Last updated: October 2026

When the Ink/Stitch extension is not showing in Inkscape, the cause is almost always one of four things: Inkscape is too old or came from an app store, Ink/Stitch landed in the wrong extensions folder, antivirus blocked part of it, or (on a Mac) you installed the wrong processor version. Once installed correctly, it appears under Extensions > Ink/Stitch in Inkscape. This guide covers the current release, Ink/Stitch v3.3.0 (released July 31, 2026), and how to fix each problem.

Version compatibility at a glance

ItemWhat Ink/Stitch’s install docs say
Current Ink/Stitch releasev3.3.0 (July 31, 2026)
Minimum Inkscape1.0.2 or higher, on Windows, macOS and Linux
Windows64-bit .exe installer; get Inkscape from inkscape.org, not the Windows App Store
macOSMonterey (12) or higher; separate .pkg for Apple Silicon (arm64) and Intel (x86_64); Apple Silicon needs Rosetta
Linux.deb, .rpm, .sh or .tar.xz for x86_64, i386 and arm64; avoid the Snap version of Inkscape
Where it appearsExtensions > Ink/Stitch

One rule applies everywhere: install Inkscape first and open it at least once before installing Ink/Stitch. The Windows installer looks for the extensions folder Inkscape creates, and the macOS page says Inkscape must be installed and run before Ink/Stitch.

Where Ink/Stitch should appear

Open Inkscape, then open the Extensions menu at the top. You should see Ink/Stitch in the list, with a submenu that includes items such as Params, Troubleshoot and Visualize and Export. Many Ink/Stitch commands need something selected first; for example, the Params docs say to select the elements you want to set up before opening it.

If Ink/Stitch is not in the Extensions menu at all, it is not installed where Inkscape is looking. If it is there but every entry is greyed out or does nothing, Inkscape found the menu files but cannot run the program behind them. The fixes below cover both.

Install on Windows (v3.3.0)

  1. Install Inkscape 1.0.2 or newer from inkscape.org. Ink/Stitch warns that the Windows App Store version “might cause problems” during installation. Open Inkscape once, then close it.
  2. Download Ink/Stitch v3.3.0 for Windows 64bit (an .exe file) from the Ink/Stitch Windows install page.
  3. Run the installer. If Windows blocks it, click More info, then Run anyway.
  4. The installer detects your Inkscape extensions folder. Leave it as shown and click Next.
  5. If asked to create the folder, click Yes.
  6. Check the summary and click Install.
  7. Open Inkscape and look under Extensions > Ink/Stitch.

To see which folder Inkscape uses, go to Edit > Preferences > System and click open next to User extensions.

Install on macOS (v3.3.0)

  1. Make sure you are on macOS Monterey (12) or higher, and that Inkscape 1.0.2 or newer is installed and has been opened once.
  2. On an Apple Silicon Mac (M-series), install Rosetta if you have not already. Ink/Stitch gives this Terminal command: softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license
  3. Download the right package for your processor:
    • Apple Silicon: inkstitch-v3.3.0-osx-arm64.pkg
    • Intel: inkstitch-v3.3.0-osx-x86_64.pkg
  4. On Ventura or newer, click the downloaded file to start the installer. On older systems, or if macOS refuses to open it, Control+click the file, choose Open, and enter your password if asked.
  5. Click Continue, then Install, enter your user password, and allow access to your home folder when prompted.
  6. Open Inkscape and look under Extensions > Ink/Stitch.

On a Mac, the extensions folder is shown under Inkscape > Preferences > System.

Install on Linux (v3.3.0)

  1. Install Inkscape 1.0.2 or newer. Ink/Stitch says the Snap package “is known to cause issues,” so use another install of Inkscape, such as your distribution’s package or the AppImage.
  2. Download the package for your system (x86_64, i386 or arm64): .deb, .rpm, .sh or .tar.xz.
  3. Install it:
    • .deb or .rpm: double-click it and follow the installer.
    • .sh (good for AppImage Inkscape or a single-user install): open a terminal in your Downloads folder and run sh inkstitch-3.3.0-linux.sh
    • .tar.xz: extract it into your user extensions folder, usually ~/.config/inkscape/extensions. Confirm the path in Edit > Preferences > System.
  4. Open Inkscape and look under Extensions > Ink/Stitch.

