Orca Slicer Setup Guide: From Download to First Print
A complete walkthrough for installing Orca Slicer, setting up your printer, calibrating your settings, and making your first high-quality print.
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● v2.3.1 — Open Source — AGPLv3
Orca Slicer
Orca Slicer is a free, open-source 3D printing slicer that gives you full control over your prints. It works with Klipper, Marlin, and Bambu Lab printers right out of the box. Built-in calibration tools, tree supports, adaptive layers, and multi-color printing make it one of the most capable slicers available. Whether you have a Voron, a Prusa MK4, a Bambu X1C, or a modified Ender 3, Orca Slicer helps you get the best results from your machine.
20K+
GitHub Stars
500+
Contributors
200+
Supported Printers
3
Platforms
Download Orca Slicer v2.3.1
Grab the latest version straight from GitHub. Pick the right download for your operating system below.
macOS
All binaries sourced from GitHub Releases. Licensed under AGPLv3.
terminal
# Clone and build from source (for developers)
$ git clone https://github.com/SoftFever/OrcaSlicer.git
$ cd OrcaSlicer
$ mkdir build && cd build
$ cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
$ make -j$(nproc)
# Build complete. Binary at ./src/OrcaSlicer
$ git clone https://github.com/SoftFever/OrcaSlicer.git
$ cd OrcaSlicer
$ mkdir build && cd build
$ cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
$ make -j$(nproc)
# Build complete. Binary at ./src/OrcaSlicer
What Is Orca Slicer?
A quick introduction for anyone new to 3D printing or switching from another slicer.
A slicer is the software that sits between your 3D model and your 3D printer. It takes a 3D file (like an STL or 3MF) and turns it into a set of instructions your printer can follow. These instructions are called G-code. The slicer decides how fast the printer moves, how much plastic to push through the nozzle, where to place supports, and thousands of other small details that affect how your print turns out.
Orca Slicer was created by SoftFever as a fork of Bambu Studio, which itself came from PrusaSlicer (originally Slic3r). That means Orca Slicer builds on more than a decade of open-source slicer development. It takes the solid foundation of those earlier tools and adds a long list of new features on top.
What makes Orca Slicer stand out is its focus on calibration and tuning. Most slicers make you install plugins or use separate tools to calibrate things like pressure advance or flow rate. Orca Slicer has all of that built in. It also has first-class support for Klipper firmware, which many modern printers use. The project is fully open source under the AGPLv3 license. A large community of contributors keeps it updated with new printer profiles, bug fixes, and features. You can use it for free, forever, with no hidden costs or locked features.
Key Features
Here is what Orca Slicer brings to the table. Each feature is built in and ready to use without extra plugins.
Klipper Integration
Connect directly to your Klipper printer through Moonraker. Upload G-code, start prints, and monitor progress without leaving the app.
Pressure Advance Calibration
Run a built-in test print to find your ideal PA value. Orca Slicer saves the result per filament, so it applies automatically every time.
Input Shaping Visualization
See how your input shaper settings affect toolpaths. The slicer accounts for your printer's resonance to reduce ringing at high speeds.
Advanced Tree Supports
Organic, branching supports that use less material and come off cleanly. They can cut support material usage by 40-60% compared to standard supports.
Adaptive Layer Height
Flat areas print with thick layers for speed. Curved surfaces switch to thin layers for detail. This can save 20-35% on print time.
Scarf Joint Seam
Gradually ramps extrusion at the start and end of each loop. This makes the Z-seam nearly invisible on cylindrical and curved parts.
Multi-Material Printing
Works with Bambu AMS, Prusa MMU, ERCF, and multi-extruder setups. Paint colors directly onto your model and let the slicer handle the rest.
Custom G-code Scripting
Add custom G-code at layer changes, filament swaps, or specific heights. Supports variables and conditional logic for advanced workflows.
Speed Profiles and Arc Fitting
Convert short line segments into smooth arcs (G2/G3) for better surface quality. Fine-tune speeds per feature with full acceleration control.
Key Advantages Over Other Slicers
What makes Orca Slicer worth switching to? Here is a honest comparison.
Built-in calibration tools. Most slicers need plugins or third-party scripts to calibrate pressure advance, flow rate, or temperature towers. Orca Slicer has all of these built right into the Calibration menu. You pick the test, print it, and enter your result. No extra software needed.
Better Klipper support than Cura or PrusaSlicer. Orca Slicer was designed with Klipper in mind from the start. It connects to Moonraker natively, generates Klipper-optimized G-code, and supports features like EXCLUDE_OBJECT for canceling individual parts mid-print. Cura needs a plugin for basic Moonraker support. PrusaSlicer has limited Klipper awareness.
