How to Convert a PNG to SVG for Cricut (Step by Step)

Cricut machines cut along paths, so the cleanest results come from SVG files. You can upload a PNG to Design Space and let it guess, but converting it yourself first gives you sharper edges, fewer stray bits and full control. Here’s how.

What you’ll need

• The image you want to cut (PNG or JPG; the bigger the better)
• The free PNG to SVG converter for Cricut
• Cricut Design Space

Single-colour designs (vinyl, HTV, stencils)

1. Open the converter and drop in your image. Black & white mode is already selected.
2. Set the threshold. Drag it until everything you want to cut is solid black and everything else is white. Text and thin lines should stay fully black without breaking up.
3. Invert if needed. If your design is light on a dark background — a white logo on a black T-shirt mock-up, say — tick Invert.
4. Remove specks. Increase Remove small specks until stray dots disappear. Tiny pieces are a nightmare to weed.
5. Smooth it. A little extra Smoothing rounds off pixel steps on curves. Too much can soften sharp corners on lettering, so compare with the original.
6. Download SVG.

Multi-colour layered designs

1. Switch to Logo / colour mode.
2. Set Number of colours to the number of vinyl colours you’ll use, plus one for the background.
3. Tick Remove background colour so the background isn’t treated as a layer to cut.
4. Download the SVG. In Design Space, each colour becomes a separate layer that you can assign to a different material.

Uploading to Design Space

1. In Design Space, choose Upload → Upload image → Browse and pick your SVG.
2. Name it, add tags, and Upload.
3. Select it in Recent uploads and Add to canvas.
4. Resize it to your project dimensions — the SVG stays sharp at any size.
5. For script text, select all pieces and Weld so letters cut as one shape.
6. For layered designs, use Attach to keep layers aligned, and check each layer’s colour matches your vinyl.
7. Make it. For iron-on, remember to mirror the mat.

Troubleshooting

Jagged edges. Start from a larger image, increase Smoothing, or try a slightly different threshold.

Holes filled in (O, A, B, e). The threshold is too high, so the inside counts as black. Lower it a little.

Thin lines broken. Raise the threshold so faint lines become solid, or reduce Remove small specks.

Too many tiny pieces. Increase Remove small specks. If the design really has that much detail, cut it larger.

Design Space shows a box around the image. The background is being included. In colour mode, tick Remove background colour; in black & white mode, make sure the background is white and not inverted.

A note on copyright

Converting an image doesn’t give you the right to sell it. For personal projects, most people are fine; for products you sell, make sure you’ve created the artwork, bought a commercial licence, or are using public-domain images.