If you're wondering can Silhouette designs be used on Cricut the answer is...YES!
There are several different ways you can use Silhouette Designs with Cricut and this tutorial will explain how...and why you may want to design in Silhouette Studio and cut with Cricut.
Can I Use Silhouette Software with Cricut
The short answer to this is YES! You can definitely use Silhouette software with Cricut. The important thing to know though is you can not cut on your Cricut directly from Silhouette Studio. This means you will need to export your Silhouette designs from Silhouette Studio then open in Cricut Design Space.
Why Use Silhouette Designs with Cricut
Why would you want to take the extra steps to use Silhouette designs with Cricut? The answer is simply the power of Silhouette Studio. When it comes to the software comparison: "Is Cricut or Silhouette Software Better" there's almost no debate. Silhouette Studio is a much more powerful and robust program giving users a lot more creative options and flexibility to customize designs.
Look no further than Cricut's excitement over the new offset tool...which was added in spring 2021. A basic Silhouette software tool users take for granted it's been around so long.
How to Use Silhouette Software with Cricut
Silhouette Studio Basic is free software that anyone with or without a Silhouette machine can download. The free program, however, only allows users to export Silhouette's proprietary .studio3 file type which can't be opened in other software program.
That means if Cricut users want to use Silhouette Software with Cricut, they'l need to upgrade the Silhouette Studio software to allow for exporting in a file type that can be opened by Cricut Design Space - namely SVGs.
The one time $65 paid upgrade, Silhouette Studio Business Edition, can (among other things) export SVG files from Silhouette Studio. So before you can begin using Cricut Explore or Cricut Maker with Silhouette software, you must first upgrade the Silhouette basic software to Silhouette Studio Business Edition.
Cricut user can then do all of their designing in Silhouette Studio. Before cutting on Cricut simply go to Silhouette Studio's File menu and click "Save As" > Save to Hard Drive > change the file type to SVG and name the file.
Then open Cricut Design Space and open the SVG design into a new design area.
In a recent Facebook conversation, many Cricut users admitted to using Silhouette software with Cricut and much preferring the Silhouette software over Cricut Design Space.
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Hi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for al the tutorials. I tried to save as SVG. Than I see this
Silhouette DS will display the exported file as dotted line segment, as shown below.
I have bussines edition. I MTC when I want to import the SVG, there's nothing. In SCAL 5 I see the file in dotted lines.
What did I do wrong.
Kind regards from The Netherlands
They don’t say this before you upgrade but you cannot export/save the files purchased in the Silhouette store. As you discovered, they end up being saved as useless dashed lines. Just found this out after upgrading tonight. I’m hoping they will refund my $50.
DeleteI have a maker and a Cameo 4, however, I hardly ever use the maker. The Business software for the Silhouette is so much easier, and I get better results. Thanks for the information, maybe I will use my maker a little more, or maybe not.
ReplyDeleteI have the same issue as Yvonne. I have Business Edition but get the message the lines will be dotted so can't use on Cricut. Any ideas? Thanks very much, Phyllis
ReplyDeleteThat happens only by designs downloaded from the Silhouette Store. by own designs-I make them always with the Studio then Design Space is very-very basic- that is not the case.
DeleteCan I use Cricut designs on my Cameo 4?
ReplyDeleteNot really because they are not downloadable. Track and trace works.
DeleteHello! Can you use the cricut with the silhouette design software?
ReplyDeleteHi there! You cannot cut on your Cricut from the Silhouette software, although if you have Business Edition, you can export as an SVG and use that within the Cricut software.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping this tutuorial would go into a little more detail about getting the svg into cricut design space and awful unexpected results. That's where my issues are including the way you have to group to cut to keep a multiple color layout into a real size or how it ungroups to cut. In SS allows you to cut by color -- the best cutting feature by far. Having both the CM (1st ed.) and Cameo 4 now, the CM is an expensive paper weight becuase of the way design space treats user created SVGs.
ReplyDeleteDO NOT upgrade to Silhouette BUSINESS EDITION if you are expecting to export the files you bought in the Silhouette store as SVG files to use on a Cricut machine. Store purchased designs are saved as dashed lines and are completely worthless. I now have 200 silhouette designs that I bought over the years that I can no longer use and now I just wasted $50 on the Business Edition upgrade because nowhere did it say you can’t save your store purchases as workable SVG files. Im sooooo disappointed and frustrated right now.
ReplyDelete