How to use Cricut for FREE (uploading your own images & fonts!)

Did you know that you can upload your own images and fonts to Cricut Design Space? Instead of paying for a Cricut Access subscription or for individual fonts and images, uploading your own is a FREE way to use your Cricut and make unique designs. Let me show you how!

After you’ve setup your new Cricut cutting machine (click here to watch my full step-by-step tutorial on how to do that!), you’ll want to get cutting designs for your projects right away. However, many people find it frustrating that many of the projects and images on Cricut Design Space (Cricut’s software/app) cost money. They DO have some free fonts and images so that’s a great place to start, but if you want to cut unique designs keep reading.

Are you new to Cricut? Click here to learn all about Cricut and how you can use it. The following instructions will work for all of the current Cricut models: Cricut Maker, Cricut Explore Air 2, Cricut Joy, and the Explore 3 & Maker 3 cutting machines.

Watch my video to learn how to upload free images and fonts to use with Cricut:

How to Upload Images to Cricut Design Space

To begin uploading images to Cricut Design Space so that you can create projects without making purchases, follow this simple step-by-step guide:

1. Open up the Cricut Design Space app on your desktop computer or mobile device. (New to design space? Start here.)
2. Click on the “New Project” button on the top right of the screen.
3. Click on the “Upload” button on the bottom left of the screen.
4. Click on the “Upload Image” button in the center of the screen.
5. Click “Browse”, and then navigate through your computer’s/smart device’s folders to find the file you want to upload. I like to use JPG or PNG files for this. You can also upload SVG files which can be used right away without doing steps 6,7 and 8!
6. Click on your file and then select the Image Type: Simple, Moderately Complex or Complex. Design Space walks you through what each of those types mean.
7. Click “Continue”, and then remove the background of the image manually or with Cricut’s automatic background removal feature. You can also crop any unwanted sections of the image on this screen.
8. Click “Apply & Continue” and then choose if you want the image to be a “Cut Image” (the Cricut will cut the lines) or a “Print then Cut Image” (you will print the design on a printer and then cut out the lines with your Cricut). Usually, I’m creating Cut Images.
9. Click “Upload” and your image will appear in your “Recent Uploads” folder!
10. To insert your uploaded image into your new project, click on the image and then click “Add to Canvas” on the bottom right of the screen.

Where can you find free images to import?

There are a variety of places to find free images to bring into Cricut Design Space. Just make sure that you are able to legally use them for your project if you are planning to sell your finished piece.

• Sweet Red Poppy has a ton of free SVG files
• … and so does blogger Jennifer Maker!
• Blogger Angie Holden has free SVG images as well
• There are some adorable free SVG images from Diana Miller
• Design Bundles has a variety of free SVG images
• Noun Project has free SVG and PNG simple icon files
• you can also do a search on Pinterest for free SVG files that import easily into Cricut Design Space!

Tips on importing images into Design Space

• SVG files are easiest because they scale nicely and are ready to go!
• images with a lot of clear contrast always work best, and…
• so do images that are simplistic in shape (complex images can be difficult to cut with a Cricut)

Creating your own images

You can upload your very own original art to Cricut Design Space too! Whether you’ve drawn something on a piece of paper or digitally, save it as either a JPG, PNG or SVG file an import it in the same way as you would a downloaded image.

How to Upload Fonts to Cricut Design Space

Cricut does have some simple free fonts available, but it’s always fun to try different fonts for craft projects. To begin uploading fonts to Cricut Design Space so that you can create projects for FREE, follow this simple step-by-step guide:

1. Download your desired font onto your computer
2. Install your font on your computer
   1. Here’s how to install a new font if you have a PC
   2. Here’s how to install a new font if you have a MAC
3. Open up the Cricut Design Space app and click on the “New Project” button on the top right of the screen.
4. Click on the Text tool on the left hand side of the screen
5. Type the word or phrase you’d like, and then click on the Font drop-down menu at the top left of the screen.
6. Click on “System” fonts at the top, and then the menu should display all of the fonts you have installed on your computer, including the new font. Click on the desired font you want to use.

Where can you find free fonts to import?

There are a variety of places to find free fonts to bring into Cricut Design Space. Just make sure that you are able to legally use them for your project if you are planning to sell your finished piece. (Do they offer commercial licenses, or is the images solely for personal use? How does the image ownership work? Most sites will let you know!)

• Dafont
• 1001 Free Fonts
• Urban Fonts
• Even though the fonts aren’t free, I love Creative Market for their gorgeous fonts. I buy them every so often, but use them a lot for Cricut crafts and graphic design.

Tips on importing fonts into Design Space

• Just like images, the simpler the better when it comes to fonts that work well for cutting
• When using script or handwriting fonts, you might need to ungroup your letters and move them around to achieve the look you want.
• When you’re ready to cut your design, create a copy of your word/phrase, hide the first copy, select all the letters of the new copy and then click “Weld” to make the word become all one image to cut.

How can you find free images in Cricut Design Space?

YES, Cricut does offer free images in the Cricut image library in Design Space. To find these, click on the Image menu, and then click the “FREE” filter when searching for an image.

I hope this helps you make the most of your new machine and opens up the door to even more creativity! Have you made any amazing Cricut projects? Please tag me on Instagram or Facebook so that I can see and comment: @thediymommy

Have fun crafting!

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