EveryCutFileRead the number you see
Divide the size the software shows by the size you expected. The answer points to the cause before you change anything.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| About 0.75 of the size (a quarter smaller) | The file is written in pixels: it assumed 72 pixels per inch and your software reads 96 | Type the intended width with the lock closed, or rewrite the file in millimeters |
| About 1.33 times the size (a third larger) | The reverse: the file assumed 96 pixels per inch and your software reads 72 | The same: type the width back, or rewrite the file in millimeters |
| 2.54, 10 or 25.4 times out | A unit mix-up between inches, centimeters and millimeters | Check the unit beside the size box first; the shape may already be right |
| A speck, or a whole sheet of shapes | You imported the full arranged pack, or the file has no units at all | Import the single design file; give the file a width and height in mm |
A worked example
Our rounded rectangle pantry label is 76 × 42 mm, which is 2.99 × 1.65 in. If it lands in your software at 2.24 × 1.24 in, divide: 2.24 ÷ 2.99 is 0.75, so pixels written for 72 per inch were read at 96 per inch. Select the whole label, close the lock and type 2.99 in for the width; the height follows to 1.65 in.
If it lands at 3.99 × 2.2 in, that is 1.33 times too big for the opposite reason, and the same fix applies.
Fix it in your software
- Select every piece of the design together, or group them first, so layers keep their positions.
- Lock the proportions (the padlock beside the width and height boxes).
- Type the width you want and press Enter; check that the height follows.
- Measure one known part, such as a hole or a label edge, before you cut.
Fix the file so it imports right next time
Write the size into the file in millimeters: width="76mm" height="42mm" with a matching viewBox of 0 0 76 42. A size in real units leaves nothing to interpret, so programs that read units place it at that size. The size tool does this for you without touching the shapes, and the checker shows what a file declares before you import it.
Every file on this site is written in millimeters, and each design page lists its exact size, so you can compare.