How to make DIY die cut stickers with Cricut

Stickers are everywhere, but finding ones that match your exact vibe? Not so easy.

You want to make your own stickers, something personal, maybe for your brand, laptop, or to give away with orders. But custom stickers can get expensive, and ordering them in bulk doesn’t always give you control over the size, cut, or finish.

Good news: If you’ve got a Cricut and an inkjet printer, you can make professional-looking die cut stickers at home.

Let's learn how to design, print, and cut — start to finish.

What are die cut stickers?

Let’s start with a definition. Die cut stickers are custom-shaped stickers. That means it’s cut through both the sticker and the backing. That means each sticker is fully separated, with no extra paper around it.

They’re the ones you see individually packed, tossed into orders, or stuck on laptops and water bottles. Because they’re cut to the shape of the design, they look clean, professional, and polished – no square or circle unless that’s your design.

If you want stickers that stand on their own, not stuck to a sheet, this is the kind you’re looking for.

What you’ll need

Before you get started, here’s what you’ll need to make die cut stickers with your Cricut:

• Cricut machine. Any model that supports Print Then Cut, like Cricut Maker, Explore, or Joy Xtra. (Cricut Joy doesn't support this feature.)

• Inkjet printer. You’ll need this to print your sticker designs. Laser printers won’t work with Cricut’s printable materials.

• Printable sticker paper. Choose a sticker material like matte, glossy, waterproof, or printable vinyl depending on the finish you want.

• LightGrip mat (blue). Gentle enough to hold your sticker paper without damaging it.

• Cricut Design Space. The free Cricut app where you’ll design and set up your stickers.

• Scissors or scraper tool. Optional, but helpful for trimming or applying laminate.

• (Optional) Laminate sheets. Use clear self-adhesive laminate sheets or cold laminating film to waterproof your stickers.

That’s it! Once you have these on hand, you’re ready to jump into the design process.

Design your stickers in Cricut Design Space

Once you’ve gathered your supplies, it’s time to create your sticker design inside Cricut Design Space. You can either upload your own artwork or create something directly in the app.

Upload or create your artwork

You can upload designs you’ve made in tools like Canva or Photoshop, or buy ready-to-use files from places like Etsy or Creative Market. Cricut also has a big image library built into Design Space if you prefer to create something right there.

For the best results, use a high-resolution PNG or an SVG file. You can upload images directly into Design Space and resize them as needed.

PNGs usually come with transparent backgrounds, which makes them easier to work with. SVGs are even better if you want to tweak the shapes or colours directly in Design Space.

You can use our free online design tool as well.

Add an outline

Die cut stickers usually have a border around the design to help them stand out and cut cleanly. To add one:

• Select your design and click the Offset tool.
• Set the offset to around 0.125 inches for a nice, balanced border.
• You can make the outline white (most common) or any colour you like.
• Once the border looks right, select both the design and the outline, then click Flatten. This turns it into one printable layer that’s ready for Print Then Cut stickers.

Print your sticker sheet

Now that your designs are ready and flattened, it’s time to print them out.

• Arrange your stickers within the max Print Then Cut area: 6.75" x 9.25". Make sure nothing goes outside the edges.
• If you used a rectangle as a guide, hide it or delete it before printing.
• Click Make It in Design Space. You’ll see a black registration box around your designs – that’s normal. Cricut uses it to line up the cut.
• On the next screen, click Send to Printer.
• Turn off “Add Bleed” if your sticker has a white border. Leave it on if your design runs to the edge.
• Turn on “Use System Dialogue” for better print quality settings.
• In your printer settings, choose the highest quality and make sure the paper type matches what you’re using.
• Load your sticker paper into the printer in the correct orientation and print.

Let the ink dry for a minute or two before moving on, especially if you're planning to laminate. For crisp designs and clean cuts, starting with the best sticker paper for your printer makes a big difference.

(Optional) Laminate your Cricut stickers

If you want your stickers to be waterproof or more durable, adding a clear laminate layer is a good idea. This step is optional, but really useful for stickers that will go on water bottles, laptops, or anything that gets handled a lot.

• Cut a piece of laminate slightly smaller than your printed sticker sheet. It should fit inside the black registration box, so the Cricut can still scan it properly.
• Peel back a small corner of the laminate, then carefully align it with your sticker sheet.
• Stick it down slowly, smoothing as you go to avoid bubbles. You can use your hand, a scraper, or even a credit card.
• If needed, go over it again with a scraper or clean cloth to seal it down smoothly.

That’s it – now your Cricut stickers are waterproof and ready to be cut.

Choose the right cut settings on your Cricut machine

To get clean cuts without tearing or cutting too deep, it’s important to choose the right material setting in Design Space. The setting depends on whether your stickers are laminated and how thick your paper is.

