Add text to an STL
in Bambu Studio
Open your model in Bambu Studio, press T (or right-click the model and choose Add part > Text), click the surface and type. Set it as a part to raise it, as a negative part to engrave it, or as a modifier to print flush text in a second colour.
By Philipp Baldauf · Updated September 29, 2026
The short answer
Bambu Studio has a text tool built in, so you don't need Tinkercad or Blender to put a name, a date or a label on a model. You place the text right on the surface of the STL, pick a font from the fonts installed on your computer, set the height and depth in millimetres, and assign it a filament. It slices together with the model and prints in one go.
The tool is good at short labels on an existing part: a name on a pen holder, a version number on a bracket, initials on a box lid. It is weaker when the text is the whole object, like a standing name or a cursive keychain. For those, a file where the letters are already one clean solid saves you a lot of fiddling. More on that further down, and in the 3D printing text guide that this page belongs to.
Menu names below are from recent Bambu Studio versions. Bambu renames and moves things between releases, so if a label on your screen reads slightly differently, look for the closest match.
Part, negative part or modifier: which one you need
The type decides what the text does to your model. You can pick it when you add the text, or change it later.
| Type | What it does | Use it for | Typical depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part | Adds raised letters on top of the surface | Names on signs, labels you can feel, two-colour raised text | 0.6 to 2 mm |
| Negative part | Cuts the letters into the model (engraved) | Serial numbers, text on the bottom of a part, one-colour prints | 0.4 to 1 mm |
| Modifier | Changes the settings or filament of the model where the letters overlap it | Flush text in a second colour on a flat face | At least 2 to 3 layers |
Raised text at 1 mm on a 0.2 mm layer height is 5 layers, which reads well from a metre away. For a closer look at the three styles, see raised, embossed or engraved text.
How to add text to an STL in Bambu Studio
This takes about two minutes once you know where things are. Start with your STL or 3MF loaded on the plate.
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1. Open the text tool
Select the model and press T, or click the text icon in the top toolbar. The other route: right-click the model (or its entry in the Objects list) and choose Add part > Text. The same menu has Add negative part > Text and Add modifier > Text if you already know which type you want.
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2. Click where the text should go
Click on the face of the model where the text belongs. With Surface switched on, the text is attached to that surface and follows it. With Surface off, you get a flat text block at the spot you clicked, which is cleaner on anything that isn't flat.
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3. Type the text and pick a font
Type into the text box in the tool panel. The font list shows the fonts installed on your system. Pick a bold, simple face for small text; thin serifs and hairline scripts disappear below about 8 mm letter height.
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4. Set height, thickness and embedded depth
Height is the letter size in mm. Thickness is how far the text sticks out (or how deep it cuts, for a negative part). Embedded depth pushes the text into the model so there is no gap on uneven surfaces. A good start for raised text: height 10 mm, thickness 1 mm, embedded depth 0.2 to 0.5 mm.
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5. Change the type if needed
In the Objects list on the left, the text shows up as a sub-part of your model. Right-click it and choose Change type to switch between part, negative part and modifier without re-typing anything.
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6. Assign a filament
Still in the Objects list, click the filament number next to the text part and choose a different slot. On a printer with an AMS that gives you two-colour text with no manual swaps. Without an AMS, see how to print text in a different colour for the pause-at-height method.
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7. Slice and check the preview
Slice, then scrub through the layers in the preview. Every letter should be there, the text colour should start where you expect, and thin strokes should show at least two lines of extrusion. If letters are missing, jump to the troubleshooting table below.
Numbers that work on a 0.4 mm nozzle
Typical starting values for PLA at 0.2 mm layers. Adjust for your model, but don't go below the minimums.
6 mm
Smallest readable letter height
For bold sans fonts. Scripts need 10 mm or more, because their thin strokes get close to the nozzle width.
0.6 mm
Minimum raised thickness
Three layers at 0.2 mm. Less than that and the letters look like a smudge. 1 mm is a safer default.
0.4 mm
Minimum engraving depth
Two layers. Go to 0.8 to 1 mm if you want to paint the engraving later.
0.2 mm
Embedded depth on curves
Enough to close the small gap where flat letters meet a curved surface. Increase it on strongly rounded parts.
