Silhouette Studio Software For Mac

Your ability to design your own creations with Silhouette Studio expands exponentially when you add new fonts from the web to your library! Learn how easy it is to add fonts to Silhouette Studio software in this tutorial.

  1. Silhouette Studio Software For Mac
  2. Free Software For Silhouettes
  3. Silhouette 2 Software

One of my favorite features of the Silhouette Studio Software is that it allows you to design with ANY font that you have installed onto your computer. This opens up a whole new WORLD to what you can design and make yourself in the software.

  1. Silhouette Studio for Mac Download SilhouetteFX began as a rotoscoping tool for the visual effects industry. SilhouetteFX has been expanded to include capabilities facilitating paint, warping and morphing, 2D to 3D conversion.
  2. Silhouette Studio 4.1.468.001 for Mac can be downloaded from our software library for free. The most popular versions among Silhouette Studio for Mac users are 2.5 and 1.9. The most popular versions among Silhouette Studio for Mac users are 2.5 and 1.9.
  3. Installing Silhouette Studio v3 3 632 on my Mac. Software, iPad and iPhone tutorials filmed with ScreenFlow. How to use Font Glyphs in Silhouette Studio on a Mac - Duration: 7:57.
Recording

I am going to talk a bit first about types of fonts you can use with your Silhouette and where to get them, but if you already know this, feel free to scroll down to section 3 where I give the instructions on how to load fonts into Silhouette Studio.

What Fonts Can I Use with My Silhouette CAMEO

You can find tons of free fonts and paid fonts all over the internet and you can use them all with your Silhouette Studio software. If it can be installed on your computer, the software will allow you use it to design. There are a few considerations though that will make a BIG difference.

Silhouette Studio Link for PC and MAC - Free Free Instant Download - Send cut jobs from any compatible device to your Silhouette Remotely- Works With Cameo, Cameo 2.

  • Free Fonts. Free fonts are GREAT but be careful as they are a very common way to spread computer viruses and other malware. Make sure you only download free fonts from HIGHLY reputable sources. Getting one computer virus removed is MUCH more expensive than buying MANY (possibly even hundreds of) high quality font files. (I tell you this from personal experience… it was rough.)
  • What type of font do you need? If you are making things just for your own personal use, any font is fine! If you plan to sell your creations (even just to friends and family) you should use fonts that offer a commercial use license. You can still find some free commercial use fonts, but most will have at least a small fee.
  • Do you want access to glyphs? You might be asking, “What the heck does ancient Egyptian art have to do with my Silhouette?” Some fonts come with fancy extra characters called glyphs. These are usually another version of the letter that has extra decorative parts like the swirls you see in the example below. These are SO fun to design with and you will really love using them. These glyphs mostly come in paid fonts although you can occasionally find them in free fonts also.

Where do I find Free Fonts, Good Deals on Fonts, or Fonts with Glyphs?

There are a lot of places to get fonts online. A lot might actually be an understatement there are an overwhelming amount available. All are NOT created equal though. I tend to steer away from most free fonts because of the reasons above, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t accumulated a huge library of amazing fonts to design with.

With all the resources available, I wrote an entire post on my recommendations on the best places to get free and cheap fonts here. Check it out to get the low down on where to get the best fonts and where to stay far, far away from. A few things to keep in mind when you are looking for fonts for use with your Silhouette:

  1. Fonts that are solid (not distressed looking) will cut more easily. You can still use distressed looking fonts for beautiful print and cut projects.
  2. All fonts are not equal– Some come with just lower and uppercase letters, others include all of the punctuation and more. There is little that is more frustrating than spending tons of time picking out the perfect font and then when you go to add an apostrophe, period, or comma, it is not available and switches to a different font. This is a great reason to buy professional grade fonts!
  3. Look for 100% Accessible fonts: Although any font can be used with your Silhouette, some have extras that you might want to be able to use. Without going into tech overload, the way fonts are coded for your computer can be different. Some are coded so that the pretty extra fancy letters with gorgeous swirls and swashes, can only be accessed with special design specific software like Adobe Illustrator which would mean you can use the basic font in Silhouette Studio but not any of the beautiful extras. Fonts can also be coded so that you can use these special characters in Silhouette Studio. Look for fonts that say they are 100% accessible to all, or have PUA Encoded Characters. This means that your Silhouette can use them! If you aren’t quite sure what I am talking about check out the gorgeous extras on Storybook Font. It gives you lots of extra letters with swirls on them. They are available BOTH through a font viewer and as separate font files. That means you will have multiple fonts installed that will give you the basic font then the others will give you the other letter options with the decorative elements. Let me know if you still have questions on this in the comments below!

