Brother is closing CanvasWorkspace Web on 1 October 2026, at approximately 2am UK time. There is still time to download your designs and collections before CanvasWorkspace WEB closing.
If you have projects, purchased pattern collections or add-on designs stored in CanvasWorkspace Web, please do not leave downloading them until 30 September. Forgotten passwords, missing activation codes, unsupported computers and incomplete downloads all take time to resolve. Brother will be exceptionally busy with the CanvasWorkspace WEB closing down.
Do this now—even if you are not currently using your ScanNCut. Especially if you have a CM model as Artspira is currently not compatible with that series of machines. CM users will need to use CanvasWorkspace PC on a Mac or Windows PC to be able to continue designing on a Brother platform or use third-party design software once CanvasWorkspace WEB closing down.
What is changing?
CanvasWorkspace Web—the version of CanvasWorkspace used through a web browser—is being discontinued.
Your ScanNCut machine will continue to work. Brother is directing users towards:
- CanvasWorkspace for PC or Mac
- The Artspira mobile app
- ScanNCut Link, where applicable
Brother says account information will transfer, but it has also provided a separate process for downloading projects and activated pattern collections from CanvasWorkspace Web.
That distinction is important. Do not assume that an account transfer means you have a safe copy of every design stored on the Web service.
Read Brother’s official CanvasWorkspace Web closure notice
How do I prepare for CanvasWorkspace WEB closing?
Your first job: update CanvasWorkspace on your computer
Brother’s batch-download tools require CanvasWorkspace for PC version 2.7.0 or later. You will also need this software to design on PC/Mac after the CanvasWorkspace WEB closing.
Open CanvasWorkspace on your computer and check that it is up to date. If you do not have the desktop application, download it from Brother’s official website:
Download CanvasWorkspace for PC or Mac
At the time of writing, Brother’s download page lists the officially supported operating systems as:
- Windows 11
- macOS 15
- macOS 26
If your computer uses an older operating system, start dealing with this immediately. You may need access to another supported computer or assistance from Brother. This is precisely the sort of problem you do not want to discover on the final day.
Before you begin
Have the following ready:
- Your CanvasWorkspace login details
- CanvasWorkspace for PC 2.7.0 or later
- Any activation cards or codes supplied with add-on kits if not yet activated
- A clearly named folder in which to store your downloads
- An external drive or cloud-storage location for a second, back-up copy
Make sure you sign in with the CanvasWorkspace account that contains your projects and activated collections. Some people have accidentally created more than one Brother account over the years, so check that you can see the content you expect before continuing.
How to download your projects from CanvasWorkspace Web
Brother has added a batch-download option to CanvasWorkspace for PC. You do not need to open and save every Web project individually. However, you do need to do this before CanvasWorkspace WEB closing.
Step 1: Open Account Settings
Open CanvasWorkspace for PC.
From the top menu, choose:
{Help → Account Settings}
Sign in if requested.
Step 2: Select My Projects Batch Download
On the Account Settings page, find and select:
{My Projects Batch Download}
The next screen should explain that you can download all the projects you created with CanvasWorkspace WEB at once.
Step 3: Download the ZIP file
Click the purple download button.
CanvasWorkspace will create and download a ZIP file containing your Web projects. Depending on your computer’s settings, it will normally appear in your Downloaded Items / Downloads folder.
Do not assume the job is finished simply because you can see the ZIP file.
Step 4: Extract the ZIP file
On Windows, right-click the ZIP file and choose {Extract All}.
On a Mac, double-click the ZIP file to extract it.
Move the resulting folder into the safe location you prepared earlier. Give it a meaningful name, such as:
CanvasWorkspace Web Backup – September 2026
Step 5: Test one of your files
Open CanvasWorkspace for PC and choose:
{File → Import from Your Computer}
Navigate to your extracted backup folder and select one of the .fcm files.
Confirm that the project opens correctly. A backup is only genuinely useful when you know its contents can be accessed.
How to download add-on designs and pattern collections
This step is particularly important if you have bought ScanNCut accessories or kits that included additional designs. Access to these files post- CanvasWorkspace WEB closing hasn’t been confirmed, so its better to be safe than sorry.
Examples may include:
- Quilting designs supplied with a Rotary Auto Blade Kit
- Premium design collections
- Activation-card projects such as the Enhanced Image Tracing card
- Disney collections
- Other machine or accessory add-ons
These designs will not appear inside your ordinary My Projects download. Check your activated pattern collections separately.
Step 1: Return to Account Settings
In CanvasWorkspace for PC, choose:
{Help → Account Settings}
Step 2: Open Pattern Collection Activation and Batch Download
Select:
{Pattern Collection Activation and Batch Download}
You should see a list headed Activated Pattern Collection.
