Print Then Cut Cricut Guide: Understanding Features and Results

What the Print Then Cut Feature Does on Cricut Machines

The Print Then Cut feature is a capability built into Cricut Design Space software that allows you to print an image from your home printer and then use your Cricut machine to cut around that image with precision. This two-step process combines traditional printing with the cutting accuracy of a Cricut machine. When you use Print Then Cut, you print your design on regular paper or cardstock using your home inkjet or laser printer, and the Cricut machine reads special registration marks printed around your design to locate and cut the exact outline you want.

This feature works with Cricut Explore, Cricut Maker, and Cricut Maker 3 machines. The process involves uploading your image to Cricut Design Space, sizing it to your preferred dimensions, printing it with the registration marks, and then feeding the printed sheet back into your Cricut machine. The machine scans the registration marks using its built-in camera or sensor system, depending on your machine model, and cuts precisely along the lines you've drawn around your design.

Print Then Cut differs from direct cutting because it doesn't require you to have the design pre-loaded in Cricut's catalog. You can use photographs, artwork from other sources, or custom designs that you've created elsewhere. This opens up creative possibilities beyond what's available in the standard Cricut library. For example, a photographer could print a family photo and have the Cricut machine cut it into a specific shape, or an artist could print a hand-drawn design and have it cut from specialty materials.

The feature also works with various materials. While you must print on paper or cardstock, the Cricut machine can cut the printed design from the same sheet you printed on, or you can tape or adhere the printed design to other materials like vinyl, fabric, or thin wood, and the machine will cut through the top printed sheet and into the material beneath.

Practical Takeaway: Print Then Cut expands your design options beyond pre-made templates by letting you use any image—photos, custom artwork, or downloaded designs—as a cutting template that your Cricut machine can execute with high precision.

How Registration Marks Enable Accurate Cutting

Registration marks are small targets or patterns that print around your design and serve as reference points for your Cricut machine. These marks tell the machine exactly where your design is located on the page and at what angle. Without these marks, the Cricut machine would have no way to know where to cut, because the printed image alone doesn't contain the information the machine needs to identify its position and orientation.

When you set up a Print Then Cut project in Cricut Design Space, the software automatically adds registration marks around your design—typically small circles or crosshairs positioned in the corners and sometimes along the edges of your cutting area. These marks are printed along with your image. When you feed the printed page back into your Cricut machine, the machine's camera or sensor system scans for these marks and uses them as anchor points to understand exactly where everything is positioned.

The accuracy of registration marks depends on several factors. First, your printer must print the marks consistently and clearly. Second, the printed page must be fed into the Cricut machine as straight as possible, because if the page is skewed, the machine may struggle to read the marks correctly. Third, the registration marks must remain visible and unobstructed—you shouldn't cut them off or fold the page in a way that hides them.

Different Cricut machines use slightly different methods to read these marks. Some older Cricut models require you to use the Cricut machine's built-in camera and the app to take a photo of the registration marks. Newer models like the Cricut Maker 3 have more advanced sensing technology. The quality of your printed marks directly affects cutting accuracy. If your printer has poor toner or ink coverage, the marks may appear faint, which can cause the machine to misread them.

If your Cricut machine fails to read the registration marks, you'll receive a notification in Design Space indicating that it couldn't locate them. This typically means you need to reprint with better quality settings, ensure the marks are clearly visible, or check that you're using the correct machine settings.

Practical Takeaway: Registration marks are the communication system between your printed design and your Cricut machine—keeping them clear, visible, and unfolded ensures your machine can cut your design with accuracy.

Setting Up Your Print Then Cut Project in Design Space

Creating a Print Then Cut project begins in Cricut Design Space, the software that runs on computers, tablets, and smartphones. Whether you're working with a Cricut Explore, Maker, or Maker 3, the general setup process is similar, though some features vary by machine and software version. The first step is to open Design Space and either create a new project or upload an image you want to use.

If you're starting with an image file, you can upload images in formats like JPG, PNG, SVG, or PDF. Once your image is in the canvas, you need to add a cut line around it. This cut line is what tells the Cricut machine where to cut. You can do this in several ways: draw a shape around your image using Design Space's shape tools, use the "Select" tool to automatically detect the edges of your image, or manually trace around your image with the pen tool. The Trace feature, available in paid subscriptions, can automatically detect image boundaries in some cases.

After your image and cut line are set up, you need to set your project to "Print Then Cut" mode. In Design Space, you'll find this option in the cut settings or project settings menu. Once selected, Design Space will automatically add registration marks around your design. These marks appear as small symbols on the screen, showing you where they'll print on your page.

Before printing, you should consider your material and size. Print Then Cut works best on regular printer paper (20 lb weight) or cardstock (65-110 lb weight). The size of your design is limited by your printer's paper size—typically 8.5 by 11 inches for standard home printers. You can print larger designs by tiling them across multiple pages, though this requires more setup and careful alignment when you feed them into the Cricut machine.

Color settings matter too. You can print in color or black and white, depending on your design goals. Some people print in color to add visual interest to projects like scrapbooking or card making, while others print in black and white to reduce ink usage and printing time. The Cricut machine doesn't care whether your design is colored or black and white—it responds to the registration marks, not the color of your image.

Once you've configured your project, you'll click "Make It" to proceed to the cutting screen. At this point, Design Space will show you the cutting mat size you'll need and remind you to print your design first before proceeding with the machine.

Practical Takeaway: Proper setup in Design Space—uploading your image, drawing or detecting a cut line, enabling Print Then Cut mode, and sizing appropriately—determines whether your machine will successfully cut your design.

Printing Your Design with Correct Settings

After setting up your project in Design Space, the next critical step is printing your design with the correct settings on your home printer. The quality of your printout directly affects how well your Cricut machine can read the registration marks and execute the cut. Several printing choices and settings influence your results.

First, choose the right paper. Regular copy paper works, but it's thinner and more prone to shifting during the Cricut cutting process. Cardstock (65 to 110 lb weight) is more stable and produces better results, especially if your design is large or complex. Some people use premium photo paper for Print Then Cut projects where image quality is important, such as printing a photograph and then cutting it into a decorative shape. Whatever you choose, make sure it's compatible with your printer—check your printer's specifications to confirm it can handle the paper weight you're using.

Printer settings affect registration mark clarity. Set your printer to the highest quality setting available, especially for the registration marks. If your printer has options like "Best," "High," or "Fine," select those rather than "Draft" or "Normal." For black and white registration marks, you can print in black and white mode if you want to save color ink. However, if your design includes color elements you want to preserve, print in color mode.

Before printing your actual project, consider printing a