Which file do I download for a Cricut?

SVG. Cricut Design Space imports SVG on every plan, including the free one, and the cut lines and fold lines arrive as separate layers because they are drawn in different colours.

Which file do I download for a Silhouette?

DXF. The free Silhouette Studio Basic edition opens DXF but not SVG — SVG import is a Designer Edition feature. The DXF here has two layers, CUT and FOLD, so the folds are easy to pick out and set to score.

How do I get score lines instead of cut lines?

After you upload, ungroup the design. The orange lines are the folds. Select that layer and change its operation from Cut to Score, then select everything and Attach so the score lines stay where they belong.

Should I turn anything off before downloading?

Yes, two things. Turn off "Perforate the fold lines" so the folds export as clean single lines rather than rows of dashes, and turn off "Print the panel names" so the labels do not become cut paths. Both are checkboxes in the Page panel.

Can I print my design and then cut it?

Yes. Add your picture in the panel above, download the PNG at 300 dpi and use Print Then Cut. Watch the size limit — most machines cap Print Then Cut at roughly 9.25 by 6.75 inches, with more on newer models, so a large box may need to be cut plain and printed separately.

Box Templates for Cricut & Silhouette

Any size, not just the sizes somebody else drew

Most free Cricut box files are fixed: one size, take it or leave it, and scaling them in Design Space throws the card thickness out so the lid stops fitting. This draws the template to the measurements you type, works out the tucks and tabs from the thickness of your card, and gives you SVG and DXF for nothing.

Set these two switches before you download

Both are in the Page panel above, and both matter more for a cutting machine than for a printer.

Turn off "Perforate the fold lines". On paper the dashes are a nice hint. On a cutting machine each dash is a separate object, so a single fold arrives as forty little lines. With it off, every fold is one clean line ready to score.
Turn off "Print the panel names". Text in the file becomes cut or draw paths, and your machine will happily carve the word "Front" out of your box.

Cricut Design Space

Download the SVG.
In Design Space open a new project, click Upload, then Upload Image, and drop the SVG in.
Add it to the canvas and check the size in the top toolbar. It should match the page size you chose. If it does not, set the width by hand with the lock on so the proportions hold.
Ungroup it. The black lines are cuts and the orange lines are folds.
Select the fold layer and change Operation from Cut to Score.
Select everything and click Attach, or the score lines will be rearranged onto the mat somewhere far away from the box.
Load your card, pick the right material setting, and cut.

Scoring: a Scoring Stylus works on any machine; a Scoring Wheel gives a much better crease on thick card and is worth it if you make boxes often. Without either, cut only and fold against a ruler.

Silhouette Studio

Download the DXF. This matters: the free Basic edition of Silhouette Studio opens DXF, while SVG import is locked behind Designer Edition.
File → Open and choose the DXF. Check the document units are millimetres and the size matches what you asked for.
The file has two layers, CUT and FOLD. Set the FOLD lines to score or perforate in the Send panel, and the CUT lines to cut.
Set the blade and force for your card and send it.

Card that actually cuts well

200–250 gsm — the sweet spot for small boxes. Cuts in one pass, creases cleanly, holds its shape.
270–300 gsm — better for boxes over about 12 cm across. Expect a deeper blade setting and a second pass.
Over 300 gsm — a Cricut Maker with a knife blade, or cut it by hand. Standard machines struggle, and a dragging blade tears corners.
Use a green standard-grip mat for card, and change the blade sooner than you think — most bad box cuts are a tired blade, not a bad file.

Print Then Cut with your own design

This is the part most free template sites leave out. Add a picture in the panel above — your logo, a pattern, a photo — drag it onto the box, and download the PNG at 300 dpi. Print that on your home printer, then let the machine cut around it with Print Then Cut. The artwork is trimmed to the cut outline for you, so nothing prints off the edge of the card.

The limit to watch is size: most machines cap Print Then Cut at around 9.25 by 6.75 inches, with more on newer models. Above that, cut the card plain and print your design separately.

Questions

Which file do I download for a Cricut?: SVG. Cricut Design Space imports SVG on every plan, including the free one, and the cut lines and fold lines arrive as separate layers because they are drawn in different colours.
Which file do I download for a Silhouette?: DXF. The free Silhouette Studio Basic edition opens DXF but not SVG — SVG import is a Designer Edition feature. The DXF here has two layers, CUT and FOLD, so the folds are easy to pick out and set to score.
How do I get score lines instead of cut lines?: After you upload, ungroup the design. The orange lines are the folds. Select that layer and change its operation from Cut to Score, then select everything and Attach so the score lines stay where they belong.
Should I turn anything off before downloading?: Yes, two things. Turn off "Perforate the fold lines" so the folds export as clean single lines rather than rows of dashes, and turn off "Print the panel names" so the labels do not become cut paths. Both are checkboxes in the Page panel.
Can I print my design and then cut it?: Yes. Add your picture in the panel above, download the PNG at 300 dpi and use Print Then Cut. Watch the size limit — most machines cap Print Then Cut at roughly 9.25 by 6.75 inches, with more on newer models, so a large box may need to be cut plain and printed separately.

Designing the box in Canva first · Getting a custom box printed properly · All 63 box templates

Box templates for Cricut and Silhouette