Review and download the entire list. Do not download only the collection you happen to be using at the moment. It will be easy to forget which cards/collections you have downloaded so make a note as you go along with the ZIP file/folder name.
Step 3: Activate any unused codes now
If you still have an unused activation card supplied with an accessory or add-on, locate it now.
Enter the code using the instructions shown on Brother’s activation screen and confirm that the collection appears in your activated list.
If a code is rejected, a collection is missing or you cannot locate the correct account, contact Brother with time to spare. Do not wait until the service is hours away from closing.
Step 4: Select and download each collection
Select an activated collection from the list.
On its details page, click the download-to-computer icon. This should download the collection as a ZIP file.
Repeat this for every activated collection you want to retain—including the quilting designs supplied with the Rotary Auto Blade Kit if they appear in this section.
Step 5: Extract and inspect each collection
Extract every downloaded ZIP file.
A typical pattern collection may contain:
.fcmcutting files.pngpreview images- Supporting information or instructions
Keep the preview images. They make it much easier to identify the correct cutting file later.
To open an FCM design in CanvasWorkspace for PC, choose:
{File → Import from Your Computer}
Navigate to the extracted collection and select the required .fcm file.
Brother notes that only FCM files can be imported into CanvasWorkspace for PC through this process.
See Brother’s illustrated download and transfer instructions
Disney designs need a different transfer method
Brother’s Disney designs use the .fcn format and cannot be imported into CanvasWorkspace for PC in the same way as an ordinary FCM file.
For Disney content:
- Download the ZIP file through Pattern Collection Activation and Batch Download.
- Extract the ZIP file.
- Copy the required
.fcnfiles to a USB drive. - Insert the USB drive into your ScanNCut.
- Use Retrieve Data on the machine to open the design.
Keep a secure backup of the original downloaded ZIP and the extracted files.
Do not rely on a single copy
Once everything is downloaded and tested, make a second copy.
For example, keep:
- One copy on your computer
- One copy on an external drive or trusted cloud-storage service
Your backup should include:
- The original ZIP downloads
- The extracted folders
- Your My Projects files
- Every activated pattern collection
- Preview images and instructions
- Disney FCN files, where applicable
- A note recording which CanvasWorkspace account was used
Why you should not leave this until the last minute
Several things could delay the process:
- You may have forgotten your password.
- Your projects may be stored under a different account.
- CanvasWorkspace may need updating.
- Your computer may not meet Brother’s current requirements.
- An activation code may not have been redeemed.
- An expected collection may be missing.
- A large download may take time.
- A ZIP file may fail to extract.
- You may need help from Brother’s support team.
Downloading a file at the final moment gives you no time to discover that it is incomplete or that you cannot open it.
Please do not treat 30 September as your working deadline. Complete the process now, extract the files and test at least one project from every important collection.
Your CanvasWorkspace WEB closing checklist
Before 1 October, confirm that you have:
- Installed CanvasWorkspace for PC 2.7.0 or later
- Signed in to the correct account
- Downloaded all CanvasWorkspace Web projects
- Extracted the My Projects ZIP file
- Successfully imported and opened a test FCM file
- Checked every activated pattern collection
- Redeemed any unused add-on activation codes
- Downloaded the Rotary Auto Blade quilting designs, if owned
- Downloaded any other accessory or premium collections
- Saved Disney FCN files for transfer by USB, if owned
- Made a second backup in another location
- Linked your CanvasWorkspace and Artspira accounts where required
What Go Create Craft is doing
We are revising Design for Your ScanNCut to reflect CanvasWorkspace WEB closing and the growing role of CanvasWorkspace for PC, Artspira and third-party design software. This will include how to register a new ScanNCut, starting a new Artspira account and where you will be able to find new collections.
The new edition will follow the clearer, practical workflow used in our Affinity book and will include updated tool guidance and support for ScanNCut owners who may feel left behind by the changes.
Anyone who has bought one of our paper editions will receive a digital copy of the revised book once it is published. The process for getting your copy will be released at the time of publication. If you later decide that you would also like the new printed edition, that choice will be entirely yours.
For now, the most important thing is simple:
Download your CanvasWorkspace Web projects and add-on designs today. Do not wait until CanvasWorkspace WEB closing down day.
Natalie has written several books on the ScanNCut and CanvasWorkspace as well as streaming 100s of hours of free tutorials and workshops on the platform. She can often be found helping users online, and is totally independent of Brother and the other platforms she writes on. Visit our shop to purchase the books for ScanNCut and CanvasWorkspace.