Silhouette Studio may encounter issues with crashing during an attempt to start due to a number of reasons.


Please review the information in the sections below to troubleshoot and resolve concerns with software crashing.


NOTE: Click here instead for issues with the software crashing after startup


Check Minimum Specification Requirements


Your computer needs to meet or exceed the following minimum requirements in order to run Silhouette Studio:


  • Operating System: PC (Windows 8.1 and higher) OR Mac (OS X 10.10 and higher)
    NOTE: Chromebook is not currently supported
  • Internet connection: Required for a) software updates, b) access to the Silhouette Design Store c) software upgrade activation
  • RAM: 4 GB of RAM
  • Processor: 2 GHz or faster processor speed
  • Memory: 2 GB hard disk space 
  • USB Port: USB 2.0 Port or higher


To locate and verify compatibility for your computer, please do the following:


Windows

  1. Press [Windows]+Pause button on the keyboard simultaneously
  2. NOTE: the [Windows] key is between [Ctrl] and [Alt]
  3. The system information will be listed


Mac

  1. Select the apple symbol at the top left corner
  2. Select About this Mac
  3. The system information will be listed


If your computer does not meet the minimum requirements, you will need to use a different computer to run Silhouette Studio.


Reinstall Silhouette Studio


After confirming your computer meets the minimum specification requirements, reinstall the latest software version:


Windows 

  1. Go to the Silhouette Studio software download page 
  2. Click on the 'Download' button 
  3. Once downloaded, run the installation program and follow the on-screen prompts to install the software update


Mac 

  1. Send all instances of Silhouette Studio to your trash
    NOTE: This is to prevent the wrong instance from potentially loading 
  2. Create a new user on your Mac 
  3. Install the Silhouette Studio program under the new user from https://www.silhouetteamerica.com/software/ss
  4. If it launches, close the software and go back to the prior user and attempt to launch Silhouette Studio again 
  5. If Silhouette Studio is able to connect, you can remove the new user that was created 

If these steps do not resolve the concern, proceed with the steps found below.


Check Permissions (Windows Only)


Make sure Silhouette Studio is properly permitted to run as follows: 

  1. Right-click on the Silhouette Studio program shortcut
  2. Select 'Run as administrator' 

If this is successful, make the following change:

  1. Select the Properties option
  2. Select the Security tab
  3. Select the Advanced button
  4. Select the 'Change Permissions' button and provide authorization
  5. Check the box entitled "Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object"
  6. Select Yes on the Windows Security pop-up
  7. Select Okay

Check for Software 'Preferences' Corruption


When Silhouette Studio is opened, it goes through a process to initialize all the settings before fully opening and displaying the workspace area.


Occasionally, the software can encounter errors during the startup phase, including the following: 

  • The software continually displays "Loading Icons" on startup but never starts 
  • The software stalls or crashes when attempting to open at the 'Initializing' stage of the startup


Silhouette Studio can also encounter issues after the software is opened with the following:

  • Persistent or Interrupting "Generating Cut Job" message displayed while the software is running
  • Inability to save new Preferences
  • Inability to create and save new custom cut settings
  • Error message: "An error has occurred. Silhouette Studio has encountered an error and must quit. Any unsaved changes will be lost."


These errors generally indicate an issue with settings stored in the software, such as user-generated cut settings (custom materials and updated settings for existing materials), and preference options you have updated in the Preferences settings.


If you encounter the above behavior, we recommend clearing your Preferences folder as follows:


⚠ WARNING: This procedure will result in the removal of user-generated cut settings (custom materials and updated settings for existing materials) as well as any preference options you may have selected under the Preferences settings. If possible, you may want to take note of any custom settings or preferences so you can re-create or re-select them after this procedure is completed.


Windows

  1. Close Silhouette Studio
  2. Press [Windows]+R on your keyboard simultaneously
  3. In Run window type %appdata%
  4. Press Enter
  5. Delete the Folder com.aspexsoftware.Silhouette_Studio
  6. Empty the Recycle Bin
  7. Re-open Silhouette Studio

Mac

  1. Close Silhouette Studio
  2. Open the Finder
  3. Press [Cmd]+[Shift]+G
  4. Type in ~/Library/Preferences
  5. Press Return
  6. Delete the Folder com.aspexsoftware.Silhouette_Studio
  7. Empty the Trash
  8. Re-open Silhouette Studio

Check for Library Corruption


If there is corruption in the library folder, this can prevent the proper launch of the software. 


You can reset your Library system folder as follows:


Windows

  1. Press the Windows key (lower left, between [Ctrl] and [Alt]) and the R key on your keyboard simultaneously
  2. Type %programdata% into the Run box
  3. Press Enter
  4. Locate the folder com.aspexsoftware.Silhouette_Studio.8 
  5. Right-click and select Rename
  6. Rename the folder to com.aspexsoftware.Silhouette_Studio.8.OLD
  7. Attempt to open Silhouette Studio

Mac

  1. Open the Finder
  2. Press [Cmd]+[Shift]+G
  3. Type in /Library/Application Support
  4. Press Return
  5. Locate the folder com.aspexsoftware.Silhouette_Studio.8 
  6. Rename the folder to com.aspexsoftware.Silhouette_Studio.8.OLD
  7. Attempt to open Silhouette Studio


NOTE: This action does not delete your Library folder. It only renames it so that the software bypasses it and creates a new blank library instead. This will allow seeing if there was library corruption. If it does not resolve the issue, you can reverse the steps above by deleting the newly created 'com.aspexsoftware.Silhouette_Studio.8' folder and renaming the older folder back to its original name.