Cricut Maker Troubleshooting (2024)

Table of Contents
Power Button Unresponsive Project is Corrupted Roller Bar is Dirty The Mat, Cutting Material, or Blade is stuck Incorrect calculated Dimensions for the cutting tool Dirty cutting area or space Firmware Update Needed The device has unplugged the USB power source while in motion A Foreign/Divergent Power adapter is being used on the device The outlet to plug in the device is Faulty Motherboard issue Insufficient blade detection during cutting Issues with the program detecting the blade tool Cleanliness of the blade; dirty cutting tool Cleanliness of the tool sensor; dirty tool sensor Faulty blade or cutting tool; contact customer service for a new tool Design space ™ malfunction Roller Bar is immobile upon loading the map Loose, Damaged, or Uneven Rollerbar Unloaded Cartridge in Machine MAT feature unstable/ not detected Material is not cut according to desired patterns Using incorrect cutting materials Using incorrect cutting-pressure settings concerning the arm of the device Unstable Bluetooth connection or pairing to the intended device The home device requires a Bluetooth connection enabled The home device is not Bluetooth enabled Bluetooth connection prompts to enter a PIN to connect Motherboard issue Cricut Maker's Front doors are unable to function properly Door stays ajar Stuck or sticky Door Linking issues with Cartridges Cricut Maker has Already Been Linked to Another Device Unowned and Pre-Purchased Cartridges Cartridge Not Recognized Firmware out of date Non-corresponding cutting materials with Design Space Debris blocking the cutting tools path, or dirty blade preventing material detection Pressure settings invalid or inaccurate Materials are incompatible with desired design or cutting tool Device will not cooperate with Design Space studio program Background tasks are taking up too much space on your device Insufficient storage space to harness the Design Space ™ application Making unusual noises or audible disruptions Blade Pathway Obstruction Misaligned Carriage Guides Carriage interfering with a side of the machine as Cricut maker begins operation

Power Button Unresponsive

The power button is unresponsive, consistently blinking red, and stalling.

Project is Corrupted

If the issue is isolated to one project, an error may have occurred when saving that corrupted project, and it will need to be recreated.

Roller Bar is Dirty

Power the machine off, then manually move the carriage across the roller bar 3-4 times to clear out any debris that may have gathered.

If this does not help, contact Member Care for further assistance.

The Mat, Cutting Material, or Blade is stuck

Does this happen with every material? If it does, it could indicate issues with the machine:

First, power the machine off. Then move the carriage back and forth at least six times.

Power the machine back on and try the project again. If the issue persists, contact Member Care for assistance

Incorrect calculated Dimensions for the cutting tool

Knife Blade is designed to cut thicker materials, such as balsa wood and leather. If the blade encounters inconsistencies in material thickness or density it will get stuck and may cause a blinking red light.

Dirty cutting area or space

Simply follow the onscreen instructions to clear any debris, and press the cut button again to resume the cut. This may happen multiple times during a cut. If this does not help, contact Member Care for further assistance.

Firmware Update Needed

If the power button is a solid red and the loadout is white, this most likely means the machine needs a firmware update. To make sure that the device's firmware is up to date, you can connect it via Bluetooth or USB to a computer/laptop, and it will tell you if there is an update available for your device. Make sure the device you connect to has an internet connection or else it won't be able to download the update properly.

If the power button is solid red and no other buttons are lit, this indicates it's an electrical-related issue. We recommend trying another outlet or power strip. Most likely, the machine is getting power to turn on the lights, and not to start the machine.

The device has unplugged the USB power source while in motion

It is possible for the machine mat or material to unplug the power cord and/or USB cable from the machine as it is moving through the machine if these cords are left in the path of the mat/material. To avoid this, position your power and USB cables away from the path of the material or mat exiting the back of your machine.

A Foreign/Divergent Power adapter is being used on the device

Ensure you are using the Cricut power adapter and cord that came with your machine. Check that the light on the power adapter is lit up. Check the light on your device; The Cricut Maker 2 power adapter is white; for all others it is green.

The outlet to plug in the device is Faulty

Plug the power cord into a different wall outlet. For best results plug directly into a wall outlet rather than into a power strip or surge protector. To rule out an issue with your power cord, try a replacement power adapter and cord from Cricut.

Motherboard issue

If the options above do not solve your issues, it may be a more intricate electrical issue concerning the motherboard. Click on this hyperlink to be redirected to a Motherboard replacement guide we have cultivated for your convenience.

Insufficient blade detection during cutting

The blade does not operate within the device; does not cut material as it should

Issues with the program detecting the blade tool

Ensure that the tool installed in Clamp B matches the tool recommended in Design Space on the Load step. Select Edit Tools to choose a different tool if the recommended one is not available.

