Cricut Design Space doesn’t let you copy, download or export images, so you can’t paste a design straight into Word. The quickest workaround is a screenshot: zoom in on the design in Design Space, press Windows key + Shift + S (or Command + Shift + 4 on a Mac), drag around it, then press Ctrl + V in Word. For a sharper result, print the design to a PDF through Print Then Cut. And if the image is one you uploaded, simply insert your original file.
Before you start: check you’re allowed to use the image
Images and fonts from the Cricut library and Cricut Access are licensed for use with Cricut projects, and some come from outside designers. Copying them into a Word document for your own use, such as a project plan or a label, is usually fine. Selling or publishing them may not be. Check Cricut’s terms before using library images commercially. Your own uploads and designs have no such limit.
Method 1: Take a screenshot (fastest)
- Open the project in Design Space and hide anything you don’t want in the picture, such as other layers.
- Zoom in until the design fills most of the canvas. A bigger image on screen gives a sharper copy.
- On Windows, press Windows key + Shift + S and drag a box around the design. On a Mac, press Command + Shift + 4 and drag. Add Control (Command + Control + Shift + 4) to copy it to the clipboard instead of saving a file.
- Switch to Word, click where the image should go, and press Ctrl + V (Command + V on a Mac).
On Windows the screenshot is also saved in Pictures > Screenshots if you have that turned on in Snipping Tool. See how to take a screenshot in Windows 11 for more options.
Remove the canvas background
The screenshot includes the grid behind your design. Turn off the grid in Design Space first (in Settings, set the canvas grid to none) for a plain white background. In Word, select the picture and use Picture Format > Remove Background to make the white transparent if needed.
Method 2: Save as PDF with Print Then Cut (sharper)
This uses Design Space’s print feature to create a high-quality PDF of the design.
- Select the design and set its Operation to Print Then Cut. Attach layers if needed so they print together.
- Click Make, then Continue, and choose Send to Printer.
- Turn off Add Bleed and turn on Use System Dialog, then click Print.
- In the system print dialog, choose Microsoft Print to PDF on Windows, or PDF > Save as PDF on a Mac, and save the file.
The PDF includes Cricut’s black registration marks around the design. To place it in Word, open the PDF and take a screenshot of just the design at a high zoom level. On a Mac, Word can also insert a PDF page as a picture with Insert > Pictures > Picture from File, and you can crop the marks off with Picture Format > Crop.
Method 3: Insert the original image
If the design started as an image you uploaded to Design Space, the original is still on your computer or phone, usually in Downloads or Pictures. In Word, go to Insert > Pictures > This Device and choose it. This gives the best quality, since nothing is lost to a screenshot.
Resize and place the image in Word
- Drag a corner handle to resize without stretching, or set an exact size in Picture Format > Size. See how to resize an image in Word.
- Click Layout Options next to the picture and choose In Front of Text or Square to move it freely. See how to place a picture anywhere in Word.
- Use Picture Format > Crop to trim edges.
Which method should you use?
| Need | Method |
|---|---|
| Quick preview in a document | Screenshot |
| Print-quality image | Print Then Cut to PDF |
| Your own uploaded design | The original file |
| An editable vector (SVG) | Not possible from Design Space. Use the original SVG if you have it |
Troubleshooting
The pasted image is blurry
Zoom in further in Design Space before taking the screenshot, and don’t enlarge the image much in Word. Use the PDF method for anything you’ll print.
Paste does nothing in Word
On a Mac, the plain Command + Shift + 4 shortcut saves a file instead of copying. Use Command + Control + Shift + 4, or drag the saved screenshot from the desktop into Word.
Microsoft Print to PDF is missing
Turn it on in Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off > Microsoft Print to PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go the other way and use a Word image in Cricut?
Yes. Save the image from Word (right-click > Save as Picture) as a PNG, then upload it in Design Space with Upload > Upload Image.
Does this work in the Design Space app on iPhone or iPad?
The screenshot method does. Take a screenshot with the side and volume-up buttons, crop it in Photos, then insert it in Word for iPhone or iPad from Insert > Pictures.
Summary
- Design Space has no copy or export option for images.
- Screenshot: zoom in, Windows + Shift + S, paste into Word.
- Sharper: Print Then Cut, Use System Dialog, Save as PDF.
- Best: insert your original uploaded file.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.