Link Cartridge Via Cricut Design Space Ipad App

March 12, 2019 Dean Duehring

Using, Linking and Accessing Cricut Cartridges in Cricut Design Space

Cricut identifies sets of designs as "cartridges." Cartridges are digital image sets, but physical plastic cartridges may also be available.

DIGITAL CARTRIDGES
Digital cartridges can be purchased straight from Cricut in your Design Space account and are online based. While nothing is physically mailed to you, you get access to the digital content instantly from anywhere you can access your Cricut account. Browse digital cartridges and designs in Design Space by going to Images on the left and then click on Cartridges tab at the top:

Using the search bar, you can search for cartridges or designs including Cricut Access cartridges, cartridges available for purchase and cartridges you have linked to your account.

Cricut Access Cartridges are cartridges you have available to you when you have a Cricut Access Subscription. Look for the green "a" in the corner of the cartridge denoting that the cartridge is included with your Cricut Access subscription. These designs are available for use while your Cricut Access subscription is current, but will no longer be available if you cancel your subscription or your subscription expires.

Cartridges available for purchase can be purchased as a whole or you can purchase individual designs. It is usually more economical to purchase the entire cartridge over each individual design, but if you are only really interested in one specific design, you have the freedom to purchase just that one image, without having to buy the whole cartridge. Once you purchase a design, it will be available in your account instantly and will be accessible forever. Even if you have a Cricut Access account that expires or is closed, purchased designs remain yours:

PHYSICAL CARTRIDGES
Linked cartridges are physical cartridges you have uploaded to your Design Space for access. Physical cartridges are plastic and contain a specific set of designs. While they are no longer being produced, you may have access to them or have some in your collection:

Cartridges were made for machines that required physical cartridges, before Design Space (and Cricut Craftroom) were created. Older machines, such as the Cricut Expression machine, were independent from a computer and had a port for the cartridge to go in. Each cartridge also included a custom keypad overlay so you could tell the machine which design to cut. Cartridges came in large cases which included the keyboard overlay and a book with all the designs on that particular cartridge:

As cartridges evolved, the cartridge case got smaller and Cricut switched to a universal keypad overlay that had numbered buttons instead of graphics of the design choices. Universal keypad overlays could be used with any cartridge, making it less cumbersome to keep track of specific keypad overlays for every individual cartridge you wanted to use:

Thanks to computer-based software and digital content, you do not need cartridges to use your Explore Air 2 machine, but if you have cartridges in your collection that you would like to still use, you can link the cartridge to your Design Space account.

Like previous Cricut machines, the Explore Air 2 machine has a cartridge port:

To link your cartridges to your Design Space account, sign into Design Space and go to the hamburger menu in the upper left-hand corner. Click on Link Cartridges.

Insert your physical cartridge into the slot in your machine, on the top left-hand side. Make sure to press down firmly to ensure the cartridge is fully installed in the machine:

The software will show a link cartridge window and will detect if your cartridge can be linked. Physical cartridges can only be linked to one account, one time. If it had already been linked to another account in the past, you will get an error message at the bottom of the screen:

If you see this error message, this cartridge has already been linked.

If you have not linked the cartridge and it was new when you purchased it, it's possible it is an unsupported cartridge. Contact Cricut for assistance and options.

If the Link Cartridge button becomes selectable, click on it and Design Space will link your cartridge to your account:

Once your cartridge has been linked, Design Space will give you the option to link additional cartridges or to view your cartridges.

To see the designs from your cartridges, go to Images from the left-hand toolbar. All of your linked cartridges will be stored in your account for you to access the designs. Once you have linked the cartridge, you do not need the physical cartridge anymore. You can store it or give it to someone who has an older machine such as a Cricut Expression. Unfortunately, once you link the cartridge, you don't have much use for the cartridge so it becomes obsolete unless you have an older machine.

If you ever lose access to your Cricut Design Space account, you won't be able to relink to a new account. You cannot use a physical cartridge with the Explore Air 2 or Maker machine without linking it to your account.

EDIT 9/9/2020:

I have been noticing a lot of issues with being able to find the linked cartridges within Design Space. I was able to find mine under images. There is a plus sign next to Ownership. When that is clicked you can click on Purchased. Once this is clicked I was able to find all of my images from the linked cartridges.

