I have always wanted to make vinyl labels for my kitchen jars. Last Saturday, I finally unboxed my latest Cricut machine. The next essential step is downloading and installing Cricut Design Space. It allows you to design, customize, and send projects to your device.
Before we dive into the download Cricut Design Space setup, you must knowwhat Design Space is. Design Space is a free software platform developed by Cricut that is required to operate Cricut cutting machines (Explore, Maker, Joy series). It is compatible with desktops and smartphones and stores your projects in the cloud for easy access.
Before downloading Design Space, ensure your device meets the minimum requirements listed by Cricut:
Operating System: Windows 10 or newer
Processor: Intel dual core or similar AMD chip
RAM: 4GB or more
Free Space: At least 2GB
Connection: USB or Bluetooth
Display: 1024x768 resolution or higher
macOS: 12 or newer
RAM: Minimum 4 GB
Storage: 2 GB or more
Connection: USB or Bluetooth
Display: Minimum 1024 x 768 screen resolution.
Operating System: Requires iOS 16 or later for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Connection: A broadband internet connection is recommended, but offline use is also available.
Operating System: Requires Android 10 and above.
RAM: A minimum of 4GB is generally recommended.
Storage: 2 GB free disk space.
Note: Design Space offline mode is available for desktop and iOS, but Android devices require a constant internet connection.
Design Space can be installed on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Below is a step-by-step process for each device.
Open your web browser and go to design.cricut.com.
Select your machine model, check the Terms & Privacy box, and click Download for Windows.
Double-click the .exe file.
If you see a security prompt asking, "Do you trust this app?" click "Yes" or "Allow."
The installation progress window will appear, and you will wait until it is complete.
Open Design Space from Start or the desktop icon.
Sign in with your Cricut ID.
Click Cricut ID if you haven’t made an account yet. Then, it will ask you to enter your name, email address, and password. Fill out the form on the next screen after clicking the Create Account button.
Go to the menu and tap the Machines tab.
Then, select the Start button beside New Product Setup.
Right-click the Design Space icon and select "Pin to Taskbar" for quicker access.
Important: Make sure to save your designs manually; there’s no auto-save option.
Visit design.cricut.com to choose your machine model.
Agree to Cricut terms & conditions, and select Download for Mac.
Double-click the .dmg file.
In the installer window, drag the Cricut icon into your Applications folder.
Open the app.
Sign in with your Cricut ID.
Open the App Store.
Search for Cricut Design Space.
Tap Get to confirm your Apple ID or Face ID.
Open the app after installation and sign in with or click Create ID.
If prompted, select Machine Setup and pair via Bluetooth or USB.
Go to the Google Play Store.
Search for Cricut Design Space.
Tap the Install tab.
Open the app, sign in, and then pair your machine.
If you’re done with the download Cricut Design Space setup process, the next step is to connect your machine to your device. There are two methods to do so; you can follow any of these:
Power on your crafting machine (the status light will turn white).
In the Design Space setup screen, choose USB.
Connect one end of your USB cable to your computer and the other end to the machine.
Now, the software will show your machine model as connected.
Note: If you’re using USB with a newer Cricut and AMD Ryzen CPU, Design Space may prompt you to switch to Bluetooth due to known USB limitations. The workaround involves using Bluetooth or a powered USB hub (e.g., J5create 7‑port).
Make sure your machine is powered on and discoverable (White light).
Go to Settings, navigate to the Devices section, and click on Add Bluetooth or another device.
Now, enable your Bluetooth, and the system will automatically search for nearby devices.
Select your machine model from the list.
After that, enter 0000 as PIN, if needed.
Return to Design Space and then New Machine Setup.
Important: If pairing fails on Windows 11, switch Bluetooth settings to “Advanced Discovery.”
For Maker/Explore/Venture: Pair it with a USB or Bluetooth device.
For Cricut Joy /Joy Xtra: It is Bluetooth only.
If you’re unable to open Design Space, facing a blank white screen, or if Design Space is not loading on Windows. Then, you can try these quick fixes:
If you see an Unsupported/ Incompatible OS warning:
Right-click the Design Space icon and then go to Properties.
After that, click on the Compatibility tab.
Uncheck the "Run this program in compatibility” box.
Now, click Apply and relaunch.
Exit the Design Space completely.
In File Explorer, navigate to "C:\Users[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Cricut Design Space."
Then, click on This PC on your left, tap Local Disk (C :), and tap on the Users folder.
Open the Design Space folder and then the LocalData folder.
Select all files and use Shift + Delete to delete them permanently.
Relaunch Design Space. Select View, and then click Force Reload.
If you’re facing crashes or blank-screen issues:
In Microsoft Edge, visit design.cricut.com.
Click the lock icon and then the Certificate icon.
Confirm if the SSL certificate matches your official one. If not, scan your PC or adjust the antivirus settings.
Yes, Design Space offers offline functionality. You can download projects, images, and fonts to your device for designing and cutting without an internet connection. When you reconnect to the internet, Design Space will sync any offline changes with your online account. While you can’t create new projects from scratch offline, you can still design and customize existing ones.
Note: While offline mode is available for desktops and iOS, Android devices require an internet connection.
Yes, your designs will be saved and accessible across different devices when using Design Space because it is a cloud-based platform. If you’re using a desktop, you can save your projects to the cloud only or to both the cloud and your computer.
If you’re on an iOS device, projects are saved as separate files but can be updated to the cloud after reconnecting to the internet and renaming the project.
Yes, you can use one Cricut account on multiple devices, including computers and mobile devices. Design Space allows you to access your designs and images from any device where you have logged into your account. It’s best to have one account and log into it on all devices to access the same designs and images.
Note: You can access the same account and projects on multiple devices, but you can’t use the same Cricut machine to cut with multiple devices at the same time.