Faster slicing engine. Orca Slicer uses multi-threaded slicing that takes advantage of all your CPU cores. On complex models with tree supports, it can be 20-40% faster than PrusaSlicer and noticeably quicker than Cura, especially on large or multi-part builds.
Active development and community. With over 500 contributors on GitHub, Orca Slicer gets frequent updates. New printer profiles, bug fixes, and features land regularly. The community on GitHub Discussions and Discord is helpful and responsive. If you find a bug, there is a good chance it gets fixed quickly.
One slicer for all your printers. Whether you own a Bambu Lab machine, a Prusa, a Voron, or a budget Creality, Orca Slicer supports them all with optimized profiles. You do not need to switch between different slicers for different printers.
Getting Started with Orca Slicer
From download to your first print in six simple steps.
Step 1: Download. Head to the download section and grab the installer for your operating system. Windows users can choose between the installer and a portable version that does not need installation.
Step 2: Install. Run the installer or extract the portable zip. On macOS, drag the app to your Applications folder. On Linux, make the AppImage executable and run it, or install the Flatpak.
Step 3: Add your printer. When you first open Orca Slicer, it asks you to select your printer. Pick your model from the list of 200+ built-in profiles. If your printer is not listed, use a generic profile and enter your bed size and nozzle diameter.
Step 4: Import a model. Drag and drop an STL or 3MF file onto the build plate. You can also use File > Import. Orca Slicer supports STL, 3MF, OBJ, and STEP formats.
Step 5: Slice. Click the Slice button. Orca Slicer will generate the G-code in seconds. Use the preview to check layer-by-layer how your print will look.
Step 6: Print. Save the G-code to a file, SD card, or USB drive. If your printer supports it, send the file directly over the network. Klipper users can upload and start the print with one click through Moonraker.
Performance Benchmarks
Orca Slicer is fast. It uses all your CPU cores and manages memory well. Here is how it stacks up against the competition.
Slicing Speed Comparison
Tested with a complex 150mm mechanical assembly. Tree supports on, adaptive layers on, 3 walls at 0.2mm layer height. Run on an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X with 32GB RAM. Each result is the average of five runs. Lower is better.
Memory Usage
Peak RAM usage while slicing the same model. Orca Slicer keeps memory low by streaming G-code to disk instead of holding it all in RAM. This matters most on big models with lots of supports.
Printer Compatibility
Orca Slicer comes with built-in profiles for over 200 printers. If yours is not listed, you can create a custom profile using the generic template.
| Brand | Models | Firmware | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bambu Lab | X1C, X1E, P1P, P1S, A1, A1 Mini | Bambu | ✓ Full Support |
| Prusa | MK4, MK3S+, MK3.9, XL, Mini+ | Marlin / Buddy | ✓ Full Support |
| Creality | K1, K1 Max, K1C, Ender 3 V3, CR-10 SE | Klipper / Marlin | ✓ Full Support |
| Voron | V0.2, Trident, V2.4, Switchwire | Klipper | ✓ Full Support |
| Ratrig | V-Core 3.1, V-Minion, V-Cast | Klipper | ✓ Full Support |
| Anycubic | Kobra 2 Pro, Kobra 3, Vyper, Mega | Marlin / Klipper | ✓ Full Support |
| Elegoo | Neptune 4 Pro, Neptune 4 Max | Klipper | ✓ Full Support |
| Artillery | Sidewinder X3 Plus, Genius Pro | Klipper / Marlin | ✓ Full Support |
| QIDI | X-Max 3, X-Plus 3, X-Smart 3 | Klipper | ✓ Full Support |
| Generic | Any FDM printer with custom profiles | Marlin / Klipper / RepRapFirmware | ✓ Supported |
For the full list of supported printers, visit the Orca Slicer Wiki.
What's New in v2.3.1
A look at the latest improvements in the most recent release.
Version 2.3.1 brings a number of fixes and improvements over the previous release. The slicing engine is faster, especially on models with tree supports. Several UI bugs have been fixed, and the 3D viewport is more responsive when working with large assemblies.
Printer profile updates include new profiles for recent Creality and QIDI models, along with updated Bambu Lab profiles that reflect the latest firmware changes. The Klipper integration has been improved with better Moonraker connection handling and more reliable file uploads.
Calibration tools have been refined as well. The pressure advance test now supports a wider range of values and the flow rate calibration produces more consistent results. Multi-material users will notice improved purge tower calculations that waste less filament during color changes.
