How to Make Stickers on a Cricut: Step-by-Step Guide [Easiest]

Has sticker business piqued your interest? And someone told you Cricut is a good way to start making them. They're right; Cricut machines (Explorer, Maker, Joy) are a simple way to make stickers. 

You prepare a design, print it on an inkjet printer, and then cut it with Cricut. Doesn’t it feel quite simple? But there's slightly more to the process than that initial pitch suggests.

This guide walks through steps on how to make stickers with Cricut - design and printing suggestions, cutting options, and Cricut limitations. We also introduce an alternative machine that expands the creative possibilities beyond Cricut. 

How to Make Stickers on Cricut (Explorer 3 or later, Maker, Joy 2 or Joy Xtra included)

To make stickers, you need a Cricut machine (Explorer 3 or later, Maker, Joy 2 or Joy Xtra), an inkjet printer, Cricut printable sticker paper, and Design Space software. 

Here’s a detailed step by step breakdown:

Step 1: Design or Upload Your Stickers

Kenjah Crafts - YouTube

Start in Cricut Design Space and create a new project. To create stickers, you can either use Cricut’s library or upload your own. For the former, click Images, search for pre-made designs, and drag them into the design space. 

Step 2: Turn on Print Then Cut & Resize Your Images

The dragged images are normally in SVG format. To make stickers, you need to enable print-then-cut functionality. 

• Click on an image
• Select the Operation dropdown menu
• Change from Basic Cut to Print then Cut

Resize designs to your final sticker dimensions. The design space will show you the printable area and cutting boundaries as you work. Make sure all images fit within the designated print-and-cut zone.

Step 3: Choose the Type of Stickers You Want to Make

Cricut allows you to create two types of stickers: die-cut and kiss-cut. Die-cut stickers cut through both layers to create individual stickers. Kiss-cut removes the top layer only, creating sticker sheets.

• Click a Sticker with Cricut and select Kiss Cut/Die Cut.
• Choose border options: Thin border, Standard border, Wide border, and Custom border
• Select border color (white, black, or custom). Repeat for each sticker design.

For kiss cut sticker sheets, add a background shape: Go to Shapes, select a rounded rectangle, size it appropriately, and change the color if desired. Layer your kiss cut stickers on top, and group them.

Step 4: Select Material & Configure Cutting Settings

After you’ve adjusted, resized, and aligned all stickers on the sheet. You can switch to printing and cutting settings. 

• Click Make On the settings screen.
• Configure the printer settings, size, and copies.
• Next, select the base material type: Choose Cricut printable sticker paper or your preferred sticker paper from the dropdown menu.
• Adjust cutting pressure:
• 1. Default (recommended for standard use and new blades)
• 2. More (for thicker materials)
• 3. Less (for delicate paper)
• Check "Remember Material Settings" if using the same material for multiple prints.
• Calibration (if needed): If print then cut results are misaligned, go to Settings → Machines → Machine Calibration → Print then Cut Calibration.

Step 5: Print and Load the Sheet

Press Continue to send the design to your printer. Your inkjet printer prints the sticker design along with black registration marks (angle marks in the corners). These marks are essential for Cricut alignment during cutting. Remember, only inkjet printers are suitable for printing on sticker sheets. 

Place your printed sticker paper on the corner of a light grip mat, positioned as shown in Design Space. Load the mat into your Cricut machine. The machine reads the registration marks and begins cutting automatically.

Step 6: Unload and Peel

Remove the mat from the machine. In case of a kiss cut, you may peel individual stickers away from the backing sheet. The sticker sheet remains intact for use or sale.

For die cut, flip the mat over and peel the mat away from the paper (this prevents curling). Peel individual stickers from the backing sheet. Each sticker is fully separated and ready for use.

Common Cricut Sticker Questions (and Honest Answers)

Having covered the complete sticker-making procedure, here are answers to recurring questions about Cricut machines and sticker-making.

Cricut Access and Subscription Requirements

Many wonder if you need a subscription to make stickers. Partially true. The sticker creation tool in Design Space requires Cricut Access ($9.99/month), though workarounds exist. Free Design Space users can make kiss-cut stickers using the offset tool, but it's more manual.

Can all Cricut Machine make Stickers?

Sticker creation requires print-then-cut support. According to Cricut's official page, Explore 3 and later models, Maker, Joy 2, Joy Xtra, and Venture models support this. The original Joy doesn't. Similarly, Explore Air 2 and older can only Print Then Cut on non-reflective/matte/white material, so it’s not really suitable for glossy, darker and colorful stickers. 

Can You Use Dollar Tree Vinyl for Stickers

For printing, it won't work since vinyl is opaque and won't accept inkjet ink. For cutting stickers from it, that still requires careful custom settings since Dollar Tree vinyl is quite thin.

Making Stickers Without a Cricut?

Cricut is essentially a blade cutter, so people often ask if they can cut stickers without printing. For simple designs with solid colors, you can use pre-made vinyl sheets. But printed stickers need precise cutting, and you can't achieve that with scissors, which is why a precise cutting tool like Cricut is valuable.

Blade Replacement/Maintenance Needs

Cricut blades typically last 3 to 8 months, depending on use frequency, or around 40 cutting hours. If you notice rough edges, fraying, or incomplete cuts on stickers, the blade is dull and needs replacement.

Upgrade Your Workflow: Print and Cut Stickers in One Machine

Cricut's workflow is simple, but you still have to print and then cut it. Want a Cricut alternative that does it all, printing and cutting, within one machine? Introducing the xTool M2.

The xTool M2 is a dual laser engraving machine with an inkjet printing module. The inkjet module first creates the design on sticker paper, and the laser cuts it. A print-and-cut concept precisely made for sticker making. More than that, this machine can be used for engraving and color printing on a range of other substrates: paper, wood, leather, felt, and more.

Cricut is just a blade cutter for stickers. The xTool M2 is a complete craft machine. You can use it as a sticker printer, as a laser engraver. Here is a quick comparison.

Bonus Tip: Where to Find Sticker Ideas & Free Designs

Looking for sticker designs? Well, xTool doesn't have it all under a paid subscription. You can browse hundreds of stickers created by community members on Atomm. Most are ready-to-print files. You can also use AIMake, our free AI image generator, to create any sticker you imagine with just a few prompts.