Linux notes from the install page: on Fedora, a missing library error is fixed with sudo dnf install libnsl. If Ink/Stitch dialog windows do not show up, start Inkscape with export GDK_BACKEND=x11 && inkscape.

Fixes when Ink/Stitch is missing from the Extensions menu

Work through these in order.

  1. Restart Inkscape. Extensions are loaded when Inkscape starts. If it was open during the install, close it completely and reopen it.
  2. Check your Inkscape version. Ink/Stitch needs Inkscape 1.0.2 or newer. Anything older, such as the 0.92 series, is below that minimum.3. Check where Inkscape came from. On Windows, uninstall an App Store copy and install from inkscape.org. On Linux, replace a Snap copy.
  3. Check the folder. Open Edit > Preferences > System (Mac: Inkscape > Preferences > System), click open next to User extensions, and confirm the Ink/Stitch files are there.
  4. Got “Error: Inkscape Extensions folder not found!” on Windows? Ink/Stitch says this means Inkscape was not installed from inkscape.org or has never been opened. Open Inkscape once and rerun the installer, or download the zip version and extract it yourself into the folder from step 4.
  5. More than one Inkscape? If you have two copies, the installer may have put Ink/Stitch into the extensions folder of the one you are not opening. Check the User extensions path in the copy you actually use.

Fixes when Ink/Stitch is greyed out or does nothing

  1. Antivirus. This is the most common Windows cause. Ink/Stitch’s Windows page says some antivirus programs block the install. Add the Ink/Stitch extension folder to your antivirus exception list, then reinstall Ink/Stitch. In an Ink/Stitch GitHub report of all-greyed-out menus on Windows 10, a maintainer said greyed-out menus are usually caused by virus programs, and the user confirmed an antivirus exclusion fixed it. Antivirus may quarantine a file without telling you.
  2. Files one folder too deep. If you extracted a zip by hand, make sure the files are where the install page says. In another GitHub report, menus were greyed out because the files sat inside an extra subfolder; moving them up one level fixed it.
  3. Wrong Mac package. The macOS troubleshooting section says to check the install path and confirm you downloaded the correct processor version. An Intel package on an Apple Silicon Mac (or the reverse) is a common slip. Also confirm Rosetta is installed on Apple Silicon.
  4. PYTHONPATH errors on Windows. If you see an error mentioning PYTHONPATH, Ink/Stitch says to reinstall Inkscape and make sure Add to path is checked during the Inkscape install.
  5. Linux dialogs not opening. Try the X11 backend command above.
  6. Nothing selected. Some commands, such as Params, act on selected objects. Select a shape first and try again.

After it works

Draw or trace a shape, open Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Params, and give it a stitch type. From there, our guides on Ink/Stitch fill settings, satin columns and lettering fonts pick up the next steps. If you are starting from a picture, see how to convert an image to an embroidery file. Save your stitch file with File > Save a copy… in your machine’s format; our file formats guide explains which one.

Frequently asked questions

What Inkscape version do I need for Ink/Stitch v3.3.0? Inkscape 1.0.2 or higher, according to the Windows, macOS and Linux install pages.

Is Ink/Stitch free? Yes. It is a free, open-source extension for Inkscape, downloaded from inkstitch.org or the Ink/Stitch GitHub releases page.

Why is everything under Extensions > Ink/Stitch greyed out? Inkscape sees the menu but cannot run Ink/Stitch. On Windows, antivirus is the usual cause: add an exception and reinstall. Otherwise, check that files are in the right folder and, on a Mac, that you used the right processor package.

Can I use the Microsoft Store version of Inkscape? Ink/Stitch advises against it. Download Inkscape from inkscape.org instead.

Do I need to uninstall the old Ink/Stitch first? The install pages do not require it, but if an upgrade leaves the menu broken, removing the old Ink/Stitch files from the User extensions folder and reinstalling is a clean way to start over.

Sources