Cricut Images You Upload Are Private?

This post and the photos within information technology may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. If you buy something through the link, I may receive a pocket-sized commission at no extra charge to you.

Cricut Design Space allows you to upload your own files! Here'southward how to upload JPG/PNG images to Cricut Design Space for cut on your Cricut Explore, Cricut Maker, or Cricut Joy—and get troubleshooting help, too!

Cricut Design Space to upload your own files

Looking to cut an SVG or DXF vector file on your Cricut? Bank check out my How to Upload an Vector file to Cricut Design Space postal service!

Did you know yous can upload your own images to the Cricut Design Space? Every bit exhaustive as the Cricut Library is, there may be files that you want to cut that don't exist in their system. You tin can buy files on shops similar Etsy (or my store!) or you can design them yourself using Illustrator or Photoshop!

Did I mention uploading files to Cricut Design Infinite is Costless?

Stop pulling your hair out and start creating confidently with your Cricut! Cheque out our helpful Cricut Resources—everything you need to know to learn and love your Cricut.

Cricut Design Space's powerful software converts images into cuttable shapes. For this post, we're going to focus on pixel-based images. We'll talk a bit about types of files, then upload a simple JPG file, then we'll talk about some issues you lot might meet when using pixel-based files.

Cricut Blueprint Space File Types

Pixel-Based Images

Basic pixel-based images are JPG, BMP, PNG, and GIF files. These files are uploaded every bit a single layer, and you can edit them during the upload process. These are mostly created in programs that piece of work in pixels, similar Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Pigment.

Vector Images

Vector images are SVG and DXF file types. These file volition be automatically separated into layers later uploading and saving. These are mostly created in programs that work in vectors, like Adobe Illustrator.I always tell Cricut users to effort and discover a vector prototype! They create much cleaner cut files than a JPG or PNG. Observe out more near uploading vector files here.

That being said, it's totally possible to upload a JPG or PNG to Cricut Pattern Space. Let'south try information technology!

Download the Camping Hair Don't Care Image

Enter your showtime proper name and email accost in the box below for admission to this freebie, along with other fun gratuitous files in our e-mail newsletter! If you have already received a freebie from my site, just enter your information again—you won't be added to any boosted lists.

This freebie is for personal use only. You can learn more most our commercial license.

Uploading a JPG or PNG to the Cricut Design Infinite

Beginning by clicking "Upload Image" on the left-hand Design Console, and navigate to the file you want to open.

Click Upload in the Design Panel in Cricut Design Space

Click Upload Image in Cricut Design Space

Then select it from the list of uploaded images and click "Insert Images."

Cricut Design Infinite volition so ask you what blazon of image you are cutting. For elementary images like this, cull "Simple."

Choose Simple Image in Cricut Design Space

In the side by side screen, you'll select any part of the blueprint that is negative infinite—meaning information technology does not get cut. Y'all want to select any white parts and so they become transparent (checked). Brand sure you zoom in and select the minor areas of your projection. In this case, I had to zoom in to click on the picayune design on the tent and the inside parts of the letters.

Select and erase all of the negative space around your image.

The final screen has you select whether this is a print-then-cutting paradigm or a regular cut prototype. In this case, it's just a Cut Epitome—no printing involved in this projection. (here's an example of a print-and so-cut project).

Choose Save as Cut Image in Cricut Design Space

Click Save and then click the image to insert it onto your Sail.

Select the image to insert it onto your Cricut Design Space canvas.

Camping Hair Don't Care pixel file on Cricut Design Space canvas

Yous'll detect that the file looks skilful, simply information technology'south a little less crisp than the vector version (especially at the elevation of the tent). Here'southward the cleaner SVG version:

Camping Hair Don't Care vector file on Cricut Design Space canvas

This is why I always propose finding the vector version if possible (and you don't have to do the Select and Erase portion of the procedure!).

Troubleshooting JPG and PNG Uploads

Here are a few things you might run beyond when trying to upload pixel-based files.

Single Layer: Pixel-based files upload every bit a unmarried layer, meaning whatever yous're cut will be only one color. My image above was only blackness, and so information technology was easy. If you upload, for instance, a bloom with pink petals, a xanthous middle, and light-green leaves…you're just going to become it all in one outlined flower shape.

Showing flower image in Cricut Design Space

This is probably the biggest matter you need to remember about uploading pixel files. One color in one layer is all y'all're going to go. So if you're trying to cutting, for example, a two-color company logo or a multi-colour clip art image, it'due south just not going to work.

Dissimilarity: The flower example above had a lot of contrast between the flower and the groundwork. The more than contrast you take in your image, the better. I frequently get emails from readers who want to cutting, for instance, a photo of their dog.

This is my domestic dog, Gunnar. He is a big fat love. And he's impossible to cut out from this photo. Cricut Blueprint Space doesn't know what is canis familiaris and what isn't. And does it cut out his black parts? Dark-brown parts? White parts? There is absolutely no contrast in this photo for Cricut Design Infinite to read.

Here's what happens when I endeavour and cut this file. Following the instructions above, I uploaded this photo into Cricut Design Infinite.

If I choose Elementary Image, Cricut Design Space tries to narrow down the number of colors in my blueprint.

Image of an uploaded photo in Cricut Design Space of a dog lying on a bed

And so when I try to select and erase the "not canis familiaris" parts of this image, I run into problem. The black on the headboard is the same as his confront and half of his face ends up getting deleted. Not going to work!

Image of an uploaded photo in Cricut Design Space of a dog lying on a bed that has some of the image erased

Allow'south try Complex Image instead. Once you commencement selecting and erasing yous'll see that it's difficult to delete all of the unlike parts of not-canis familiaris in this photo since all the pixels are slightly different colors so information technology's not really deleting them in chunks very well.

Allow'southward try using the eraser instead. I can delete everything effectually my canis familiaris more than easily this way.

Image of an uploaded photo in Cricut Design Space of a dog

Okay, absurd. Now we accept a dog. Let's click Go along.

And…nope. That'due south simply basically a dog lump considering again, it turns all pixel files into a unmarried layer. So you can see how information technology is pretty much impossible to cutting those depression-contrast photos! You'll have more luck with two colour (blackness and white, mostly) images than you ever will with a photograph similar this.

Print Then Cutting

Really, if you want to cut out photos, you want to use Cricut's Print So Cut feature. You can impress the image on your home estimator, and and so use your Cricut to cut around the outside of the image! I'g working on a detailed Print then Cutting lesson—stay tuned!