Explore 3 Cricut Maker Power Button is Blinking Red User Guide

Troubleshooting guide

Explore 3 Cricut Maker Power Button is Blinking Red

Observe at what point the power button begins to blink/flash red, then choose the appropriate troubleshooting steps below.

When powering on the machine
If the power button light is flashing or blinking red when you first power the machine on, contact Member Care for assistance.

When updating firmware
If the power button light is flashing or blinking red when you are attempting to update your machine’s firmware, contact Member Care for assistance.

When loading a mat or Smart Materials
If the power button light begins to flash red when you try to load a cutting mat or Smart Materials, follow the steps below:

1. Does this occur with multiple projects?
   o If the issue is isolated to one project, an error may have occurred when saving that corrupted the project, and the project will need to be re-created.
   o If the issue occurs with multiple projects, proceed to step 2.

2. The roller bar may have gathered some dust or debris that is causing the error. Power the machine off, then manually move the carriage across the roller bar 3-4 times to clear out any debris that may have gathered.

3. If this does not help, contact Member Care for further assistance.

When cutting a project

1. Does this happen with every material?
   o If it does, it could indicate issues with the machine, mat, or blade housing.
   o First, power the machine off. Then move the carriage back and forth at least six times. Power the machine back on and try the project again.
   o Try a new Cricut machine mat to see if that makes a difference.
   o If there is no difference, try a different blade and blade housing.
   o If the issue persists, contact Member Care for assistance.

2. Are you using Knife Blade with a Cricut Maker machine?
   o Knife Blade is designed to cut thicker materials, such as balsa wood and leather.
   If the blade encounters inconsistencies in material thickness or density it will get stuck and may cause a blinking red light.
   o Simply follow the onscreen instructions to clear any debris, and press the cut button again to resume the cut. This may happen multiple times during a cut.

3. If this does not help, contact Member Care for further assistance.

Power button is Solid Red

The Power button is red & Load button is white
If the power button is steady/solid red and the Load button is white, this usually means the machine needs a firmware update visit this help article for instructions.

The Power button is red & no other button is lit
If the power button is steady/solid red and no other buttons are lit, this indicates it’s a power related issue. We recommend trying another outlet or power strip. Often, the machine is getting enough power to turn on the lights but not enough to fully run the  machine. First, try another power outlet or power strip. If this does not resolve the issue, follow additional troubleshooting steps in this help article.

Enable Bluetooth – Cricut Explore 3 Machines

If your Cricut Explore 3 machine does not show up as an available device to pair via Bluetooth, follow the steps below to ensure Bluetooth is enabled on your machine.

• Windows
• Mac

1. Connect your Cricut Explore 3 to the computer via USB cable.

2. Open Command Prompt:
   o Open the Start menu or screen and type “CMD” or “Command Prompt” in the search field and select Open.
   

3. Once in the Command Prompt window, type:
   cd %HOMEPATH%\AppData\Local\Programs\”Cricut Design Space”\resources\plugins \device-common\
   

4. Then type:
   .\CricutDevice –fixbluetooth
   

5. Open Bluetooth settings in Devices and your Cricut Explore 3 machine will now appear.

Cricut machine does not cut through my material
If your Cricut Explore or Cricut Maker machine does not cut all the way through your material or is only scoring the material, this issue can usually be resolved with some basic troubleshooting. Check the following:

1. Make sure the material setting you have selected in Design Space or on your Smart Set Dial matches your material. For Cricut Explore models with a Smart Set dial (Explore Air 2 and older): if the dial is set to Custom, ensure you have selected the  appropriate material from the Custom Materials list.
2. Open Clamp B and remove the blade housing from your machine. Ensure you are using a Cricut brand blade. Inspect the blade and blade housing and remove any debris that may be stuck to the blade or lodged in the blade housing. Once clean, perform a  test cut. If the blade and housing are already free from debris, or cleaning it did not help, proceed to step 3.
3. Open the Manage Custom Materials page through the Design Space menu and increase the pressure for your material setting by 2-4, then perform a test cut. You may need to increase the pressure settings 2-3 times by increments of 2-4 to see a change in  the cut result.
4. Attempt cutting a different material, such as printer paper, using the appropriate setting for that material. Do you experience the same result? If not, it may be an issue with the original material you are attempting to cut.
5. Replace your blade with a new Cricut brand blade. Blades can become dull with use and replacing them with a new, sharp blade often solves this issue.
6. If the issue persists after steps 1-5 have been completed, contact Member Care for further assistance.

Cricut Maker: Blade not detected

Follow the steps below to resolve Blade Not Detected errors with Cricut Maker machines.

Step 1 Make sure the tool installed in Clamp B matches the tool recommended in Design Space on the Load step. If you do not have the recommended tool, select Edit Tools to choose a different one. If the correct tool is installed and the issue persists, proceed to  step 2.

Step 2 Remove the tool from Clamp B and clean off the reflective surface on the housing. Then reinstall the tool in Clamp B and press the flashing Go button. If the issue persists, proceed to step 3.

Step 3 Remove the tool from Clamp B. Gently clean the tool sensor with compressed air or a microfiber cloth. Reinstall the tool in Clamp B and press the flashing Go button. If the issue persists, proceed to step 4.

Step 4 Attempt a test cut with a basic shape using a different adaptive system tool you may have, such as the Knife Blade, Rotary Blade, or Scoring Wheel.

Important: Ensure that your test image Linetype and selected material setting are appropriate  for the tool you choose so the machine will scan for the correct tool. If you will test using Scoring Wheel, ensure the image Linetype is set to Score. If you will test  using Knife Blade, be sure to choose a material that recommends Knife Blade, such as Heavy Chipboard 2.0mm. If you will test using Rotary Blade choose a fabric setting such as Cotton which recommends Rotary Blade.

If the test cut is successful, it may be an issue with the drive housing of the original tool and you should contact Member Care for assistance. If you do not have another tool to test with, or if the issue persists with multiple tools, proceed to step 5.

Step 5 Uninstall Design Space. Restart your computer/device and reboot your Cricut Maker machine. Then reinstall Design Space and attempt your project again. If the issue persists, contact Member Care for further assistance.

Cricut Explore 3 & Cricut Maker 3: Roller bars continuously rolling

This is caused by interference to the mat/material sensors. Cleaning the sensors will help the machine realize it can stop checking for mat/material, and the rolling sequence will stop.

1. Unplug your machine from power.
2. Use compressed air or a microfiber cloth to clean the machine sensors off.
   On a Cricut Maker 3 or Cricut Explore 3 machine, there are two sensors: one behind the belt in the machine, and one in front of the roller bar in the machine, as shown in this photo.

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