For regular die cut stickers (no laminate)

• In Design Space, go to Browse All Materials.
• Search for “Medium Cardstock — 80 lb” and select it.
• This setting usually works well for cutting through both the sticker and backing.

For laminated stickers

Laminates add thickness, so you may need more pressure.

• Still in Browse All Materials, choose Cardstock+ or create a Custom Material Setting.
• Try these custom settings as a starting point:
  
  • Pressure: 306–350 (Cricut pressure scale)
  • Cut: 2x passes
  • Blade: Fine Point Blade (new/sharp if possible)

Always do a test cut before cutting the full sheet — especially if you’re using new sticker paper or laminate.

Cut your stickers

Now that your sticker sheet is printed (and laminated if you chose to), it’s time to cut it with your Cricut.

• Place your sticker sheet on a LightGrip (blue) mat, aligning it straight and flat. Make sure it matches the orientation shown in Design Space.
• Load the mat into your Cricut by pressing the arrow button.
• Make sure you select Attach if you grouped elements together in Design Space. Cricut will then follow the cut image path exactly as shown.
• The machine will scan the black registration box first. Don’t worry if it takes a few seconds.
• Once the Go (C) button starts flashing, press it to begin the cut.
• When it’s done, press the arrow button again to unload the mat.

If everything is set right, your Cricut should cut cleanly around each sticker — all the way through the paper and backing for true die cut stickers.

See how to create kiss cut stickers on Cricut.

Peel and finish

Once your stickers are cut, the last step is getting them off the mat without bending or curling them.

• Flip your mat over so the sticker side is facing down.
• Gently peel the mat away from the sticker sheet, not the other way around. This helps keep your stickers flat.
• If there’s extra paper around the stickers (like in die cuts), remove that first.
• Carefully lift each sticker off the mat.

Now you’ve got your own custom die cut stickers, ready to pack, gift, or use however you like.

Troubleshooting common issues

Running into problems? Here are some quick fixes for the most common Cricut sticker issues:

Problem: Cricut isn’t cutting all the way through

• Increase the cut pressure in material settings.
• Use a sharper blade or run the cut twice (set to 2x passes).
• Switch to a thicker material preset like Cardstock+.

Problem: Cricut is cutting too deep

• Lower the pressure or switch to a lighter material setting.
• Make sure you didn’t accidentally select a setting for heavy materials like chipboard.

Problem: Cut is misaligned with the design

• Recalibrate your Cricut for Print Then Cut (☰ menu → Calibration).
• Make sure the sheet is placed straight on the mat and not shifted.
• Double-check your printer settings (scale should be 100%).

Problem: Laminate is peeling or wrinkled

• Don’t cover the black registration box.
• Apply laminate slowly, smoothing as you go.
• Use a scraper or card to press out air bubbles.

Problem: Stickers won’t stick to the mat

• Use a LightGrip mat and press your sheet down firmly.
• If your mat is old or dusty, give it a clean or try a new one.

Cricut access

Cricut Access gives you extra tools and images inside Design Space. It’s not required to make stickers, but it can make designing faster and easier.

Cricut Access subscription

The subscription unlocks thousands of fonts, graphics, and ready-made projects. You can pay monthly or yearly, and there's often a free trial if you want to try it first.

Other Cricut features you can explore

If you want to get more from your Cricut cutting machine, there are a few other tools and options worth exploring.

Create sticker feature

In Cricut Design Space, there’s no button labeled “create sticker,” but the Print Then Cut feature basically acts as one. It lets you upload your own designs, add a white border, and cut them into individual stickers — perfect for small sticker shops or hobby projects.

Cricut Maker and Cricut Joy

The Cricut Maker is the most advanced Cricut machine and gives you more control over pressure, material settings, and tools. It’s ideal if you want to experiment with thicker sticker materials or other crafts beyond just stickers.

The Cricut Joy, on the other hand, is a more compact option. While it doesn’t support Print Then Cut, it’s still handy for making vinyl stickers, labels, or simple cut shapes.

Final tips for better custom stickers

Once you get the hang of it, making die cut stickers with your Cricut can be really satisfying. The more you experiment, the better your results will get – whether it’s finding the perfect sticker paper, adjusting your cut settings, or adding that extra touch with laminate. Don’t worry if it takes a few tries to get everything right. It’s all part of the process.

But if you’d rather skip the trial and error, you can always order custom die cut stickers from us at Sticker it. We make professionally printed stickers in any shape or size, and you’ll get a free proof before anything goes to print. We want your design to turn out exactly as you imagined. No setup, no stress – just great-looking stickers delivered to your door.