I get most of my fonts in bundles from The Hungry Jpeg. Their bundle options are pro grade fonts that come with an extended commercial license giving you the ability to sell creations you make with the fonts. Many of the fonts included are optimized for crafters and you can use the graphics with the machine as well! They usually end up coming to only pennies a file with everything included. It is definitely the best combination of quality and price on the market! Here is a peek at the February Bundle:

How Do I Get Fonts into Silhouette Studio Software?

Now that you understand all about fonts (who knew there was so much to understand!) all we have to do is get the ones you have picked into your Silhouette Design Studio software. The good news is, this part is EASY!

  • Step 1: Close Silhouette Studio if it is open.
  • Step 2: Download your desired font.
  • Step 3: Install the font on your computer (NOT in Silhouette Studio.) Usually the font file is compressed, you will need to unzip the folder (usually by clicking on it) then open the unzipped folder, find the font file you want and click to open. Once it is open there should be a prompt to install. If these simple instructions don’t work here are simple instructions to install a font on a Mac or install a font on a PC.
  • Step 4: Open Silhouette Studio. Click the font icon and your new font will now appear in the font menu! (See Pic above for reference)

Troubleshooting: Very rarely even after restarting Silhouette Studio the font will not appear. If that happens try these steps:

  1. Double check the name of the font. Sometimes the font name shows up differently then you might think. Find the font in your Font Book program on your computer and see what it is named.
  2. Restart your entire computer. This should not usually be necessary, but if you are having trouble with the font showing up doing a complete restart can help force Silhouette Studio to do a complete restart and inventory the fonts again.

Easy as that!! And now that you know how easy it is, I hope you go crazy adding all sorts of new fonts for fun designing! For fun, I would love to hear your favorite font below in the comments!

I'm about to be long winded...in the name of a larger cutting machine - so grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and hear me out on this one...
Several months ago you may remember I did a poll asking Silhouette School readers if they'd be interested in a larger cutter. The more than 10k responses were overwhelmingly in favor of a larger cutter that is both affordable and has the ability to run on Silhouette Studio.

I took the results of that feedback back to the executive team at Silhouette in May while at a meeting in Hawaii. My recommendation is:
  • 18-24' Silhouette CAMEO 2 equivalent
  • Larger cutter that 100% runs on Silhouette Studio
  • Affordable price ($400-450-ish)
  • Software allows existing Silhouette users to utilize all the designs they already have without having to learn a new software program

No news yet on if Silhouette America will finally make a larger Silhouette CAMEO - although I am hopeful we've made headway! If they do, it very likely won't be announced until May 2019 at the next Silhouette Summit and then released several months after that. That would be about three years after Silhouette released their most recent new cutting machine, the CAMEO 3 in 2016 (unless you count the Portrait 2). That's a long time to wait to upgrade for Silhouette users - especially those who run a Silhouette business - who've outgrown their Silhouette CAMEO 3s.
When the20' Graphtec CE-Litewas released earlier this year - I was hopeful it would be a logical option for Silhouette users who need a bigger cutter. Unfortunately, for various reasons including the $899 basic price tag being too much of a jump and the software not supported on MACs, I can't get behind the 20' Graphtec.
But you guys I've been looking...because I know a wider cutter is what many of you need to grow your businesses...NOW. A bigger machine would help with faster production, less wasted material (no more cutting down 15' and 20' rolls), and lets you expand your offerings (ie bigger signs). But I know it's super important to many of you that be able to design and work in Silhouette Studio so you don't need to take time away from your business to learn a new software.

