How to Unzip, Extract, and Upload SVG Cut files into Cricut Design Space

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Welcome you, incredible crafter! Lately, I have been getting many questions as to how to upload SVG cut files into Cricut Design Space or why the file they are trying to upload isn’t working correctly. So I thought I would create a post that shows you exactly how to do that!

I remember when I first started, always getting frustrated because I didn’t know what I was doing wrong. There wasn’t much information back then so it was trial and error. And lots of errors there were, but it taught me quicker than I could have ever imagined.

Let me be that bridge for you so you don’t have to go through the nightmares I went through. I am hoping to provide you with information that will be extremely helpful along your crafting journey!

Today, we are going to learn how to upload SVG Cut files into Cricut Design Space and why SVGs are a crafters dream come true. (why they are the best files for us crafters to work with) Plus I will give you some sites at the end that you can browse and find great SVGs from.

Can’t get through the whole article now? PIN IT for later😜

What is an SVG Cut File?

SVG stands for a Scalable Vector Graphic which means you can scale this format as big or as small as you want to and it will hold the same quality because it is a vector-based format. A vector-based image will already be in layers and can be enlarged or shrunk down with no loss of quality. SVGs are great for graphics. WE, as crafters, LOVE LOVE LOVE these files!

SVG Files have very specific shapes, details, or paths, so our software (Design Space) can recognize them and know where to cut. This is the recommended file type because it is clean and ready to go because it is designed for a cutting machine!

JPEG or PNG are designed in pixels, while an SVG is designed with lines and points. If you think about your cutting machine your blade cuts the lines and turns at points. This is why we prefer the SVG. It will be cleaner and clearer with no pixelation.

If you want to know more about the different kinds of cut files, You can check out my Guide to Cricut Cut Files-JPEG, PNG, And SVG

How Do I upload an SVG cut file into Cricut Design Space?

We are going to go through an example together. That is the best way I can show you how to upload an SVG. I found this awesome Lotus Tealight (FREE SVG) that we can work with. You can grab your FREE SVG HERE.

Now I made sure this SVG Cut file came zipped inside a folder because most of them do. And some don’t know that they have to unzip the folders and extract the contents. You can’t upload a zipped folder into design space. So we will be walking through all of that now:)

So you have now downloaded that free SVG and we are ready to continue on.

Locating and Unzipping the SVG Cut File

It’s now time to locate the file you downloaded. Mine usually go into my download folder, but yours may be different. You can search your computer for the file name too- Lotus Tealight (free svg)

Once you have located the file (1st picture), double click on it, and a screen that looks like the second picture will pop up.

As you can see in the second picture there is an extract all icon located at the top, but it may be in a different place on your computer.

Find the extract all icon and click on that which takes you to another pop up which is your destination screen. This is where you will be saving that file to. So make sure you know where you are saving it to. Select where you want it saved by clicking Browse, then select the destination (see images below)

Once you have selected the destination, let us go ahead and hit that extract icon. Once it is done extracting, a pop-up window should appear on your screen which should be the destination folder you saved it to. You can leave it up as a reminder to where you saved the file to or you can close it.

We are now ready to open Cricut Design Space and upload our image:)

Opening and Uploading into Cricut Design Space

Alright so let us open up Cricut Design Space and start a NEW blank canvas.

Once that’s done, let’s head over to the left side panel and click on Upload. That takes us to the screen below. We can upload an image or pattern. We are uploading an image so let us click on that. (See image below)

Next, let’s hit the browse icon which takes us to our files. Here is where you need to locate that SVG you just extracted and saved. It will be a folder.

Once you find the folder, double click on it and it will show you the content that is in the folder. We can see the SVG is right at the top, go ahead and double click on that.

This takes us to what is inside the SVG Folder. We are going to have to upload 3 different SVG cut files into Cricut Design Space. So go ahead and click on the main leaf first and click open.

Now that opened up another screen that looks like this. (below) This is where you will name and tag the SVG. Once you are done with that, hit the upload icon, and that is now in your recent Upload files.

NOTE: There are other steps when uploading a JPEG or PNG, but remember the SVG is already ready to be cut.

Now upload the other two SVG cut files.

You will want to do the same thing for the other two files. See if you can do it without going back to the top to look. You got this!

• Upload (left side panel)
• Upload image
• Browse
• Located file and select it
• Name and Tag
• Upload

We now have all three SVG Cut files in Cricut Design Space in our recently uploaded area. Now, let us select all three and put them onto our blank canvas. (see image below)

TIP: if you didn’t know- when you select images in CDS they will appear in the right-hand corner next to your cancel icon:)

If you need help putting this together, They have a video to help you right underneath the SVG 🙂 Here is the link so you can put this beauty together🙂

Working with the SVG in CDS

This SVG is the exact size we need, but some SVG cut files do have extra steps you may have to take.

When uploading SVGs, some may come onto your canvas extremely large. You will have to downsize them which I believe I go through in almost every one of my articles.

Below are the two ways you can resize your images.

And the opposite is also true. Some may come in extremely small, which then you will scale it up.

Some SVGs are welded all together and ready to cut and some are not. For me, the easiest way to check this is to hit the make it icon. If your mats are a mess you can go back and start welding text or grouping items together.

Places to look for SVGs

This place always has something going on like sales and FREEBIES. Plus once you sign up they send FREEBIES

Free and Paid SVGs here and they are mind-blowing!

My Favorite right here- You can’t go wrong with all the SVGs that are in this one spot. Lots of freebies and paid SVGs. Plus you can grab other files and graphics here as well as bundles. My Favorite sticker bundle right now.

Well done their you amazing incredible crafter!

You just learned how to Unzip, Extract, and Upload SVG Cut files into Cricut Design Space!

I hope this article truly helped you on your crafting journey to make incredible DIY crafting projects! If so, I would love for you to share the love:)

👉Comment below and tell me what you gained from this article and what you still need help with!

Ready for some projects?

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