Please note that this article is being updated frequently so be sure to read all the way to the bottom.
As of Tuesday 4/26, version 3.7.206 became the current version of Silhouette Studio. My advice is that you DO NOT UPDATE at this time. It is a major change in that it requires you to participate in the new Silhouette Cloud in order to use the Library. We have received no information on exactly what this entails and early adopters have experienced issues with lost files and disorganized libraries. You might also want to join me in letting support@silhouetteamerica.com know that you want any cloud features to be optional and that we need more information ahead of major software changes. I’ll keep you posted …
Update: Thanks to all of you that have contacted Silhouette. We have gotten some clarification today and things are sounding more encouraging as the info (we should have had beforehand) is made available. This was posted to the Silh site today (Friday) http://www.silhouetteamerica.com/faq/solution/silhouette-cloud
Update 4/30: I still have a few important unanswered questions in to Silhouette, but the amazing Terri Johnson has a great post that has certainly soothed my nerves.
Update 5/1: Jin Yong and I tend to think a lot alike when it comes to how software ought to work. And, like me, she’s not afraid to tell you like it is. Please check out Jin’s detailed review.
Kay’s position as of now is that version 3.7 doesn’t seem to be anything nefarious, nor does it seem to be quite ready for release. I would wait for a bug fix version if you want to participate in the cloud.
Update 5/10: The bug fix version, 3.7.212 is out. I have been unable to install it due to multiple errors, crashes and failures, and have heard many similar reports. Still can not recommend updating at this time.
I wish I had of held off. I’ve never had any problems with other updates apart from this one. The program itself is fine but the ‘Update Library’ feature which you have no choice to do if you want your library designs in the new version keeps shutting down my program after about 13%. Out of that 13% I don’t have a lot of purchased designs showing and have none of my folders yet. I tried resetting my computer back before the update which caused me no end of problems and even thought I’d lost my computer. Managed to get it back up and running but still can’t get the ‘Update Library’ to complete. Anything I personally create goes onto my hard drive not my library so at least I’m thankful for that.
I think I should be able to go to my Silhouette account and redownload my purchased files so eventually all should be good.
Isn’t it already an optional update? I mean they aren’t posting that it is a required update like it showed on the previous update from the last June.
Yes. According to the official Silhouette info the update itself is optional “at this time.”
Thanks for your update info! Wonder if you or a fellow reader can help me with a question? I run SSDE on my two laptops. One runs Windows 7 and the other Windows XP, will version 3 of SSDE run on windows XP. I would really like to use the sync feature when it is available but won’t be able to if I can’t update my XP laptop to the newest version.
Officially, V3 can not run on XP. If it is different in practice I hope some of my readers will post their experience here for you.
This is good to know. Thank you for the heads up.
I blindly updated and did not back up my library first. Now I have two libraries and not all my designs are showing in either one. How do I go to the store and find all the designs I’ve purchased? Thanks
Trudie — Try syncing again using the icon in the upper left hand corner of the library window. And there is more information on my blog post that Kay linked to below. You can also go to the Silhouette Store — Click on My Account– then scroll down to My Designs!
How do I stop it from automatically updating? I’m new and this will be my first update….
Click the gear in the lower right corner and click the general tab. Then under Check for updates click Never.
Thanks Kay ! If you were not keeping us informed I don’t know where we would be.
The Silhouette Web site says all new versions will have to use the cloud. That means that unless Silhouette owners use the cloud they can’t have any new features.
I bristle at the “Our way or No way” attitude they are displaying
Have you done any research on other brands of electronic cutters available?
Let me just say… You don’t want a Cricut explore. Cricut has the same position as Silhouette in regard to forced cloud use. It has turned the explore into a $300 paperweight
Hello Kay
I am an older (in age I mean) user and I thank you for all the tutorials you have done. without your help I would have been lost.
Thanks for the heads up :-). I definitely don’t want to mess up now as I’m a newbi and I have to design favor boxes this month!
Thank you for telling us about this. I am always such a chicken to update.
Thanks Kay..
Clicked the ‘gear’ and sorted!
Your a STAR.
Chrissyxx
Kay – -Thanks for your kind words & posting a link to my blog post. I know that there will be a bit of a “learning curve” for people that are updating — but in the long run — I really think its going to be awesome! For me, I work at home on my iMac and then travel & teach with my Macbook Pro — so this is going to be a lifesaver!
