How to use Flatten in Cricut Design Space

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The tools in Cricut Design Space are very powerful and when used properly, they can make a major impact on our projects. The 5 most powerful tools in Cricut Design Space are found at the bottom of the Layers Panel. These tools are called Slice, Weld, Attach, Flatten and Contour.

Slice, Weld, Attach, Flatten and Contour are the 5 most powerful tools in Cricut Design Space and I will be going over each. I will be discussing Flatten in this post.

In this post I will be discussing how to use Flatten in Design Space. If you just want a better understanding of how this tool works as well as how to troubleshoot if you encounter any issues then continue reading. Flatten is super easy to use. I’ve also gone over Attach, Contour, Weld and Slice in detail so check those out too so you can get a complete understanding of how to master the tools in Cricut Design Space.

What is Flatten?

When we Flatten an image in Cricut Design Space, we turn it from a cut image to a Print then Cut Image. This means the image must be printed on your printer and then cut on your Cricut machine. This is how you make stickers!

When I flatten an image in Cricut Design Space, what type of paper do I print on?

You can use regular printing paper, cardstock, sticker paper, glossy paper, printable vinyl, printable HTV etc.

How do I use Flatten in Cricut Design Space

To Flatten an image you simply have to select it/highlight it, then press Flatten. That's it! Easy right?

This works if the image has one or multiple layers. When the image is multi-layered, flattening compresses all the layers into one solid printable image. Once the image is printed, your Cricut machine will cut around the edge of the image rather than cut the individual lines.

As mentioned above, to change a cut image into a printable image, just click flatten. Once it’s flatten you can adjust the size if need be. The maximum size for Print then Cut is 9.25 inches by 6.75 inches so keep this in mind when you are making size adjustments. This is especially important if you are making a sheet of stickers. By keeping the maximum size in mind, you will be able to Attach your stickers so everything prints on one page. If you want to learn more about Attach, read this post.

WATCH THIS QUICK TUTORIAL ON HOW TO FLATTEN IN CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

Can I unflatten an image in Cricut Design Space

You can unflatten an image by clicking the Flatten button again.

I've unflatten, but my image is still Print then Cut

When you unflatten an image, it doesn't revert to a cut file, it remains a printable image. Instead of reverting to a cut file, the image becomes editable and all the cut lines and layers are restored. If you unflatten a solid image that was once multi-layered, each layer will become visible again however, the layers will still be Print then Cut. If you want this image to be a cut file again, follow these steps:

Select the image
Go to the the tool bar located at the top of the page
Find Fill
From the drop down menu, select No Fill
The layers of the image will revert to a cut file.

Can I flatten text in Cricut Design Space

Yes, text works the same way image does. You can flatten multi-layer text and turn it into a sticker.

Flatten is not working in Cricut Design Space

Believe it or not, I’ve done this incorrectly many times especially when the image is multi-layered. Have you had instances where you flatten an image but your machine still treats it like a cut image? In other words, have you ever printed an image but your Cricut proceeds to cut each layer rather than around the edge?

If this happen to you, then it is one of 2 things and here are the solutions:

Solid Background

A Flatten image needs to be on a solid background or else your machine will treat it as a cut image even though it was printed. This is a common mistake made with text. If you write a word and simply select flatten, your machine will cut each letter out. You must put the words on a solid background such as a square, select both text and background image and then press flatten. In this instance, the machine will recognize the text as Print Then Cut and only cut the outer edge of the background image.

You forgot to Flatten an image

I made these really cute stickers for my son and Flatten didn't work the first time. I combined alot of different images from Cricut Design Space to create these stickers and I forgot to Flatten all of them. To fix this, unflatten the image and double check if all layers are on a solid background etc.

What type of images can I Flatten and turn into Print then Cut?

You can Flatten any image that is native to Cricut Design Space. SVGs that you upload to Cricut Design Space can be flattened as well. As for JPEG and PNG, once you upload these files to Cricut Design Space, they are usually saved as Print and Cut files

Why is Flatten important

If you like to make stickers and labels then you're going to enjoy using Flatten. It surely saves me when I'm working on my son's projects (You know you do your children's projects too) because I can print fancy text and stickers for his poster boards.

What can I Flatten?

You can Flatten anything that you can work with in Cricut Design Space. This includes images, patterns and text.

Is Flatten the only way to Print then Cut

No, you can use the Fill option to change the cut line. Keep in mind this way doesn't change the image to one solid image instead, it changes each layer to Print then Cut.

Go to the the tool bar located at the top of the page
Find Fill
From the drop down menu, select Print
The layers of the image will now be Print and Cut

Can I print at work and then bring the image home to cut on my Cricut?

Unfortunately no. The Cricut must be connected to the printer being used to print the image. Also Print and Cut images are printed inside a square/rectangle box. These are sensor lines which your Cricut must read in order to determine where to cut on the printed image. If you simply print an image from any printer and try to cut it in your Cricut, it will not work.

Summary

Flatten changes a cut image, text or pattern to a Print then Cut file. To achieve this, you simply have to click Flatten located at the button of the layers panel. Pay attention to your layers panel when you are combining a lot of different images and elements to ensure each image is Flatten.

Do you use Flatten? Do you love it or hate it?