Cleanliness of the blade; dirty cutting tool

Make sure the tool is removed from Clamp B and that the reflective surface on the housing is cleaned off. Press the flashing Go button after reinstalling the tool in Clamp B.

Cleanliness of the tool sensor; dirty tool sensor

With a microfiber cloth or compressed air, clean the tool sensor by removing it from Clamp B. Place the tool back into Clamp B and make sure the flashing Go light is on.

Faulty blade or cutting tool; contact customer service for a new tool

Attempt a test cut with a basic shape using a different adaptive system tool you may have, such as the Knife Blade, Rotary Blade, or Scoring Wheel. If the test cut is successful, it may be an issue with the drive housing of the original tool and you should contact Member Care for assistance.

Design space ™ malfunction

Uninstall Design Space ™ . Restart your computer/device and reboot your Cricut Maker machine. Then reinstall Design Space ™ and attempt your project again.

Roller Bar is immobile upon loading the map

Rollerbar tool not moving during the proposed production, or upon launching the Design Space application

Loose, Damaged, or Uneven Rollerbar

Examine the roller bar to see if it is damaged, loose, or uneven. In that case, take a picture or a video of the damage and contact Member Care through the customer service phone number listed below.

  • Customer Service number: (877)-727-4288
  • Alternatively, select this hyperlink to be redirected to our guide on how to replace a damaged Rollerbar.

Unloaded Cartridge in Machine

Make sure the machine is loaded with a cartridge. There is a possibility that the Load Mat button will not function if no cartridge is loaded.

MAT feature unstable/ not detected

To unload the mat, press the Unload Mat button, followed by the Load Mat button. There is a possibility that the Cricut machine will think that a cutting mat has already been loaded hence why the issue surfaces. If this method fails, Press the Reset all button to clear all commands and then press the button again.

Material is not cut according to desired patterns

You find a discrepancy between the desired designs and the produced designs of the Cricut Maker design tool

Using incorrect cutting materials

Ensure the blade you're using is from the Cricut brand. Remove any debris that may be attached to the blade or lodged in the blade housing after inspecting the blade and blade housing. Make sure you correctly re-install the blade housing in your machine. After cleaning, do a test cut.

Using incorrect cutting-pressure settings concerning the arm of the device

Try gently pressing down and letting go of the arms surrounding the blade housing in order to test your arm buoyancy. They should immediately spring back if properly functional. Please get in touch with Member Care using one of the methods listed below if the problem continues.

Customer Service Number for Cricut devices: 1-877-7CRICUT.

Unstable Bluetooth connection or pairing to the intended device

Home device unable to connect to Cricut Maker

The home device requires a Bluetooth connection enabled

Ensure your device is Bluetooth enabled, meaning make sure your Bluetooth connection and connection acceptance is enabled in your settings. Refer to the following articles based on what device you have to ensure the Bluetooth connection is turned on:

The home device is not Bluetooth enabled

Your computer is Bluetooth-enabled if Bluetooth is listed within the settings of your device, or by following the steps of the previous articles above. You'll need a Bluetooth Dongle if your computer doesn't speak Bluetooth if it doesn't already connect to the Cricut Maker.

Bluetooth connection prompts to enter a PIN to connect

If you are prompted to connect with a PIN number, enter the following code to allow connection: 0000

Motherboard issue

If the options above do not solve your issues, it may be a more intricate electrical issue concerning the motherboard. Click on this hyperlink to be redirected to a Motherboard replacement guide we have cultivated for your convenience.

Cricut Maker's Front doors are unable to function properly

Cricut maker front/lid door stands slightly ajar, constantly comes open, or overall does not close properly

Door stays ajar

Be sure when operating the Cricut first to close the bottom door and then the top door. It may take several tries to get the doors adjusted to the movement.

Check for any obstructions. For example, something may be stuck in the locking mechanism. Make sure you have removed any and all accessories in the machine accessory clamp. If there are no accessories in the accessory clamp and the door won’t close, take a video of the issue and contact Member Care for further assistance.

Stuck or sticky Door

First things first, make sure to remove the stickers on the door. The sticker will be clear with writing on it. Gently try to pry the doors open. It may take several tries to get the doors adjusted to the movement. If the doors continue to not open, please contact Member Care.

Alternatively, If the options above do not solve your issues, it may be a more intricate issue concerning the functionality of your door. Click on this to be redirected to a Front door replacement guide we have cultivated for your convenience.

