Turn any image into a
3D cookie cutter
Cuttify detects the outline of your image, lets you fine-tune it, then generates a ready-to-print STL file in seconds. Here's everything you need to know to get the best results.
Upload an Image
Drag & drop, click, or paste any photo, drawing, or clipart. The clearer your image, the better your cutter.
Detect & Refine Outline
Cuttify traces your image. Preview the outline, optionally smooth it, then submit to proceed.
Customize & Export
Set size, height, wall thickness, and edge sharpness. Preview in 3D, then download your STL.
Uploading Your Image
You can get an image into Cuttify three ways: click the upload area to browse files, drag & drop an image directly onto it, or press Cmd+V (Mac) / Ctrl+V (Windows) to paste from your clipboard.
Supported formats include JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, and most common image types. For best results, use an image at least 500px on its longest side.
Photo mode
Uses AI background removal (rembg) to isolate your subject, then traces its edge. Works great for photos of objects on any background. Only upload images you own or have permission to use — uploading copyrighted images without authorization is your responsibility.
Drawing mode
Uses Canny edge detection tuned for hand-drawn outlines on paper. Works best with dark, clear lines on a white or light background. If your sketch has gaps, the detector will try to fill them automatically.
Clipart mode
Uses adaptive thresholding for solid-filled images, logos, and flat illustrations. Works especially well if the image has a transparent background (PNG) or a distinct, solid background color distinct from the subject.
Paste from clipboard
Press Cmd+V / Ctrl+V anywhere on the page to paste a copied image directly from screenshots, browser images, or design tools. No need to save a file first.
Tip: For photos, the clearest results come from subjects photographed on a plain, contrasting background. Good lighting that separates the subject from the background helps the AI a lot. Try to avoid images where the subject blends into the background.
Detecting & Refining the Outline
After uploading, click Detect Outline. Cuttify will analyze your image and trace the outer edge of your subject. The result shows up as a caramel-colored outline on a dark canvas preview.
Detection runs
A progress bar shows you where things stand. Photo mode typically takes 2–8 seconds; Drawing and Clipart modes are usually 1–2 seconds.
Review the outline preview
The detected outline appears on a dark canvas with a glowing caramel stroke. Check whether the outline captures your shape correctly. If the outline is jagged, noisy, or misses parts of your shape, try switching image modes and re-detecting.
Optionally smooth the outline
Toggle Smooth Outline on to apply Chaikin corner-cutting — a smoothing algorithm that rounds sharp corners and removes noise. Use the Strength slider (1–5) to control how much smoothing is applied. The canvas updates live as you drag. Higher values produce rounder, simpler shapes; lower values preserve more detail. Strength 2–3 is a good starting point for most images.
Submit the outline
When you're happy with what you see, click Submit Outline. This locks in your outline (with the smoothing settings you chose) and reveals the Customize & Generate sections below.
Good outline? Look for a single continuous line that traces the outer silhouette of your shape. It should be smooth without big spikes or missing sections. If you see multiple disconnected blobs or the outline traces an interior detail instead of the outer edge, try a different mode or use a cleaner source image.
Customizing Your Cutter
Once the outline is submitted, the Customize Your Cutter and Generate sections appear. Adjust the sliders to dial in the exact size and shape you want, preview it in 3D, then download the STL.
Drag the Preview 3D viewer to rotate the model. Use the Top / Bottom buttons to check both faces. Switch to Wireframe to inspect the geometry in detail.
Re-generate any time: After previewing, adjust the sliders and click Preview 3D again. The viewer updates with your new settings. You can iterate as many times as you want before downloading.
Slider & Setting Guide
Every slider affects the shape of the final STL. Here's exactly what each one does and when to change it.
