Learn how to set up Cricut Design Space for offline use during an Internet outage or simply how to craft without an Internet connection!
In this post, I’ll explain the steps you need to take to successfully cut your projects with your Cricut without an Internet connection.
In short, the secret to successfully cutting a project from Cricut Design Space without an internet connection is to save the project before shutting down the internet (or before the outage) and making sure you have selected the correct save setting beforehand.
A must: save settings
The first thing to do, especially if you experience unexpected Internet outages, is to set up your save settings properly.
To do this, open your Cricut Design Space session, and click on your name to bring up the menu. Then click on “Settings”.
Note: At the time of writing this post, this is the new Cricut Design Space visual available in the “Beta” version. If you’re in the “Live” version, you’ll still see the “hamburger” menu in the top left-hand corner, so you’ll find “Settings” underneath it.
In the settings, under the “General” tab, you’ll find “Saving for offline”. Select “Cloud and computer”. By default, this will save your projects on the Internet, but also on your device.
Saving for offline use
The important thing to remember is, that to use a project offline, you must first save it while an Internet connection is available.
Here’s an example where, while I’m connected to the Internet, I download the file “I may be 70 years old, but in Celsius, it’s like 21”. (By the way, this design is available in the free library or directly on Cricut Design Space, as an editable image allowing you to change the numbers, for Cricut Access members).
I then simulate an Internet outage and the following message appears: “Hmm. Looks like your connection was lost. But keep working! Only certain features and content will be unavailable.”
At that point, I hadn’t saved my project at all. So, if I try to save it while I have no internet connection, I’m still able to. So my project is not lost!
However, if I press “Make it” to cut my project with my Cricut, I’m stuck at this window where the “Continue” button is missing and there’s only the “Cancel” button.
Why? Well, you have to understand that the imported image, which came from the Internet, was not saved on my computer. This action can only be performed when connected to the Internet.
So, by saving while my computer is connected to the Internet, I also save the images and objects inserted on my canvas for offline use.
And the same goes for fonts or any other images or objects.
Connecting to the Internet to save a project
If my computer is connected to the Internet again, I save my project and try to press “Make it”, I encounter this bug and Cricut Design Space displays this message: “Project Preview Could Not Load”.
The way I’ve found to get around this bug is to save the project again, but under a different name (once again, while my computer is connected to the Internet).
Once my project has been successfully saved while my computer is connected to the Internet, I’m able to press “Make it” even if I’m “Offline”, and have access to the “Continue” button to cut my project.
How to download images for offline use
It’s also possible to download images, objects or fonts individually for future offline use.
Under the “Images”, “Phrases”, “Editable images” or even “Upload” buttons, you can select images and then press the “Download” button at the bottom left.
Next, a small icon will appear next to the image telling you that it is “Saved for offline”.
The same goes for fonts. Press the “Text” button and, in the drop-down menu, click on the small arrow icon to save the fonts for use without an Internet connection.
Note that any images or fonts that have been saved for offline use for a previous project will remain available for any future project unless you change your computer or decide to manually remove them.
To remove them manually, simply reverse the download process above. So instead of a “Download” button, you’ll have a “Remove” button.
Can I work with Cricut Design Space without any Internet connection?
Unfortunately, it will be impossible to work with Cricut Design Space without an Internet connection at all.
First, a connection is required to download the application.
Second, you’ll need the Internet to log in to your Design Space account.
Last but not least, you need an Internet connection to save your projects, images and fonts at least once, so that they’re available on your computer.
On the other hand, once all the above steps have been completed, you’ll be able to work offline for a while.
However, you’ll need to come back online periodically for updates and, above all, so that your projects can also be saved in the Cloud, giving you the security of being able to retrieve them if your computer ever crashes.