FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Everything about making stencils with the free converter.

How do I turn an image into a stencil?

Upload your image, drag the threshold slider until the shapes look right, choose solid or outline mode, then download the PNG or SVG. The whole thing takes under a minute.

Is the stencil converter free?

Yes — conversions are unlimited, there's no account required, and there's no watermark on your output.

What image formats can I use?

Common web image formats including JPG, PNG, SVG, GIF, and WebP. Higher-contrast images with a clear subject give the cleanest stencils.

Does it work with Cricut or Silhouette?

Yes. The full editor exports a real vector SVG that Cricut Design Space and Silhouette Studio cut directly — or download the PNG and let the software trace it.

Can I make a stencil from text instead of an image?

Yes. Switch to the From text tab, type your word, name, or number, and pick one of five stencil typefaces — bridges are built into the letterforms. There are dedicated pages for text, numbers, names, and monograms.

Are my images private?

Completely. All processing happens in your browser and nothing is ever uploaded to a server. You can open your browser's network tab and watch: no image data leaves the page.

Will it work on my phone?

Yes. The converter runs in any modern mobile or desktop browser, with nothing to install.

What makes a good image for a stencil?

Bold, high-contrast images with a clear subject on a plain background. Avoid heavy texture and fine gradients, which can turn into speckle when you threshold them — a step or two of Smoothing helps.

What is the Auto threshold button?

Auto analyses your image's tone histogram with Otsu's method and picks the statistically best light-vs-dark split. It's a great starting point; fine-tune from there by eye.

What are stencil bridges and why do I need them?

When you cut a stencil, any fully enclosed shape — the middle of an O, an eye in a face — falls out of the sheet. Bridges are the thin strips that keep those "islands" attached. Stencil fonts include them automatically; for image stencils, add small connecting strips before cutting.

Can I use stencils I make commercially?

Your output is yours to use and sell — signs, shirts, boards, whatever you make. Just make sure you have the rights to the source image, especially for logos and licensed artwork.

Does the tool work offline?

Once the page has loaded, conversion runs entirely locally in the tab — you can pull the network cable and keep working.

How do I print my stencil at an exact size?

Print at 100% / "Actual size" — never "Fit to page", which silently rescales. To hit a specific measurement, set a custom scale in the print dialog and verify the first print with a ruler. The guide covers sizing in detail.

My design is bigger than one sheet of paper. What do I do?

Use your printer's poster / tile mode to split the design across several pages, tape them edge to edge, and cut from the assembled sheet. For machine cutting, the SVG scales to your cutter's full mat size directly.

Should I download PNG or SVG?

PNG for printing and hand-cutting; SVG when a machine cuts. The SVG is a true vector path traced from your stencil, so Cricut Design Space, Silhouette Studio, and laser software import it with zero tracing.

Ready to make one? Open the converter →