In this article, we will discuss how to find and download Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG) cut files for your Cricut or Silhouette machine.
SVG cut files are a popular choice for crafters as they can be easily resized without losing quality.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced crafter, learning how to find and download SVG cut files is an essential skill.
So, let’s get started!
Table of Contents
How to Download SVG Cut Files
Downloading SVG cut files may seem daunting if you haven’t done it before, but once you know the process, it becomes straightforward.
Let’s go through the steps for downloading SVG cut files on different devices.
Downloading SVG Files on a Windows Computer
If you are using a Windows computer, the most common scenario is using the Chrome browser. Here’s how you can download SVG files in Chrome:
- Locate the file you want to download and click on the link or download button.
- The file will start downloading, and you can find it in your Downloads folder on your computer. If you’re unsure where your computer downloads files, you can check the Downloads folder in Chrome by clicking the little down arrow next to the file name at the bottom of the window.
- Once the file is downloaded, you’ll notice that it is a compressed archive ending in .zip. This is because most SVG files are bundled with different versions and formats. To open and decompress the zip file, right-click on the zip archive and select “Extract All” from the menu. Choose the destination where you want to extract the files and click “Extract.”
- A new folder with the same name as the zip file will appear. Double-click on the folder to open it and reveal its contents. Inside, you may see various files, including text files, PNG files, DXF files, and SVG files. The SVG file is the one you want to use.
- It’s important to note that sometimes the SVG file may appear as a Chrome HTML file type. This happens when there is no association saved for SVG files on your computer. Just remember that Chrome HTML files are actually SVG files in this case.
Downloading SVG Files on a Mac
If you are using a Mac computer, the process of downloading SVG files is similar. Here’s how you can do it:
- Locate the file you want to download and click on the link or download button.
- The file will start downloading, and you can find it in your Downloads folder on your Mac. If you’re unsure where your computer downloads files, you can check the Downloads folder in Chrome by clicking the little down arrow next to the file name at the bottom of the window.
- Similar to Windows, the downloaded file will be a compressed archive ending in .zip. To open and decompress the zip file, simply double-click on it. A new folder with the same name as the zip file will appear. Double-click on the folder to open it and access its contents. Inside, you will find various files, including text files, PNG files, DXF files, and SVG files. The SVG file is the one you want to use.
- It’s important to note that you should not double-click or open an SVG file directly. This is because your computer will search for an illustration software to open it, which most people do not have. Instead, you should upload the SVG file as it is, which we will cover in the next video.
Downloading SVG Files on an iPad or iPhone
Downloading SVG files on an iPad or iPhone is also possible, thanks to the introduction of iOS version 11. Here’s how you can do it:
- Open the Safari browser on your iPad or iPhone and locate the SVG file you want to download.
- Tap on the file to start the download. You will see a screen with options.
- Tap “Open in Files” to proceed. This will allow you to save the file in a location accessible from Cricut Design Space or Silhouette Studio.
- Choose the location where you want to save the SVG file. Options include iCloud Drive, your iPad or iPhone, or a third-party service like Dropbox. For this tutorial, we will save it to iCloud Drive.
- Tap the “Add” button to save the file. You will see a confirmation screen indicating that a zip file has been saved.
- To access the SVG file within the zip file, tap “Preview Content.” This will show you the contents of the zip file, including text documents and the SVG file.
- Look for the file labeled “SVG image” in the list and tap on it. This will display a graphical representation of the SVG cut file.
- Tap the “Upload” button, which looks like a box with an up arrow. Then, tap “Save to Files” and choose the location where you want to save the SVG file (e.g., iCloud Drive).
- Tap “Add” to save the SVG file to the chosen location.
- The SVG file is now saved and ready to be uploaded to Cricut Design Space or Silhouette Studio, which we will cover in the next video.
Uploading SVG Cut Files to Design Software
Now that you know how to find and download SVG cut files, the next step is to upload them to your design software, such as Cricut Design Space or Silhouette Studio.
Uploading SVG Files to Cricut Design Space on a Mac
To upload an SVG file to Cricut Design Space on a Mac, follow these steps:
Open Cricut Design Space and click on “New Project” in the upper right corner.