The cloud feature would not work for me at all. It couldn’t read my library and opened with no graphics folders. I admit I have a huge library (been collecting for 3 years from various sources) but the library won’t export and won’t reindex. It stops at 1%. Silhouette Support says , basically, too bad, but we only support our own files in your library.
If they would only make a viewer so we could see thumbnails of silhouette files without using the program I would start over and leave most of my pictures out of the library.
I’m really at my wit’s end with this. I feel like I’ve been left in the dust while they have continued focusing on their new machines.
Kay, what do you think of a .sil or .sil3 viewer?
I save all of my designs on my computers hard drive. I have a file then I take a Snippit photo and save it under the same name. It appears as a thumbnail and I can easily see what I have.
A lot of of people do this and sync to Dropbox to share their files between computers. It has been a safer alternative to the library.
Many thanks Kay. I have an inbuilt resistance to the Cloud and all social media and like others don’t like S.A’s attitude but I guess that’s how Capitalism works, out with the old, in with the new. It’s called progress but I think that technology is hooked on change for changes’ sake. Guess I’ll be looking for a less hard-sell company where long term customers are valued.
I got a reply from Support. They told me to open the new program and delete the library user name,
Then close it, and add a new user in the library.
I have serious doubts about this. I think I’ll hold off. I don’t care about the cloud. I have a few extra hard drives. I’d like to figure out how to get so much stuff out of my library and just search for graphics on my hard drive. 33,000 files and I don’t know how many thousands of backgrounds. I’m really in a rut.
Charli
I have heard Melissa Viscount say that she is satisfied enough that she went on and updated, but I agree. I would rather control the files I buy on my own computer and not on their servers.
Thank you!! 🙂
I have a new PC where I downloaded the Designer edition, and was literally pulling my hair out of frustration. Had the library backup from my old computer, but no use with the new software. Was searching all over the place, but no solution until I found your post. Calling support from Norway is expensive… Now I’m back on the old version and all my files are in place. You’re a lifesaver 🙂
I worry tho, what will happen to backup files in the future if I don’t use the cloud, and the older version is no longer available.
What a pain! I downloaded, up dated, resynced and finally managed to get some of the library to load – my folders are there the downloads from the silhouette store are there but I get an error : can’t read archive file not supported so all my design files are missing. I’ve been back and forth between versions thinking maybe it was me but nooo .. it’s the program so keep backing up my library as usual to Dropbox , saving all my design files divided by project on an external harddrive and have gone back to previous version until I really am forced to update again. Silhouette have some big bugs to get rid of still. I’m advising any students I have not to update . I’m sure Silhouette will get there in the end but for those of us who use the software in our businesses you expect to be able to go forwards not backwards each time there’s a major update!!
I too want to say thank you to Kay and also to the commenters above.
Kay’s wonderful Silhouette Cameo Tutorials got me up and running with my machine 2 1/2 years ago.
Unfortunately all my crafting gear had to go into storage for 2 years up until recently. I wanted to get my Cameo up and running again so came straight to Kay’s blog, and among other things, found this post. I needed to install the Software as I have a new computer but I realised, after reading this post, I only wanted to go as far as the 3.6 version. I did look on the Silhouette site to see if I could do that but could only find the link for the 3.7 version. I emailed Silhouette explaining that the Cloud was a mystery to me (which it is) and I only wanted the 3.6 version, and they sent me a link that included the various versions. I updated to 3.6 (which included the 2015 security updates) and turned off updates for now (as suggested here) So thank you once again.
Hi i am new to the silhouette cameo, Where would i go for very detailed vedio in how to use my machine. I don’t have the digital cameo. Is it possible to create your own svg files. I’ve had my machine for over a year i am just finally getting to use it. I want to make quotes or sayings at this time. I bought the light hold cutting mat and then i have the one that came with it. Sorry if this was not the post to ask for such help.
I recommend visiting this site for great introductory tutorials http://www.findingtimetocreate.com/silhouette-lessons/ And yes, you can create your own SVGs if you need to. But quotes and sayings can easily be created directly in Silhouette Studio by typing and rearranging, etc.
