Printing options displayed through the Silhouette Studio software ('Print' icon or File > Print Page Setup, etc.) are controlled by your computer's operating system and your printer driver.


Print options and Preferences for your printer that can be accessed through these options are not specific to nor controlled by Silhouette Studio. This may include options such as 'Printer Paper Size' and 'Print Quality'.

As options vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and printer model to printer model, we are unable to provide detailed troubleshooting on issues having to do with printer setup or printer settings. If the information below does not attend to your concern, you may need to contact your printer manufacturer for assistance.

Print Quality Issues


Silhouette Studio does not control the print quality or the tone of colors beyond what has been defined in the software.

 

The quality of the print may vary based on your printer. Generally, you can check your printer ink levels for most concerns having to do with print quality. You may also be able to find settings specific to your printer in order to adjust the print quality.


To review printer options:


  1. Open Silhouette Studio
  2. Click on the Print icon 
  3. Press the Print option from the Print Preview window.
    NOTE: This will open a print dialog window controlled by your computer operating system
  4. Click on your printer to select it
  5. Click on the Preferences button
    NOTE: Printer preferences are not controlled by Silhouette Studio. They are controlled by your printer driver.
  6. Though preference options vary from printer to printer, most printers have a 'Print Quality' option that can be found and adjusted

For continued assistance with printer preferences and printer quality, please refer to your printer manual, or contact your printer manufacturer.

Printing Wrong Colors


Incorrectly printed colors can indicate a conflict between Silhouette Studio and your printer model.


This can be due to software settings in the Silhouette Studio program that are conflicting with the printer or the level of attempted print quality from the printer that is not compatible with the Silhouette Studio program.


To resolve this concern: 

A. Adjust the DPI quality settings in the software


  1. Open Silhouette Studio
  2. Go to Edit > Preferences > General
  3. Adjust the 'Resolution of image sent to printer' to 300 DPI
  4. Select the Apply option
  5. Print again


B. Check the Print Quality settings for the printer


Confirm if there is any change when adjusting the 'Print Quality' for the printer options. For example, most printers will have an option for 'Best Print Quality' and have a scale that goes down from there.


  1. Open Silhouette Studio
  2. Go to File > Print
  3. Select Preferences for the printer
  4. Attempt to locate the options for 'Print Quality'
  5. Adjust this setting if present


C. Remove and re-install the printer driver


If you experience continued concerns, uninstall and reinstall the printer driver (the actual driver for the printer model). 


We recommend visiting the printer manufacturer's website in order to find and install the latest driver available. After doing so, restart your computer and try to print again.

Printing Blank Page


If your print job is a blank page or a blank page with only registration marks printed, this indicates that while you may have cut lines present in your job, you do not have any printable information present on your workspace. Cut lines and print information are handled differently. 

Silhouette Studio will only print:


To fill the design with a color or pattern:


  1. Select the design
  2. Go to the Fill panel (on the right-side toolbar)
  3. Select the desired color, gradient, or pattern fill
    NOTE: If you have filled your design, you should see the printed result as it is displayed on the screen

If you alternately only want to print the cut lines:


  1. Select the design
  2. Go to the Line Style panel on the right-side toolbar
  3. Check the box labeled 'Print Lines of Selected Shapes'
  4. If you want to print thicker lines, raise the Line Thickness to any number above 0.0pt
    NOTE: If you enable the cut lines to be printed, you should see just the lines of your design as it is displayed on the screen.

Print Action Does Nothing (No Page Printed)


If the action to send a print job from Silhouette Studio does not send the job to your printer, this typically indicates either:


  • The printer is connected wirelessly to the computer, and communication is not connecting or is being dropped
  • The USB cable connecting the printer to the computer is not sufficient for the data being sent


Printer connected wirelessly


To confirm if the wireless connection is the concern, connect the printer's USB cable to the computer and send the print job again via USB connection.


If the job can be printed via USB connection, contact your printer manufacturer for additional assistance.


If connected via WiFi, check your internet connection strength. If connected via Bluetooth, disable other Bluetooth devices temporarily, and ensure the printer is at a close distance to the computer to establish a stronger connection.


USB cable issue


We recommend a USB 3.0 cable for your printer connection. This may allow for easier sending of large or complex jobs from Silhouette Studio. Some printers will include a USB 2.0 cable but can easily be replaced with a 3.0 cable with similar specifications. Contact your printer manufacturer for additional assistance.