Click the “Upload” button.
On the next screen, click “Upload Image”.
You can either drag your SVG file from the Finder into the upload area or click “Browse” to locate and select your SVG file.
Tip: Type “SVG” at the top of the file open window and select “SVG image” from the dropdown menu to easily locate all SVG files on your computer.
Once you have selected your SVG file, click “Open” to upload it.
After the file finishes uploading, you will need to name and tag your image. The default image name is usually fine, but you can change it if desired. Add relevant tags to help you find the file later.
Click the “Upload” button to save the file to Cricut Design Space.
You will be taken back to the Upload screen, where you should see your most recently uploaded file in the top left corner.
Tip: If you don’t see all of your uploaded images, click the “View All” link above the images to see all of your uploads.
To use the uploaded file, click once on the image to select it. A green box will appear around the image, indicating that it is selected. You will also see a thumbnail of the image at the bottom of your screen.
Click the “Add to Canvas” button in the bottom right corner to add the design to your canvas.
Uploading SVG Files to Cricut Design Space on an iPad or iPhone
To upload an SVG file to Cricut Design Space on an iPad or iPhone, follow these steps:
- Open the Cricut Design Space app and tap on “New Project”.
- Tap the “Upload” button at the bottom of the screen.
- You will be asked where you want to upload from. If you saved your file to your files folder, tap on “Browse files”.
- Your file likely went into your Downloads folder. Tap the left-facing arrow in the upper left corner of the window until you see your locations, then tap on “Downloads”.
- Scroll through the list until you find your downloaded files, which may be in a folder that you extracted from the zip file. If you want to be sure you’re selecting the SVG file and not something else, press and hold the icon and a little window will appear. Tap the “info” option to see what kind of file it is. Make sure it says “SVG image” before proceeding.
- Tap “Open” to upload the SVG image to Cricut Design Space.
- Give your newly uploaded SVG image a name that you will remember, and then tap the green “Save” button in the upper right corner to save it to Cricut Design Space.
- The saved image will appear in the upper left corner of your screen. Tap it to select it. A green highlight will appear around the image, indicating that it is selected. You will also see a small icon in the lower right corner to indicate that it is selected.
- Tap “Insert” to add the image to your canvas and start working with it.
Uploading SVG Files to Cricut Design Space on an Android Device
To upload an SVG file to Cricut Design Space on an Android device, follow these steps:
- Open Cricut Design Space and tap on “New Project”.
- Tap the “Upload” button at the bottom of the screen.
- You will be asked where you want to upload an image from. If you saved your file to the “My Files” folder on your Android device, tap on “Select from Photo Library” in the list.
- Your file likely went into your Downloads folder. If you don’t see the Downloads folder right away, tap the three lines in the upper left corner of the window until you see your locations, then tap on “Downloads” to open it.
- Scroll through the list until you find your downloaded files, which may be in a folder that you extracted from the zip file. Look for the small text beneath the file name to confirm that it is an SVG image.
- Tap the file name to upload the SVG image to Cricut Design Space.
- Give your image a name and tap the down arrow at the bottom to hide the keyboard.
- Tap “Save” to save the image to Cricut Design Space.
- The saved image will appear in the upper left corner of your screen. Tap it to select it. A green highlight will appear around the image, indicating that it is selected. You will also see a small icon in the lower right corner to indicate that it is selected.
- Tap “Insert” to add the image to your canvas and start working with it.
Uploading SVG Files to Silhouette Studio
To upload an SVG file to Silhouette Studio, follow these steps:
- Open Silhouette Studio and click on the open folder icon in the upper left corner.
- In the file open window, select your SVG file. You can also choose DXF if needed, but SVG files generally work better.
- Click “Okay” to open the SVG file in Silhouette Studio.
- The SVG file will appear on your canvas. You may need to adjust it as needed.
Uploading SVG Files to Sure Cuts A Lot
To upload an SVG file to Sure Cuts A Lot, follow these steps:
- Open Sure Cuts A Lot and click on “Import” instead of the open button.
- In the import window, locate and select your SVG file.
- Click “Open” to load the SVG file onto your canvas.
- You can now move and customize the SVG file as desired.
