How to pause at a layer in Bambu Studio to change filament

Add the pause in Bambu Studio

1. 1

   Slice and open the preview

   Click Slice plate. The Preview tab opens with a vertical layer slider on the right.

2. 2

   Find the first layer of the new color

   Drag the slider up until the preview shows the first layer that prints only the new color, for example the first layer of raised letters above the base. The label shows the layer number and its height in mm.

3. 3

   Add the pause

   Right-click the slider handle (the one with the + in it) and choose Add Pause. A marker appears at that layer. The printer stops just before printing it.

4. 4

   Slice again, then print

   Adding a pause marks the slice out of date. Click Slice plate again, then send or export the file as usual.

Not sure which layer? Pick the first layer of the new color. How to find it.

The pause command

Nothing to set up: every Bambu Lab printer profile already has the pause command.

Swap the filament at the printer

Start the print with the first color loaded. When it reaches the pause:

1. 5

   Wait for the pause

   The printer finishes the layer below, stops, and moves the toolhead out of the way.

2. 6

   Unload the old filament

   On the printer's screen, open the filament controls and choose Unload. The printer heats up, cuts the filament and pulls it back. Pull the rest out of the feeder.

3. 7

   Load the new color

   Push the new filament in until the feeder grabs it and choose Load. Let it purge until the new color comes out clean, then remove the purged strand from the nozzle without touching the print.

4. 8

   Resume

   Tap Resume on the screen or in Bambu Handy. The print carries on in the new color.

Remove a pause

Move the slider to the layer with the pause and click the × next to the handle, or right-click the handle and choose Delete Pause. Then slice again.

Tips and common problems

• With an AMS or AMS lite, you don't need a pause: assign each part its filament and the printer switches for you.
• The Change Filament item only appears when the project has more than one filament, and without an AMS the printer won't guide you through it. Use Add Pause.
• Add Pause is greyed out when the print sequence is By object. Set it to By layer in the process settings.
• Avoid pausing in the first two or three layers: the print can cool and lift off the bed while it waits.

Common questions

Does Bambu Studio pause before or after the layer I pick?

Before. Bambu Studio inserts the pause at the start of the selected layer, so pick the first layer you want in the new color.

Can I change filament on an A1 mini without the AMS lite?

Yes. Add a pause at the layer where the color changes, then unload and load filament from the printer's screen when it stops.