| Setting | What it does | Range / Default | When to change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size (inches) | Sets the longest dimension of the cutter. The outline is scaled so that its widest axis equals this value. Height is not affected. | 0.5 – 8 in default 3.5" |
Match to your cookie size. Standard cookies are 2.5"–4". Mini cutters work well at 1.5"–2". |
| Height (mm) | Total cutter height — how deep it cuts into dough. Taller cutters are easier to grip but use more filament. | 5 – 50 mm default 15 mm |
15–20 mm is ideal for most doughs. Go lower (10 mm) for thin doughs. Go taller (25 mm+) for thick dough or gingerbread. |
| Wall Thickness (mm) | How thick the cutter walls are at the grip section (the widest, lower part of the wall). Thicker walls are sturdier but use more material. | 0.5 – 6 mm default 1 mm |
1–1.5 mm is the sweet spot for most printers. Go thicker (2–3 mm) if you need extra strength or are printing flexible filament. Thinner (0.5 mm) works for simple shapes on well-calibrated printers. |
| Cutting Edge (mm) | Wall thickness at the very top of the cutter — the cutting tip. Thinner = sharper cuts. The wall tapers from Wall Thickness at the bottom of the taper zone down to this value at the top. | 0.3 – wall_mm default 0.8 mm |
0.5–0.8 mm gives a clean cut through most doughs. Go lower (0.3 mm) for ultra-sharp edges — but check that your printer can reliably handle very thin features. Values close to Wall Thickness give a blunt, reinforced edge. |
| Taper Zone (%) | What fraction of the total height is used for the taper (the zone where the wall narrows from Wall Thickness to Cutting Edge). Higher % = a longer, more gradual taper. | 10 – 50% default 20% |
20% is a good default. Increase to 30–40% for a softer taper that's easier to print. Decrease to 10–15% for a very abrupt, precise edge. |
| Add Handle | Adds a 2.5 mm outward ring (flange) at the base of the cutter. Makes it easier to grip and press, especially for larger cutters or users with smaller hands. | On / Off default Off |
Turn on for cutters larger than 3" or when making cutters for kids to use. |
| Add Label | Raises custom text on the outer wall of the cutter — visible from the side. The app auto-detects the flattest section of the wall for best legibility. | On / Off default Off |
Great for personalizing cutters with a name, shape label, or occasion. Keep text short (1–12 characters) for clearest results. Use the Position slider and Rotate 180° toggle to fine-tune placement. |
| Text Size (mm) | Cap-height of the label characters in millimeters. | 2 – 8 mm default 4 mm |
4 mm reads clearly at most cutter sizes. Go smaller (2–3 mm) for tiny cutters; larger (6–8 mm) for wide handles. |
| Label Depth (mm) | How deep the text is cut (handle top) or how far it protrudes (cutter side). | 0.3 – 1.5 mm default 0.6 mm |
0.5–0.8 mm gives visible text without compromising wall strength. Go deeper (1–1.5 mm) for bolder results; shallower (0.3 mm) for subtle marking. |
| Smooth Outline (Strength 1–5) | Applies Chaikin corner-cutting to the outline preview on the canvas. Note: this preview-only — the STL generator always uses the raw detected outline. | Off, or 1 – 5 iterations default Off |
Use to check how a smoothed version would look on the canvas. The actual STL is generated from the raw outline regardless. |
Getting the Best Results
For photos, isolate the subject against a plain background. Good lighting and a contrasting backdrop help the edge detection work with much less fuss.
For drawings, use dark ink on white paper. A scanned image (even from a phone scanner app) is dramatically sharper than a raw photo of paper and produces much cleaner outlines.
Consider using an AI image tool (ChatGPT, Firefly) to clean or simplify your image before uploading — cleaner images produce cleaner cutters.
Make sure you own or have permission to use the images — don't use other people's artwork without their consent.
Print settings that work well: 0.2 mm layer height, 2–3 perimeters, 10–15% infill (the walls are solid), PETG or PLA filament. PETG is food-safe after proper post-processing and has a bit of flex that prevents brittle breakage. Always print without supports — the geometry is designed to need none.
Iron the top surface for a sharper cutting edge. Many slicers (PrusaSlicer, OrcaSlicer, Cura) have a top-surface ironing feature that makes a second pass over the top layer with a hot nozzle, melting and flattening it into a smooth, glossy finish. Enable ironing on the top surface of your cutter to get a cleaner, more consistent cutting edge — this makes a noticeable difference in the quality of your cuts. Ironing adds a few minutes to the print but is well worth it.
Food safety note: Standard PLA is not rated food-safe. For cutters that will contact raw dough, use food-safe PETG or PLA and coat with food-safe sealant, or place a layer of cling film between the cutter and the dough. This is especially important for repeated use.