This article will walk you through the basic steps for downloading and installing Cricut Design Space on a Windows or Mac laptop or desktop computer, then logging in and registering a new Cricut cutting machine.
This article is part of Snip to It’s Design Space for Beginners series of articles. To browse through the full series, start with our overview of Design Space.
Why do you need to use Design Space with a Cricut Machine?
Cricut Design Space is the software that tells your Cricut machine what to cut, where to cut it and in what order. Without Design Space, your Cricut machine cannot cut or draw. This software lets you make projects from Cricut, from other Cricut users, or your own designs from scratch!
Downloading Design Space and logging into the Home Screen
To download Cricut Design Space for Windows or Mac computers, open design.cricut.com in your web browser. The website will automatically detect whether you have a Windows or Mac machine and offer the correct software. Check the box to agree to the Terms of Service and then you will be able to click the Download button.
(The download file is quite large, it may take a minute or two for the download to complete, depending on your internet connection)
Windows: After the software package has downloaded (an .EXE file format, usually to the Downloads folder on you computer), click the file icon to open it and follow the prompts to install it on your machine.
Mac: After the software package has been downloaded, double click the DMG file to open a special file browser window, then drag the Cricut icon into the Applications folder icon to complete the installation.
(When Design Space is installed and you open it for the first time, it may run an update right away. This is normal and it should only take a minute or two.)
When Design Space opens you will see a login screen. If you purchased your Cricut machine from cricut.com, you probably already created a Cricut account. Use the username and password from that account to log in.
If you don’t have an account, select “Create Cricut ID” to create a new username (your email address) and enter a new password.
After you are logged in you will be taken to the Design Space Home Screen. From here you can register your machine and then start browsing projects.
How to register a new Cricut machine
Before you can use your Cricut machine, you need to register it. The process is fairly straightforward and if you follow the prompts in Design Space it should take a couple of minutes.
If you are a new user, you may get a pop up screen asking you to register your machine immediately after opening Design Space, in which case you can just click “Smart Cutting Machine”:
Otherwise, open the pulldown menu next to your profile picture in the top righthand corner of the Home screen. Select the Settings option.
In the Settings window, select the Machines tab option in the top row, then click the Start button next to New Product Setup.
In the setup process, Design Space will prompt you to
- select your machine
- connect the power cable and turn the machine on
- connect your Cricut machine to your computer via USB cable. (If your computer does not have a USB connection, you also have the option to connect via Bluetooth)
When you have connected your machine to your computer, you will get a confirmation screen displaying the email address associated with your account. Once you check the box indicating you agree with Cricut’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, you can click the Activate button and your machine is ready to use!
Problem: Can’t download Design Space on a Windows 11 computer
If you can’t download Design Space from the Cricut website to your Windows computer, you probably have a Windows 11 machine in S mode. S mode does not allow you to download any software (app) that is not found in the Microsoft Store.
Design Space for desktop or laptop can only be downloaded from the Cricut website. There is no legitimate DS app in the Microsoft Store, even though there are many scammy look-alikes.
If you want to keep S mode, you will have to get another device to use Design Space. If you turn S mode off, you can only get it back by resetting your device to factory settings (i.e., you can’t just turn it back on). It’s up to you.
To turn S mode off so you can download Design Space:
Open the Windows start menu (the Windows symbol on your keyboard or bottom taskbar) on your PC and use the following steps:
- Open the Settings menu. Look for the icon shaped like a gear wheel (⚙️)
- Select the Activation option from the list of settings. Look for the for the checkmark in a circle icon
- The Activation Settings window will show your system as active in S mode. You will have the option to to turn off S mode by clicking the “Open Store” link to the Microsoft App store.
- Inside the Microsoft App store, you’ll see a warning message about turning off S mode. Click the Get button to disable S mode.
- After clicking the Get button, there will be a short pause while your system switches off S mode. After the process is completed, you will see a confirmation window. You are now free to download and install Cricut Design Space (and other apps) on your Windows PC.
What’s next?
Now that you have successfully downloaded and installed Design Space, and logged in and registered your machine, give yourself a high five. Well done!
When you’re ready, the next step on your crafting odyssey is to start learning the basics of Design Space and how it communicates with your Cricut machine. This article takes you through the basics of DS with a simple practice project you can follow along with.
Good luck!
If you have any questions about the steps provided in this article, please leave us a comment. We’re happy to help!