If only I’d seen this piece sooner, I wouldn’t have made the mistake of “upgrading” to the new version of Silhouette Studio. To put not too fine a point on it: it’s rubbish! I lost three quarters of my designs after installation. Fortunately, I still had the pre-existing Silhouette software, so I uninstalled version 3.7.206 and reinstalled the earlier version and – hey presto! – all was well again.
My main gripe against Silhouette America is that they are such poor communicators. They simply do not keep customers properly informed and there seems to be very little redress when things go wrong. As a user in the UK, I feel totally marginalised by Silhouette; they just aren’t interested in the customer, particularly the non-US customer. Their customer service is lousy and they don’t seem to care about their own corporate reputation.
I am having problems with my Things on the screen going really slow or not working good. I bought a new laptop a month ago and thought I need a bigger processor so I was gonna get a desk computer and o was just told I need a graphics card? Do I need to get a graphics card to design properly on Silhouette studio? I can’t get any help with this and I am about to give up. I think.it’s defeated me. Thank you for any help.
Hi Kati, sorry you are having so much trouble. There have been a number of problems with Silhouette’s current software, so I hope that is the issue, and not your hardware. Be sure to upload the latest versions to see if your issues have been addressed.
Just wondering if anyone with a large library has successfully gotten all their user created/added images to show up in any of the cloud versions? My library is over 5gb/20,000 files and I’ve run 2.9 for ages as I was happy with it, every now and then I back up everything and attempt whatever their current version is. I’ve used 3.6 with my full library no issues (other than tracing issues, which were enough to push me back to 2.9) but I’ve never gotten my library to show up with the cloud versions. Tried again last night for the heck of it since I saw yet ANOTHER update. I can get all of my approx. 7,000 silhouette store purchased files to appear in my library but not a single one of my other 13,000+ files appear. I’ve attempted to update my library countless times, it crashes out every single time. I’ve attempted to import a saved library (from 3.6) and that also crashes out every single time. I’d love to check out a Cameo 3 but clearly losing out on over 13,000 of my user files isn’t an option. Support has been useless, they haven’t even addressed my last two emails (thank you again to you, Kay, for responding to me and letting me know there was a known issue with osx El Capitan & V2). I’m at such a loss. I’ve dedicated far too much time/funds into my library to lose it, maybe I should stock up on a supply of Cameo 1 & 2’s to last my lifetime? LOL
According to Silhouette UK, they are aware of this problem and “a tool is being worked on.” According to me, they will absolutely have to solve this or Cameo 3 sales will suffer, so hopefully it won’t be too much longer.
Thanks for the info! I decided I have some down time today so I was playing around with trying all sorts of things, I exported my whole library from 3.6 (osx) and managed to get it over to a pc we have (I did have to rename the file extension but then it ). I put 3.8 on that pc but forgot to enter my DE code, then I told it to import said library…. interestingly enough it appears to be working (at least for now) and even more strange is that files that were previously .svg (such as those from lettering delights) that I have saved in my library are importing & showing up even w/o my DE being activated. It’s going painfully slow though so I have no idea if it will actually import my entire library & have it functional, and further if I can then export it from the PC and import it back to the mac and have it actually work… but that’s what I’m going to try. This is the closest I’ve ever gotten to anything working and the only difference seems to be having the cloud off and not activating my DE. I’ll update with the outcome.
no luck, said it was imported (all 20,808 files) however only approx 10,000 were actually in my library with many folders empty. I’m going back to V2 for now yet again.
Just found out my subscription is now useless to me so my first thought was to come here and see if anything new has been posted. One thing after another and I really don’t want to update to the new version.
Hi!
I’m in the middle of a nervous breakdown, I really hope you can help me out. I just updated to the last version as I kept getting errors today in my Silhouette Studio. I updated the library and it imported a library that I had saved a year ago, but can’t find any file since that time until the present time. I don’t know where to search them, my business and my job depend on the Silhouette Studio, I have orders to fulfill for Monday and I can’t find the files that I had created over the past months. Do you have any idea of how I can find those files, please? Thx so much!
Sorry you didn’t see this post in time to avoid the problems you are having. See if you can find an answer here https://www.silhouetteamerica.com/printer-friendly/faq/silhouette-cloud-troubleshooting