To send a print to your 3D printer, slice the model, then move the sliced file over by SD card or USB drive, or send it through your slicer over Wi-Fi. The printer then lists the file on its screen, and you start the print from there.
Research-based guide. This article is compiled from manufacturer documentation and has not been checked on a test printer. Treat every figure as a starting point and follow your own printer's manual where it differs.
What does "sending a print" actually mean?
It means getting a sliced file, not the original model, onto the printer. The printer cannot read an STL on its own. Your slicer turns the model into G-code (or a similar print file), and that is what travels to the machine. If the difference between those formats is new to you, read STL vs 3MF vs G-code and what is G-code.
There are three common routes, and most printers support at least two:
| Route | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| SD card or USB drive | Export the file from the slicer to removable media, plug it into the printer, pick the file on the screen | Printers with no network, or when Wi-Fi is unreliable |
| Wi-Fi or network from the slicer | Click send or print in the slicer and the file goes straight to the printer | Daily use, once the printer is added to the slicer |
| Remote control software | A host such as the maker's cloud, PrusaLink or OctoPrint receives the file | Monitoring and starting prints from another room |
How do you print from an SD card or USB drive?
Export the sliced file to the card or drive, eject it safely, plug it into the printer and choose the file. It is the most universal method, and it works with no network at all.
Prusa describes it for PrusaSlicer: the slicer detects an inserted SD card or USB flash drive, and an Export to SD/USB drive button appears next to the Export G-code button. Once the file is written, an Eject button appears so you can safely disconnect the device (Prusa Knowledge Base).
Bambu Lab's A1 guide adds details that apply more widely:
- The A1 series does not have a hot-swappable card, so eject it from the printer menu (Settings, then SD Card, then Eject) before pulling it out.
- In the slicer, choose the right printer type, plate type and filament, then slice.
- Export the sliced file from the Print Plate drop-down.
- Save it at the root of the SD card, not inside any folder.
- Put the card back in the printer and select the file to start.
Each slicer has its own export menu. See PrusaSlicer export G-code, Cura save and export, Orca Slicer save and export and Bambu Studio export and 3MF.
How do you send a print to the printer over Wi-Fi?
Add the printer to your slicer once, then use the slicer's send or print button. After that, each job is two clicks.
With Bambu Lab, the printer is bound to your account in Bambu Studio (using a pin code shown on the printer), after which a sliced plate can be sent wirelessly by picking the printer in the drop-down and confirming. The Bambu Network Plugin is required for this, and without it you cannot send a print job over the network (Bambu Lab Wiki).
Prusa separates the connection details from the printer profile. In PrusaSlicer you create a physical printer, choose a host type such as Prusa Connect, PrusaLink or OctoPrint, and if that printer is selected you can send generated G-code straight to it. For Prusa Connect, you copy an API key from the printer's settings in the web app into the physical printer window (Prusa Knowledge Base).
For third-party control, OctoPrint is a common choice. If the printer will not connect, see 3D printer Wi-Fi not connecting.
Is sending a print over the network the same as using the cloud?
Not always. Check what your printer's maker does with the file. Bambu Lab states that a print file is sent directly only when Studio can find the printer on the local network and an SD card is in the printer. Otherwise it goes via the cloud, and the file is also stored in the cloud for the history feature in Bambu Handy when LAN mode is off. By default the cloud copy is removed after 90 days, or after 72 hours if you delete the history entry or use incognito mode.
If you do not want files uploaded, Bambu Lab says to enable the printer's LAN mode or copy the print file to the SD card. Whatever brand you own, read the privacy and storage notes before relying on cloud printing.
What should you check before pressing start?
Check the preview, the plate and the filament, then start. Prusa recommends previewing the G-code before printing: after slicing, use the layer slider, check the overall shape matches the model, and look for parts that would start printing in mid-air (Prusa Knowledge Base).
- Right printer profile and plate type. A mismatch can mean the first layer is printed at the wrong height.
- Clean plate. Bambu Lab's SD card guide strongly recommends washing the print surface before starting. See how to clean a 3D printer bed.
- Filament loaded. The change filament guide covers loading.
- Watch the first layer. If it does not stick, stop and fix it; see fix a bad first layer.
What if the printer does not show the file?
Usually the file is in the wrong place or the wrong format. Work through this list:
- On Bambu Lab printers, the file should be at the root of the SD card, not in a subfolder.
- Make sure you exported the sliced file, not the model. A raw STL will not appear as a print job.
- Eject properly before removing the card, and reinsert it fully.
- Prusa notes the output can be .gcode or .bgcode in newer PrusaSlicer versions, so make sure your printer firmware supports the format.
- For network sending, confirm the printer and the computer are on the same network, and that any required plugin is installed.
Slicing steps come first. Read how to slice a 3D model if you have not yet generated your first file, or follow the full sequence in how to 3D print.
