SVG vs PNG vs DXF vs EPS: Which File Should You Use for Cricut, Silhouette and Laser?
by GlowCrafted Studio
Most craft file downloads include the same design in four formats: SVG, PNG, DXF and EPS. They are not four different designs; they are four ways of saving the same artwork so it works in different software. Here is which one to pick.
Quick answer
- Cricut Design Space: SVG
- Silhouette Studio Basic (free edition): DXF
- Silhouette Studio Designer Edition or higher: SVG
- Glowforge and xTool (laser): SVG
- Printing, sublimation or print-then-cut: PNG
- Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer, CorelDRAW: EPS or SVG
SVG: the standard cut file
SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) stores the design as mathematical paths rather than pixels. That means you can make it as large or as small as you need without blurry edges, and cutting machines can follow each line precisely. SVG is the format Cricut Design Space prefers, and most laser software opens it directly.
PNG: for printing
PNG is a pixel image with a transparent background. It is ideal for sublimation, printable stickers and Cricut Print Then Cut, because the printer needs the colors, not cut paths. A PNG with a clear background is still a pixel image; if you upload it as a cut file, the machine has to trace it, which is less precise than an SVG. Our PNGs are 3600 × 3600 pixels at 300 DPI, so they print cleanly up to about 12 inches.
DXF: for Silhouette Studio Basic
The free edition of Silhouette Studio cannot open SVG files, but it can open DXF. Open the DXF, check the size after import (DXF files sometimes import at a different scale), then resize to your project. If you upgrade to Designer Edition, you can use the SVG instead.
EPS: for professional design software
EPS is an older vector format that opens in Illustrator, CorelDRAW, Affinity and many sign-making programs. Use it if you plan to edit the artwork, combine it with your own text, or send it to a print shop.
Why letters are not editable
In professional cut files, lettering is converted to outlines. That means the words are shapes, not live text, so the design looks the same on every computer without installing fonts. You can resize and recolor the letters, but changing the words needs your own vector editing.
Can I sell what I make?
With a commercial-use license, yes: you can sell finished physical items such as shirts, mugs and signs. You cannot share or resell the digital file itself. Read our commercial-use license for the details.
Try it
Every GlowCrafted design includes all four formats in one download. Start with a free SVG, see how to upload an SVG to Cricut, or browse SVG bundles.