For the full list of changes, check the v2.3.1 release notes on GitHub.
System Requirements
Make sure your computer meets these specs before downloading.
Windows
- OS: Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit only)
- RAM: 4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended
- Disk: 500 MB free space
- GPU: OpenGL 3.3 compatible
macOS
- OS: macOS 12 Monterey or later
- CPU: Intel or Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4)
- RAM: 4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended
- Disk: 500 MB free space
Linux
- OS: Ubuntu 22.04+, Fedora 38+, or Flatpak
- RAM: 4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended
- Disk: 500 MB free space
- GPU: OpenGL 3.3 compatible drivers
Open Source Community
Orca Slicer is built by hundreds of people around the world. Everyone is welcome to contribute.
20K+
GitHub Stars
8,000+
Forks
500+
Contributors
5,000+
Closed Issues
Orca Slicer uses the AGPLv3 license. That means it will always be free and open source. The code started as a fork of Bambu Studio, which came from PrusaSlicer, which came from Slic3r. That is over a decade of open-source 3D printing software evolution. The SoftFever team and community have added hundreds of features and improvements on top of that foundation.
Want to help out? The project uses standard GitHub workflows. Fork the repo, make a branch, add your changes, and open a pull request. Whether you want to add a new printer profile, fix a bug, improve the interface, or translate the app into another language, your help is welcome. The maintainers are active and give good feedback on contributions.
Technical Guides
Step-by-step articles to help you set up Orca Slicer, pick the right profiles, and use advanced features.
Best Orca Slicer Profiles for Popular 3D Printers
Ready-to-use profiles for the Bambu Lab X1C, Prusa MK4, Creality K1, and Voron 2.4. Each setting explained in plain English.
Read guide →10 Advanced Orca Slicer Features You Should Be Using
Get more out of Orca Slicer with tree supports, scarf joint seams, adaptive layers, arc fitting, and other powerful features.
Read guide →Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about Orca Slicer.
Yes. Orca Slicer has built-in Klipper support. It connects to your printer through the Moonraker API, so you can upload files, start prints, and watch temperatures right from the slicer. It also generates Klipper-friendly G-code with support for pressure advance, arc moves, firmware retraction, and the EXCLUDE_OBJECT module for canceling individual parts mid-print.
Orca Slicer is generally 20-40% faster than PrusaSlicer on complex models, mainly because it uses multiple CPU cores more effectively. The difference is biggest when tree supports are involved. Compared to Cura, Orca Slicer is faster on medium and large models. On simple models, all three slicers are about the same speed.
Yes. It works with the Bambu Lab AMS, Prusa MMU, ERCF, and standard multi-extruder setups. You can paint colors directly onto your model, set up height-based color changes, and adjust temperature and retraction settings for each filament. The purge tower is smart about how much material it wastes based on how different the colors are.
Orca Slicer runs on Windows 10/11 (64-bit), macOS 12 and newer (both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs), and Linux via AppImage or Flatpak. The AppImage works on Ubuntu 22.04+, Fedora 38+, Arch Linux, and most other major distributions. You might need to install OpenGL drivers on some Linux setups.
Yes, completely. It uses the AGPLv3 license and the full source code is on GitHub. You can use it for personal or commercial work, modify it, and share your changes. There are no premium tiers, no subscriptions, and no features locked behind a paywall. Everything is free for everyone.
Go to the Calibration menu at the top and pick "Pressure Advance." Choose your printer and filament, then print the test pattern. It prints a series of lines at different PA values. Look for the line with the sharpest corners and least bulging. Enter that value into your filament profile. Orca Slicer saves it per filament, so switching from PLA to PETG automatically uses the right PA value. Marlin users can do the same thing using the Linear Advance (K-factor) calibration.
You can import PrusaSlicer profiles directly since both share the same codebase. Go to File > Import > Import Config and pick your PrusaSlicer .ini file. Most settings carry over, though you might need to tweak a few Orca-specific options. Cura profiles cannot be imported directly because the two slicers use completely different config formats. You would need to recreate your Cura settings manually. That said, Orca Slicer's built-in profiles are usually a better starting point anyway.
This lets you stop printing one failed object without canceling the whole plate. Go to Print Settings > Other and turn on "Label objects." This adds EXCLUDE_OBJECT markers to your G-code. When printing through Mainsail, Fluidd, or OctoPrint, you will see each object listed separately and can exclude any of them mid-print. This is a huge time saver when printing batches of parts.