Linking issues with Cartridges

Cricut Maker gives errors saying “Cartridge Already Linked” or “Cartridge Not Recognized.” when inserting a cartridge.

Cricut Maker has Already Been Linked to Another Device

If you are transferring cartridges from one machine to another then you will be required to contact Member care for Design Space to transfer the ID from the old device to the new one. If you bought a cartridge used, see the following point.

Unowned and Pre-Purchased Cartridges

If your cartridge is purchased then it is likely that the cartridge is linked to the previous owner's device. Due to the copyright, it might not be possible to swap to your account because it cannot be unbound from the original account. If you aren’t using a pre-purchased cartridge see the following point.

If you’re not using a used cartridge that has not been linked to a previous device, then with proof of purchase contact Member care for further assistance linking it to your account.

Cartridge Not Recognized

Clear browser history, cache, and cookies and refresh.

Make sure the “New Machine Setup” has been properly completed, if not then follow the steps on the account menu. Cartridge linking has to be completed on a laptop or desktop computer, the mobile app doesn’t support setup. If you’re still getting the error on a computer/laptop make sure the is up to date. The cartridge might be linked to another device, see previous steps to solve. If needed, attempt linking a fresh cartridge to make sure the issue isn't with the port, If it is then it might need .

Firmware out of date

To make sure that the device's firmware is up to date, you can connect it via Bluetooth or USB to a computer/laptop, and it will tell you if there is an update available for your device. Make sure the device you connect to has an internet connection or else it won't be able to download the update properly.

The cutting tool(s) will not respond to your Cricut's software commands, the blade(s) remains immobile or halts mid-project

Non-corresponding cutting materials with Design Space

Verify that the material setting you've chosen in Design Space or on your Smart Set Dial corresponds to your chosen material. Make sure you have chosen the right material from the Custom Materials list if the dial on your Cricut Explore model with a Smart Set dial is set to Custom (Explore Air 2 and older).

Debris blocking the cutting tools path, or dirty blade preventing material detection

Your machine's blade housing can be removed by opening Clamp B. Make sure to use a Cricut OEM blade. Examine the blade and blade housing, clearing off any debris that might be affixed to the blade or lodged there. After cleaning is complete, a test cut can be made. If the action did not resolve the problem, we will carry out a different operation as described in the next step.

Pressure settings invalid or inaccurate

In this step, you have to go to the Manage Custom Materials page via the Design Space menu, raise the pressure for your material setting by 2-4, and once again run the test. For a change in the cut outcome, you might need to increase the pressure settings 2-3 times in increments of 2-4.

Materials are incompatible with desired design or cutting tool

Attempt to cut different materials, like printer paper, with the settings that are suited for it. Do you get some outcome? If not, there might be a problem with the source content you are trying to cut.

Device will not cooperate with Design Space studio program

Cricut maker will not connect to, or follow orders from the Design space application, and will not design accordingly.

Background tasks are taking up too much space on your device

Another reason for being uncooperative with Design Space ™ is insufficient space for completing tasks. Venture into your task manager, and select “End Task” for any unused applications you may have running at the time to create sufficient power for the Design Space application to function properly.

Ensure your home device has adequate storage to harness the full capabilities of the Design Space application.

Insufficient storage space to harness the Design Space ™ application

For Windows, the following requirements should be met:

  • At least 4GB of RAM.
  • Bluetooth connect or an unused USB port.
  • 50MB of free space available.
  • The computer must be running Windows 8 or above.
  • AMF processor or the Intel Core series processor.

For Macbook, the following requirements should be met:

  • The system must be running on Mac OS X 10.12 or higher.
  • Must spot a processor speed of 1.83 GHz.
  • At least 4GB RAM is free.
  • The hard disk should have 50MB of free space at the minimum.
  • A free USB port or be able to connect to Bluetooth.

Making unusual noises or audible disruptions

Cricut maker is creating any grinding, unnecessary whirring, or popping sounds internally while in operation.

Blade Pathway Obstruction

Take out any obstructions to the carriage's motion. Your device could be caught working around a foreign object internally, be sure to turn off the device before checking its components.

Misaligned Carriage Guides

Visually inspect the roller bars, carriage car, and belt to see if there is physical damage preventing the carriage car from moving or stalling.

Take a photo of the carriage car or belt/track if it is crooked, loose, or broken, and contact Member Care, as you’ll likely require a replacement item.

Carriage interfering with a side of the machine as Cricut maker begins operation

When you press the cut button, the carriage may make a loud noise as if it is striking the machine's side. If this happens, film a short video of the problem happening with sound, and contact Member Care for assistance.

Cricut Maker Troubleshooting (2024)
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