Silhouette Connection Troubleshooting – Updated 2/9/22

Have you been cutting along and then all of a sudden the Send button on the Send tab is no longer highlighted to press to send a job to cut?

Or the Silhouette machine is not being picked up on the Send tab?
If there is no information on the right side of the Silhouette machine icon in the red rectangle area, then it is not being recognized properly.

Have you had a cut disconnect in the middle of cutting lately?
Or you cannot get the cut settings to show up because the tool isn’t recognized?

If you are a Windows 10/11 user, the issue may be nothing related to your Silhouette machine at all, but could be because of a Windows update. In the two years I’ve noticed that Windows updates are changing and controlling more and more.
This also includes shutting off power to the USB ports as it chooses.

4 Tips to Get Connected Again

#1 – Unplug all the cords from the Silhouette machine, including to the wall outlet and the power bank in the middle of the power cord.

Let it sit for 5 minutes.
While it’s sitting do a complete computer shut down from the Windows Menu option, not just a restart.

Plug everything back in and try again.

A complete computer shut down can help to clear out everything and if it’s the #2 reason below it will reset it.
Note: if it’s because of #2, it’s not a fix, but a short term resolution – read more under #2.

#2 – Power is being turned off to the usb port

One minute it shows as connected and you turn around and it’s no longer reading it. You see the “-” next to the machine icon.

So what is happening is Windows 10/11 is deciding on it’s own what it should turn off to “save power”. I had this happen to me on my brand new computer. I had disabled it in one location but it kept happening, so I had to do a little more digging and found there was one more location to disable the USB power save options.

I found the fix here and I would recommend for Silhouette users to change these settings if you are a Windows 10/11 user as well. This will help ensure you won’t lose connection in the middle of a cut or while you are working on a project.
Follow Steps 2 and 3 at this link
https://windowsreport.com/fix-windows-8-1-external-hard-drive-keeps-disconnecting/

And keep in mind that Windows updates hit user’s computers all at different times, so it may not be something that everyone experiences at the same time. I had not had the issue on my old computer, but when I started using the new computer regularly, it kept turning off my external hard drive access.

I have also had to do this every single time Windows does a new update since getting my new computer.

#3 – Uninstall USB port drivers and let them reinstall

If the above does not fix your connection issue, then I would suggest uninstalling the USB port drivers and letting them reinstall. I am also noticing that Windows updates are messing with this again too.

Instructions on how to do that can be found here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/install/using-device-manager-to-uninstall-devices-and-driver-packages

Or Google “Uninstall USB port driver” and several others pop up with instructions.

If you have had this happen in the past and are sitting scratching your head, hopefully this helped explain it. I know it can be very frustrating when it’s working and then it’s no longer there. I’ve was cussing at my new computer and external hard drive for a few days now. Unplugging it and plugging it back in restarted the power on it, but that was not a permanent “fix”. As much as I use my computer and external hard drive, I needed it to work all the time!

Once the Silhouette machine is recognized by the computer, it should show in the software like this.

The message next to the machine icon should say “Ready to Load”, “Ready”, “Available”, or possibly another term meaning it is ready to go and has been detected. The Send button at the bottom will be highlighted and the cut setting will appear for a Cameo 4, Cameo Plus, Cameo Pro, and Portrait 3 model that have the tool recognition.

If you see any messages in orange, that means something needs attention and it’s usually a Firmware update that is needed. This pertains to the Cameo 4, Cameo Plus, Cameo Pro, and Portrait 3 models as the firmware is automatically checked upon each connection to the machine.
The firmware update can only be completed by USB connection.

You can switch between connections or machines by clicking on the Machine list icon at the bottom of the screen.

For more information about all the details on what everything means on the Send tab, check out this post
Let’s Explore v4 – The Send tab – Simple

#4 – Still not connecting?

If you are still having issues, click HERE, choose PC or MAC, and follow these steps exactly. It is very important that steps are not skipped or it may not be resolved.

If you are a Cameo 1 or Portrait 1 user and you cannot get it to connect, it could also be due to Windows 10 but due to a different cause. You will need to update the firmware on the Cameo 1 or Portrait 1 in order to connect to a Windows 10 updated computer.
Click HERE for step by step instructions on how to do that.

I’d love to see what you are creating with your Silhouette machines.
Feel free post on the
Silhouette Secrets+ Facebook Group.
We love to see what you are doing and creating with your Silhouette machines!

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy!

THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee.
Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.

Or if you are looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.