When the text tool misbehaves
Most problems come down to fonts, depths below one layer, or a surface the text can't follow.
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Your font isn't in the list | Installed for your user only | On macOS put the font in /Library/Fonts (not ~/Library/Fonts). On Windows use Install for all users. Restart Bambu Studio. |
| Font shows in the list, text renders in Arial | Font file not loaded or not supported | Install it system-wide as above, restart, and prefer TTF files. |
| Text vanishes after slicing | Thickness or depth thinner than one layer | Set the thickness to at least your layer height, better 3 layers. |
| Small text turns into a cut instead of raised letters | A reported bug in some 2.x releases with Surface text under about 10 mm | Make the text larger, turn Surface off, or update Bambu Studio. |
| Negative text cuts right through the part | Depth larger than the wall, or a known depth bug | Lower the depth and check the preview; move the text to a thicker wall. |
| Letters stretched or bent | Surface on a strongly curved face | Turn Surface off, rotate the flat text to face out, and raise the embedded depth. |
Limits of the Bambu Studio text tool
The tool is fine for labels. These are the cases where it gets in your way.
- System fonts only. You get what is installed on your computer. If a font is missing on the machine that opens the project later, the text may change.
- Script fonts don't join. Cursive letters are placed as the font draws them. Where two letters only touch, or have a hairline gap, they print as separate islands that snap off. Our cursive text guide explains why and how to fix it.
- Curved surfaces distort. On a cylinder or sphere the letters bend and stretch, and the ends of a long word can float or sink. Keep text short on curves.
- Long, multi-line layouts are fiddly. Lining up two or three lines of different sizes means placing and nudging each text part by hand.
- Text alone is still text on something. The tool adds text to a model. It doesn't give you a finished name sign, keychain or cake topper with a base shaped around the letters.
When a generated 3MF is easier
If the name is the whole print, you are building an object, not labelling one. That's the job we built the NameSTL generator for: you type the name, pick one of 18 fonts, choose a base (standing plate, keychain, outline plate, cake topper and more) and export a 3MF.
The 3MF puts the letters and the plate on separate filament slots, so Bambu Studio opens it with two colours already assigned. Script names are joined into one connected piece, and the mesh is watertight, so there is nothing to repair. Designing is free; a single download is $4.99, and the Unlimited plan covers bulk export and selling the prints.
Use the Bambu Studio text tool when you already have a model and want words on it. Use a generated file when the words are the model. For other programs, see how to add text to an STL in Tinkercad, Blender, PrusaSlicer and Cura.
Questions people ask
How do I add text to an STL file in Bambu Studio?
Load the STL, select it and press T, or right-click it and choose Add part > Text. Click the face where the text should go, type, pick a font and set height and thickness in mm. Slice as usual; the text prints as part of the model.
How do I make text a different colour in Bambu Studio?
Find the text part in the Objects list and click its filament number to assign another slot. With an AMS the printer swaps colours on its own. For flush coloured text that doesn't stick out, change the text type to modifier and give it the second filament.
How do I engrave text in Bambu Studio?
Add the text as a negative part (Add negative part > Text), or right-click an existing text part and use Change type. Set a depth of 0.4 to 1 mm and check in the preview that it doesn't cut through a thin wall.
Why doesn't my font show up in Bambu Studio?
Bambu Studio only loads fonts installed for the whole system. On a Mac, copy the font file to /Library/Fonts; on Windows, right-click it and choose Install for all users. Then restart Bambu Studio.
Why does my text disappear after slicing?
Usually the thickness is thinner than one layer, so the slicer skips it. Set it to at least your layer height, ideally 0.6 mm or more at 0.2 mm layers. Very small text with Surface switched on has also been reported to slice wrongly in some 2.x versions; enlarging the text or turning Surface off helps.
Can Bambu Studio put text on a curved surface?
Yes, with Surface switched on the text follows the face you clicked. Strong curves stretch the letters, so keep the text short, or turn Surface off, rotate the flat text into place and raise the embedded depth so it sits inside the part.
Is the Bambu Studio text tool good for cursive names?
For a cursive word on top of a plate, yes. For a cursive name printed on its own, letters that only touch each other end up as separate pieces. A generator that fuses the letters into one solid, like NameSTL, avoids that.