GCC AR-24' Vinyl Cutting Machine

I finally landed on the24' GCC AR-24. It's a bigger vinyl cutter I can get behind. It's not perfect for Silhouette users, but I think it's such a good enough solution that I shelled out the $430 (plus $50 for the optional stand) myself for it. I ordered aGCC vinyl and stand bundle from Swing Design. They do haveseveral GCC AR-24 bundles to pick fromincluding both with and without the stand and 24” vinyl sheets to start.
The price is definitely more in line with what Silhouette CAMEO users looking to upgrade would be comfortable with (according to the survey results). And - you can do all of your designing in Silhouette Studio and then export as an SVG with Silhouette Business Edition.

Silhouette Studio Software For Mac

That being said - you should be aware of a few things because it's about 80% perfect - not the 100% solution we're hoping to eventually get from Silhouette America.
The free software that comes with the GCC is called GreatCut. On Windows, it works as a plug in with various software programs including Inkscape (which is free), Adobe Illustrator, and Corel Draw. GreatCut allows you to import SVG files which means you can take advantage of all the personal and commercial use SVGs you already own.
It also means you can do all your designing in Silhouette Studio and with Business Edition export as an SVG. Simply open the SVG in the GCC software and only use that program to send to cut.
This solution works - out of the box - for Windows/PC users.
Unfortunately, MAC users, like myself, need to find another solution because the GCC software, like most vinyl cutter design programs, isn't supported on MAC (without Adobe Illustrator).

GCC Software for MAC Users

So...for MAC users the solution is to make theone time $59.99 purchase of the basic Sure Cuts a Lot (SCAL).
This software can import SVGs as well and again with the ability to export as an SVG from Silhouette Studio Business Edition you can do everything but send to cut to the GCC from Silhouette Studio. Keep in mind you are limited to cutting 24' x 72' with this version. If you'd like to cut longer than 6' you'll need SCAL Pro which is $199 and at that point I think you lose A LOT of the appeal of the 24' GCC as a step up from the Silhouette CAMEO simply based on the all-in price.

GCC Investment for Silhouette Users


  • GCC Cutter - $430 Bundle from Swing DesignorAmazon(orGCC AR-24 Bundle with optional stand +$50)
  • Silhouette Studio Business Edition- About $60 fromSwing Design
MAC Users: $540
  • GCC Cutter - $430 Bundle from Swing DesignorAmazon(orGCC AR-24 Bundle with optional stand +$50)
  • Silhouette Studio Business Edition- About $60 fromSwing Design

Free Software For Silhouettes

Pros and Cons of the GCC for Silhouette Users

  • Cuts ups to 24' (but can cut smaller materials)
  • Affordably Priced 24' Cutter especially for PC Users
  • Includes Plug-In Software for Window
  • Can design in Silhouette Studio and do all but cut with GCC or SCAL software
  • Minimum knowledge of new software needed; shortens learning time
  • Software can import and Cut SVGs
GCC AR-24 Cons:
  • Can not run on Silhouette Studio
  • Can Not Cut .Studio files
  • Silhouette Studio Business Edition is needed to export as SVG
  • No MAC Software which increases investment for MAC users
  • When used with SCAL basic can cut up to 6' long (24' wide)
  • Very few educational resources available for GCC AR-24

Bottom Line

At this point, with Silhouette America having not announced if they will ever do a larger cutter, I think the GCC AR-24 is a good option for Silhouette CAMEO users who are in need of a larger machine to take their Silhouette business to the next level. The affordable price, the ability to complete about 90% of the process in Silhouette Studio, the use of SVGs, and the larger cutter area are what sell me on it.
I will be sharing tutorials on how to use the GCC AR-24 and SCAL with Silhouette Studio in an upcoming series of tutorials on Silhouette School Blog so make sure yousign up to get our emailsso you don't miss anything!
Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!
Get Silhouette School lessons delivered to your email inbox! Select Once Daily or Weekly.

Silhouette 2 Software