How to calibrate E-steps (step by step)
- Heat the hotend to the normal printing temperature for your filament. Never extrude cold.
- Mark the filament 120 mm above where it enters the extruder, using a ruler or calipers and a fine marker.
- Extrude 100 mm slowly. Send
M83(relative extrusion) and thenG1 E100 F100. In Klipper, the same commands work in the console. - Measure the distance from the extruder inlet to your mark. If exactly 100 mm was extruded, 20 mm remains.
- Enter your numbers above and apply the result. Repeat the test once to confirm.
The formula
In Marlin, E-steps are steps per millimeter, so fewer millimeters extruded means you need more steps:
new E-steps = current E-steps × requested length ÷ actual length
Klipper's rotation_distance is millimeters per rotation, the inverse relationship:
new rotation_distance = current rotation_distance × actual length ÷ requested length
Common mistakes
- Extruding too fast. At high speed the hotend can't melt filament fast enough and the extruder skips, so the test reads low. 100 mm/min (F100) is safe.
- Calibrating flow with E-steps. E-steps should make the extruder move the right length of filament. Fine-tuning how much plastic ends up in the print is done with the flow rate (extrusion multiplier) per filament.
- Forgetting to save. In Marlin,
M500saves to EEPROM. Without it the value is lost on reboot.
Frequently asked questions
What are E-steps?
E-steps (extruder steps per millimeter) tell the firmware how many motor steps it takes to push 1 mm of filament. If the value is wrong, every print is under- or over-extruded by the same percentage.
How often should I calibrate E-steps?
After changing the extruder, its gears or the stepper motor, or when switching firmware. It does not need to be redone for every filament; use flow rate for that.
Can I calibrate E-steps with the nozzle removed?
Yes. Extruding without the hotend removes melt resistance and gives the most precise mechanical calibration. Testing through a hot nozzle at low speed is also fine for most people.
What is a normal E-steps value?
It depends entirely on the extruder. Geared direct-drive extruders often sit around 400–700 steps/mm, while simple non-geared extruders are often around 90–100 steps/mm.