth option should be on on both the cutting machine and the computer.  Read the full post on how to successfully set up the  Silhouette CAMEO 3 Bluetooth.

#4 Print and Cut Issues

Issue: Print and Cut isn't cutting accurately
 

Fix: A number of reasons could be causing the print and cut feature to not accurately print and cut - this could be anything from registration marks out outside the safe printing area to the printer is grabbing the paper too late which prints the registration marks too high to not enough light. This Silhouette Print and Cut tutorial will help you determine the issue and troubleshoot it.

#5 Nothing is Printing From Silhouette Studio

Issue: Text and/or designs in your Silhouette Studio work area are not printing to your printer.

Fix: In order for designs or text to print they need one of two things: a solid fill or a line weight.  Read the full Silhouette blog post on how to get Silhouette Studio to print

#6 Heat Transfer Vinyl Gaps

Issue: When layering heat transfer vinyl, small gaps appear between each layer. 

Fix: There are several things you can do to prevent or minimize gaps when creating a multi-color HTV design.  Adding an offset around one layer and tacking every layer, but the last, will help prevent shrinking and gaps.  Read more on preventing gaps with Heat Transfer Vinyl

#7 Transfer Tape Won't Pick Up Vinyl From the Backing

Issue:  Transfer tape has trouble picking up vinyl from the vinyl backing.

Fix: This can be caused when the adhesive on the vinyl is stronger than the adhesive on the transfer tape....or when the vinyl has been cut with too much force.  The fix is easy: flip the vinyl decal over and peel the backing away, leaving the vinyl on the transfer tape.  Need more info on how to pick up vinyl with transfer tape? This troubleshooting tutorial from Silhouette School will help you! 

#8: Silhouette Cutting Machine is Tearing Up My Cuts

Issue: Paper, Vinyl, and Heat Transfer Vinyl are not cutting cleanly or are peeling off the mat/backing while cutting

Fix: Slow down the cutting speed, turn on the Segment Line Overcut, and add an offset to thin fonts to thicken it, making it easier to cut.  For more tips on how to get clean cuts with Silhouette CAMEO, check out these seven suggestions!

#9 Imported SVGs Won't Cut

Issue: SVG designs are being sent to cut, but nothing is happening and the software says "Cut Complete." 

Fix: SVGs come into Silhouette Studio, by default, with the cut lines turned off. Turn on the Cut Lines from the Send panel and the SVG design will cut. Read more on how to get SVGs to cut in Silhouette Studio.

#10 My Silhouette Studio Software Upgrade (DE, DE+, BE) Is Gone! 

Issue: The Silhouette Studio software upgrades you purchased and applied to your account are no longer appearing in Silhouette Studio.

Fix: Sometimes software upgrades - Designer Edition, Designer Edition + , and Business Edition can become de-activated from your account. This happens, most often, during an update. It's easy to re-activate the upgrade by re-entering the License Key.

 
If you still need Silhouette Studio or Silhouette CAMEO help,you can always use the search box on the Silhouette School blog to search for a solution to the issue you're experiencing.

Also be sure to check out our FAQs and if all else fails...feel free to shoot us an email and we'll be happy to help.


Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!

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