Also, the term "Cartridge" has been changed to "Image Sets" which can be located in the Image tap under Highlighted Categories.

I hope this helps those that were having issues finding the linked cartridges.

Thanks so much stopping by! The Craft-e-Corner team loves to make things and we want to share that love with you! Whether you're browsing for inspiration or in need of technical assistance, we're here to help. Contact Us for personalized assistance from one of our craft experts.

Shop Material Bundles For Your Next Project

Comments

Barb Reilly - October 29, 2021
I'm trying to link my cartridges. I insert them then the box pops up that says press link cartridges. The problem is the button will not light so I can press it. I've been playing with this for hours and days. There is no article about this problem. Please help

Sharon - September 1, 2021
I have a Cricut Maker that I recently purchased. I have approximately 80 cartridges that I would like to be able to use and the adapter has been on backorder for at least 6 months. Is there any other way to get my cartridges linked with Design Space, so that I can continue to craft since the adapter seems to be on backorder forever?

charron - June 9, 2021
So I finally attempted to link my old cartridges with Design Space, and discovered this task was not very easy. In the end, I contacted Cricut support, which the person explained that their was a system error in my cartridges being linked. So as a one time gestured, she manually linked my cartridges, because I had misplaced my proof of purchase after years of moving around. In the end, she linked them to my account. After several trial an errors, I managed to figure out the image access. The problem I have is that the cartridges are scrambled and difficult to organize. So for example I type in Disney in the search bar, and some of the Disney cartridges come up, and other non Disney images. When I click on the Brand selection and click Disney, nothing shows up. I can also retype Disney and other images which were not previously listed pop up and others disappear. You can probably see the confusion in searching through 30 cartridges and their parts in image. How can I possible organize design space cartridges?

Doreen Celestine - May 26, 2021
i am considering updating my Expression Machine to a Explore Air 2.
I have a lot of cartridges and notice that people are having difficult linking them has the issues been resolved. Is there a cost to link my cartridges or use the design space?

Sandy Goldsmith - February 23, 2021

I bought two cartridges from ebay. The Home Decor said it is new but won't link to my Cricut Explore One. The other cartridge is Plantin Schoolbook is used but did not say anywhere that it was linked. I won't buy them it if says they are linked. How can I get these to link to my Cricut Explore?

Thank you Sandy Goldsmith

Donna - January 27, 2021

I have an Expression that is now a giant paperweight as the qwerty line on the keyboard doesn't work. I got a nice deal on a Maker and just contacted Cricut to link my 7 carttridges. I had to send picture of front and back of the cartridges with a list. Within a day, they were available in my Cricut.com account under linked cartridges. Very seamless.

I can find them in Design Space but it takes some searching. I'm wondering a couple of things…. ready to toss the cartridge, box, book, and overlay, but think I want to keep the box images for reference in a binder. Anyone know if they exist in that format or should I just photocopy and enlarge?

Is there a way to find all the images in a set easily? Without having folders, is there a smart way to organize?

Sandy - January 4, 2021
Ii am also having issues with trying to find my linked cartridges in my Design space. They are in my account but nothing in design space. Why?
If someone could email me the answers. Very frustrated.

Peggy - December 31, 2020
I just got the Explorer for Christmas and cannot get any of my old cartridges to link. I get to the screen and press link and it doesn't do anything. Has anyone figured out how to fix this problem?

Kat - December 29, 2020
Try contacting 1-877-727-4288. I was having trouble accessing mine and not able to relink the cartridges. I called customer service & I am not sure yet if it is going to work out but I talked to a customer service rep. He asked me to send pictures of the cartridges and he would try loading them on my account. Of course it is a little at a time. But hey it is worth a shot.

Patricia Swailes - December 28, 2020
I was so excited, got an Explore Air 2 for Christmas, I have a lot of cartridges that I purchased new through the years, not one of the cartridges will link. I have tried every step I could find in help and other people's comments. I do not get a message that they were already linked. I have access to the link button, The cursor sits and spins but will not link. Very disappointed because I know that none of these cartridges were linked previously.