If you use Cricut Design Space as your cutting software then please use the SVG file (or PNG Files) and not the DXF files. I cannot get consistent results with layered DXF files in Design Space.

If you use Silhouette Studio Basic Edition then you will need to use the DXF file (or PNG files) as Basic Edition does not support SVG. If you have Silhouette Studio Designer Edition or higher then I highly recommend using the SVG file as it will just make life a lot easier!

SVG files should in most cases unzip/open fine on your computer. Sometimes however it defaults to wanting to open in your internet browser instead of your cutting software - it may even show up as a Chrome/ IE/Firefox etc. icon on your desktop.
The file will still work, however rather than double-clicking the file to automatically open your software, you will need to open Design Space or Silhouette Studio (or other software) first and then upload/import/open the file by navigating to where it is saved on your computer.

The reason for this issue is that SVG format was originally created as a way of displaying vectors on the internet so it will often default to this association.

After you have opened your layered SVG file in Silhouette Studio or Cricut Design Space (or other software), you may need to select and ‘ungroup’ the design before you can move the different coloured layers around independently.

When opening DXF files in Silhouette Studio you must make sure that your settings are set to open this file type ‘Centred’ (or ‘As is’) otherwise it will default to opening to fit the document you currently have on your screen.

To do this go to Edit > Preferences… Click on the ‘Import’ icon, and under DXF select ‘Centred’ from the dropdown next to ‘Open’. Save the settings. Now you can open your DXF file and it should open the correct size on your mat.

If you wish to resize your layered DXF, you must do this first by selecting everything and resizing in one go, otherwise some of the elements may be the wrong size.

Be aware that the colour of a particular layer may not necessarily be the exact colour intended for the final layer. DXF files require a different colour cutting line for each separate layer. This means that if two or more layers are intended to be the same colour in the final paper cut, they will have to be different colours in the DXF file. Cutting software can also not read white layers in a DXF file, so usually these will appear as grey or black.

Unfortunately the Silhouette Software imports DXF cutting lines ‘ungrouped’, even when I have grouped them in my design software when creating the files.
Once you have opened your DXF file you will need to make sure the elements on each coloured layer are grouped before you can move them around ready for cutting.

To do this go to Edit > Select by color. Under ‘by line’ you should see the different colours of each layer. Click on a colour (it will select all the elements of that colour) and go to Object > Group.
Unfortunately you will have to do this with each colour in the list. Once you have you will be able to move each layer around separately without fear of the design breaking up.