Help Center
How to use the bead pattern tool, how to troubleshoot common errors, and what the terminology means.
Last updated: 2026-10-31
This page covers three situations: getting started, something broke, and a word you do not recognize. Read the quick-start path first, use the troubleshooting table when something goes wrong, and the glossary to settle what the site means by each term. If nothing here answers it, email us.
Quick-start path
For a first run, follow these four steps end to end; it usually takes about fifteen minutes to get a printable pattern.
- 1
Pick an image with a clear subject
Open the editor and import a JPEG, PNG or WebP. The larger the subject inside the frame and the cleaner the background, the more recognizable the quantized grid becomes.
- 2
Set canvas size and color count
Choose the canvas edge to match the hole count of your pegboard, then set the number of colors. Fewer cells means faster assembly, fewer colors means fewer beads; for photos, start around 8 to 16 colors and raise it only if the result needs it.
- 3
Clean up the key areas
Automatic matching always leaves a few stray cells. Use the brush, fill and selection tools on the parts people actually read: eyes, text and outlines.
- 4
Export the image or print in pages
A PNG export is enough to follow bead by bead. For page printing, use tiled export: the A4 layout follows real bead pitch and repeats the color legend on every page.
Common errors and fixes
These five come up most often. Work through them in order and most cases resolve without support.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing happens after importing an image | The file is not a JPEG, PNG or WebP, or it is very large | Save a copy as a standard JPEG or PNG and retry; shrink very large images to under 2000 pixels first. |
| Pattern colors look far off the photo | The color count is too low, or the brand palette was changed midway | Raise the color count, or switch back to the brand closest to the source; check the codes that shifted most against a swatch card. |
| Assembly progress disappeared | Browser data was cleared, or you switched devices | Progress only lives in local browser storage. Export the pattern as a backup before finishing, and do not rely on the browser alone. |
| Printed cells are too small | The image was printed at its raw pixel size without scaling | Pick “Actual size / 100%” in the print dialog (fit-to-page scales the cells and breaks coordinate alignment), or use tiled export to print the A4 layout 1:1. |
| Saving a pattern fails | Cloud storage is full, or the session expired | Delete patterns you no longer need and retry; the limit is 20 on Free and 500 on Pro. |
Glossary
Terms used across the site and in bead crafting generally, settled before you read the guides.
- Pattern
- A grid where each cell is one bead, with rows, columns, color codes and a legend. On this site the word covers both the design on the canvas and the exported image.
- Color code
- The number or name a brand gives a single bead color, such as A1 at MARD, H03 at Hama or Lemon at Perler. The same color has different codes at different brands.
- Pegboard
- The plate with pegs that holds beads in place. The canvas edge should match the hole count of your pegboard, otherwise one pattern spans several boards.
- Cloud draft
- A pattern saved to your account, still openable after signing in on another device. It is not the same as assembly progress, which stays in local browser storage.
- Dithering
- Interleaving cells of two colors to imitate a shade in between. It smooths gradients at the cost of more colors and longer assembly.
- Ironing
- Heating the finished piece so the beads fuse together. Temperature and time vary by brand and bead type, so test on a small sample first.
Tutorials
Step-by-step guides for beginners to master perler beads.
Community
Share inspirations and find ideas in our gallery.
Support
Facing issues? Our team is here to assist.
Feature guides
Complete how-to guides, organized by feature
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert a photo to a bead pattern?
Open the editor and click 'Upload Photo'. Conversion reads the image and maps it to a bead grid. Adjust 'Cell Size' to change the detail level, or use the manual alignment tools to fine-tune the grid placement.
Is my assembly progress saved automatically?
It is saved, but only in local browser storage. In Assembly Mode every checkmark is written to local storage right away; cloud sync across devices is not supported, so try to finish assembly on the same device.
How do I share a pattern to the Gallery?
Once the pattern is finished in the editor, click 'Share', add a title, description and tags, and set visibility to 'Public'. The pattern then appears in the community gallery for others to browse and favorite.
How do I adjust the colors or detail of a pattern?
In the editor's side panel, adjust 'Grid Size' to change the detail level. If the auto-matched colors aren't right, switch to a different 'Palette' or use the Brush tool to edit individual cells.
What's included in the exported image?
The export is a high-resolution image with a grid and coordinate axes. Save it to your phone or send it to a computer for printing.
Which bead brands are supported?
Color matching covers nine brands: MARD, COCO, 漫漫, 盼盼, 咪小窝, Perler, Hama, Artkal and Nabbi, each with the code printed on the bead bag. Values are sampled from physical beads, so metallic, glitter and transparent beads are approximations.
How do I print the pattern for offline use?
Click 'Download' to save the pattern as an image, then print it on A4 with your system's print dialog. Choose “Actual size / 100%” and leave “Fit to page” off so cells keep their exported size and you can lay beads straight on the printout; fit-to-page rescales the grid and the coordinates stop matching.
What temperature and how long should I iron?
Medium heat, about 150–170 °C: cover with ironing paper and press in small circles for 10–20 seconds until the beads fuse. Never let the iron touch the beads directly, and don't hold it in one spot, or they flatten.
My piece curls or cracks — what can I do?
Curling usually means one-sided ironing and cooling without weight: press it flat with something heavy right after ironing. Cracks mean the beads did not fuse; add paper and iron again, and for large pieces iron both sides once.
I'm short of beads or can't buy a color — what then?
Switch the pattern to the brand or nearest colors you own under "My colors" in the editor, remap, then export. When buying, add about 10% on top of the color chart — dark and metallic beads waste more.
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