E-steps calibration.

Worked example

Your printer reports 93 E-steps. You mark the filament 120 mm from the extruder entry and command 100 mm of filament. After the extrusion the mark is 18.5 mm from the entry, so only 120 - 18.5 = 101.5 mm went through, 1.5% more than the 100 mm asked. New E-steps = 93 x 100 / 101.5 = 91.63, entered as M92 E91.63 and saved with M500.

How it works

The firmware turns a requested filament length into motor steps using steps per mm. If the extruder moves too much filament, the true steps per mm is lower than the value set; if too little, higher. Scaling by commanded divided by actual corrects it in proportion. Repeat the test with the new value until the result is within the accuracy you need.

A common procedure is to heat the hotend to printing temperature, mark the filament 120 mm from the extruder entry, extrude 100 mm slowly, then measure what is left; the guide also advises doing the test with the extruder detached from the hot end if convenient so no restriction affects it. If the correction is large, check for mechanical causes such as a loose gear or a clog before relying on a number (rule of thumb, not a published standard).

Sources (opened 2026-10-08). 3D printer calibration site V2 (Teaching Tech) for the procedure: mark the filament 120 mm from the extruder entry, command G1 E100 F50, measure what remains, set the new value with M92 E and save with M500, preferably with the extruder detached from the hot end. M92 - Set Axis Steps-per-unit | Marlin Firmware for M92 setting the steps-per-mm for each axis, including E. The proportional formula is simple arithmetic.

FAQ

What are E-steps?

E-steps are the extruder motor steps the firmware uses to move one millimetre of filament. If the value is wrong, the printer pushes more or less filament than it should.

How do I calibrate E-steps?

Mark the filament a known distance from the extruder, command a known length, measure what is left, and scale your current value by commanded divided by actual extruded. This calculator does the last step.

How do I find my current E-steps?

On Marlin-style firmware, send M92 alone or M503 and read the number after E on the M92 line.

How do I save the new value?

Send M92 followed by E and the new number, then M500 to store it in EEPROM. Some printers do not save M92 to EEPROM, in which case put the M92 line in your slicer start gcode.

Do I still need to calibrate flow in the slicer?

Yes. E-steps make the extruder move the commanded length; the slicer flow or extrusion multiplier then fine-tunes the amount of plastic for your filament.