Nozzle Too Close to Bed
Follow the steps to dial in your Z-offset.
Check the plate type in Bambu Studio
Select the plate type in Bambu Studio that is actually on the printer. The Textured PEI Plate has a different Z offset, which changes how close the nozzle is to the plate for the first layer. Bambu's screen guides for the X1, P1, H2D, H2S and H2C list no Z-offset setting on the printer, so on those models the fix runs through the plate type, a washed and leveled plate, and the first-layer settings.
| Lines transparent or paper-thin | Nozzle too close |
| Scraping or clicking during print | Way too close |
| Lines squished, opaque, touching | Correct |
Run Auto Bed Leveling
Wash the plate, then run Auto Bed Leveling from the printer's calibration menu; if the printer was moved or the bed serviced, Bambu says to re-level.
Use water and dish soap, and keep your fingers off the print surface afterwards. Bambu also says to make sure the nozzle tip is clean before leveling and to keep the Bed Leveling option on when you start a print.
Run a full calibration
Run the printer's full calibration (X1: Settings → Print Calibration; P1: Settings → Calibration; A1: Settings → Maintenance → Calibration; H2/P2S/X2D: Settings → Calibration → Print Calibration). It runs vibration compensation, motor noise cancellation and auto bed leveling in one pass (X1: plus Micro Lidar calibration).
A2L: Settings → Maintenance → First Layer Calibration; X2D: Settings → Calibration → First Layer Calibration. It fine-tunes the distance between nozzle and heatbed for the first layer; Bambu calls it generally unnecessary, so use it only when the other steps did not help.
P2S: tap Calibration in the sidebar, then First Layer Quality Calibration. For a first layer that sits too low, Bambu says to raise the offset in small steps (for example from 0 to 0.01 mm), print a test after each change and go no higher than 0.05 mm.
Let the printer warm up to operating temperature first, thermal expansion shifts the Z-offset slightly.
Restore Factory Settings resets the whole printer and cannot be undone; it is not a fix for a first layer that is too close.
Print a calibration pattern
On the X1 series, enable First Layer Inspection in the print options; the printer checks the first layer and warns you. Alternatively, print a simple single-layer square (20 × 20 mm, 0.2 mm height).
Still over-squished? Check the first-layer settings in Bambu Studio: the bed temperature for your plate type and the Flow Ratio of the filament profile. Bambu calls a flow ratio above 1.00 very rare; if a calibration gave you more, clean the extruder and hotend and run the flow calibration again.
Hardware issues and edge cases
If the Z-offset keeps drifting, there is usually a hardware problem. Expand the topic that matches your situation:
Loose bed screws: Check the heatbed mounting screws, loose screws change the Z-offset after every print. Dirty LiDAR sensor (X1 series): Clean the lens with a microfiber cloth or cotton swab and a little IPA, dust on the lens causes a systematically incorrect offset.
A partial blockage changes the effective nozzle length and shifts the Z-offset. Do a cold pull or clean the nozzle at temperature with a needle. A worn nozzle tip can lose material over time and increase the Z-gap.
Different materials and build plates need slightly different Z-offsets. Bambu Studio allows filament-specific offsets. Cool Plate: typically needs a slightly higher Z-offset. Textured PEI: Bambu Studio's start G-code lowers the nozzle 0.04 mm on X1/P1 (0.02 mm on H2D, 0.01 mm with a 0.2 mm nozzle). High-temp plate: calibrate only after reaching operating temperature.
Still not working? Interactive troubleshooter · Community
Tools that fix this
Repair a scarred plate and stop over-squishing the first layer.
A nozzle set too close gouges the plate; once it is scarred, a fresh PEI sheet restores a flat, even printing surface.
Amazon →Lets you raise the Z offset to a safe height and still hold the part, so you can stop over-squishing to get adhesion.
Amazon →Affiliate links. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Nothing worked?
Ask in the official Bambu Lab forum or open a ticket via Bambu Lab support; photos help a lot. You can also contact us or post in our community forum. Or try the interactive troubleshooter.