Silhouette Portrait® 3
The Silhouette Portrait® is our smallest desktop cutting machine. It’s perfect for cutting materials up to 8 inches wide and
up to 60 feet long. The Portrait is ideal for cutting any letter- and A4-sized materials like paper, cardstock, and sticker
sheets as well as longer rolls of material, like vinyl or heat transfer. The Portrait 3 was built with ease and portability in
mind. Take it with you on the go for whenever creativity strikes!
Machine features include:
• Cutting width of up to 8 inches
• Cutting length of up to 12 inches (with a cutting mat) OR up to 60 feet (with select rolled materials)
• Matless cutting capabilities (see Tech Specs for full details)
• Automatic tool detection
• Print & Cut registration capability
• PixScan™ compatible
• 2 mm clearance for thicker materials
• Connect via USB or use Bluetooth® for wireless connectivity
• Driven by Silhouette Studio®, giving you limitless design options
Product Contents:
• Silhouette Portrait® 3
• AutoBlade
• 8-by-12-inch cutting mat
• Power cable & USB cable
• Silhouette Studio® software (download)
• 50 exclusive designs (download)
• 1-month Silhouette Design Store subscription (available with tool registration)

FAQ

What comes with the Portrait 3?
• Silhouette Portrait® 3 cutting machine
• Power cord
• USB cord
• AutoBlade for Cameo 4 (and Portrait 3)
• 8-by-12-inch cutting mat
Other blades and accessories are sold separately.

How is the Portrait 3 different from the Portrait 2?
The Portrait 3 and the Portrait 2 are very similar in most respects.
However, there are three main differences between the Portrait 3
and the Portrait 2:
• A new tool chamber (houses the new AutoBlade)
• Automatic Tool Detection feature
• Matless cutting mode called pop-out cut

How is the new tool chamber different?
The Portrait 3 has a new and improved tool chamber that houses
the updated AutoBlade (also compatible with the Cameo 4).
Very similar to the previous AutoBlade, the AutoBlade for the
Portrait 3 automatically adjusts the blade depth according to
the settings in Silhouette Studio®. But this new AutoBlade
has a single tap reset, meaning it can complete a blade-depth
adjustment in two turns—one turn to reset and one turn to go
to the set blade depth. Once the Portrait 3 adjusts the blade, the
machine continues to perform its cut job.

Are other Cameo 4 tools compatible with the Portrait 3?
No. The Portrait 3 doesn’t have the powerful second tool
chamber that the Cameo 4 has, so the additional tools available
for the Cameo 4 (i.e., the Rotary Blade, the 3mm Kraft Blade,
and the Punch Tool) are NOT compatible.

Can I still use older tools with the Portrait 3?
Yes, several of the tools can be used in the Portrait 3 as long as
they are first put into their corresponding tool adapters. (The
tool adapter set is sold separately.)
There are 4 adapters you can use with the older tools. Use the
black adapter with the Standard (Ratchet) Blade, the Premium
Blade, and the Fabric Blade; the gray adapter with the Deep-Cut
Blade; the white adapter with the 2mm Kraft Blade; and the blue
adapter with the Silhouette Sketch Pens.

What materials can the Portrait 3 cut?
The Portrait 3 can cut the following materials: cardstock, vinyl,
heat transfer, specialty materials (such as sticker paper, tattoo
paper, shrink plastic, and vellum), cotton fabrics (when cut with
a stabilizer product), and more!

How does the Auto Tool Detection feature work?
On the back of the Portrait 3 AutoBlade and tool adapters, you’ll
see a little metal strip. That strip lines up with a hidden reader in
both the Portrait 3 tool chamber. When the Portrait 3 is turned
on and connected to your computer, Silhouette Studio® reads
the metal strip and automatically populates the inserted tool and
its default action in the Send panel.

How does the pop-out cut mode work?
The Portrait 3 can take paper and cardstock materials and cut
them without a cutting mat using a special perforated cut. Once
you unload the material from the Portrait 3, you can remove the
cutout(s) entirely.

Can previous Portrait models do pop-out cutting?
No. Unlike the Portrait 3 and the Cameo 4, previous Silhouette
machines don’t have a proper channel that allows the blade to
cut without damaging the material or the machine.

Will I need to update the machine’s firmware when I get it?
In order for your machine to perform at its peak, we recommend
updating the firmware when Silhouette Studio® prompts you
to do so. To update the firmware, make sure you are connected
to the internet, have a latest version of Silhouette Studio® open,
have the machine plugged in to a wall outlet and connected to
your computer, and turn your Portrait 3 on. When you open
the Send panel of Silhouette Studio®, the software will prompt
you to update the firmware of the machine when there are
available updates.

Is the Portrait 3 PixScan™ compatible?
Yes, as with previous Silhouette models, the Portrait 3 is
compatible with PixScan™. To use that feature, all you need is a
compatible Portrait PixScan™ cutting mat.

What is the maximum cutting area of the Portrait 3?
The Portrait 3 can cut up to 8 inches wide and 12 inches long
on a cutting mat. However, if you are using rolled materials, the
Portrait 3 can cut up to 60 feet long.

What is the size difference between the Portrait 3 and the
Cameo 4?
The Portrait 3 is just over 16 inches wide and can cut up to
8 inches wide. The Cameo 4 is just over 22 inches wide and can
cut up to 12 inches wide. Both machines can cut up to 60 feet in
length when using rolled materials.