What retraction settings should I use in Cura?

Retraction settings in Cura depend on your extruder type. For Bowden extruders (Creality Ender 3 original, CR-10, long-tube setups): use 5–7mm retraction distance at 45mm/s for PLA, 6–7mm for PETG at 25mm/s. For direct-drive extruders (Creality Sprite, Micro Swiss, Hemera): use 1–2mm distance at the same speeds. Using short retraction values on a Bowden setup is the most common cause of stringing in Cura.

Which Cura settings improve print quality most?

The settings that most improve visible print quality in Cura are: (1) Combing Mode set to "Within Infill" to reduce stringing without increasing retraction; (2) proper Z hop (0.2mm) for PETG to prevent blob dragging; (3) Layer Height at 0.12–0.15mm for visible surfaces (slower but noticeably smoother than 0.20mm); (4) Print Thin Walls enabled for detailed models; (5) Seam Alignment set to "Sharpest Corner" for organic models.

Is Cura better than OrcaSlicer?

Cura and OrcaSlicer use different slicing engines (Cura uses its own engine; OrcaSlicer uses a fork of Bambu Studio's engine). Cura has the largest plugin library and community, and ships as the default slicer for most Creality and Elegoo printers. OrcaSlicer has better built-in calibration tools and tends to produce fewer stringing artifacts with its default settings. For experienced users, OrcaSlicer is generally recommended. For beginners using a Creality printer, Cura (or Creality Print) is the path of least resistance.

Ultimaker Cura Settings Guide

Cura is the world's most widely used FDM slicer — free, with the largest plugin and printer profile library of any slicer. It ships as the default for most Creality, Elegoo, Anycubic, and Snapmaker printers. This guide covers the settings that matter most for quality prints.

FreeCreality / Elegoo / UltimakerLargest plugin libraryWindows / macOS / Linux

Recommended settings by material

Cura defaults are for Ultimaker printers (direct drive). For Bowden setups (most Creality printers), retraction distances are significantly different — see the warning in each row.

Material	Nozzle temp	Bed temp	Retraction (Bowden / DD)	Ret. speed	Fan	Notes
PLA	210–220°C	60°C	5–6 mm (Bowden) / 1–2 mm (DD)	45 mm/s	100%	The 5–6mm retraction is for Bowden extruders (Ender 3 original). Direct drive: use 1–2mm.
PLA+	215–225°C	60–70°C	5–6 mm / 1–2 mm	45 mm/s	100%	Same as PLA. May need +5°C.
PETG	230–245°C	75–85°C	6–7 mm / 1–2 mm	25 mm/s	30–50%	Slower retraction speed for PETG. Fan at 50% max.
ABS	240–250°C	100–110°C	5–7 mm / 1–2 mm	30 mm/s	0%	Enable draft shield. Requires enclosure for large parts.
ASA	245–255°C	100–110°C	5–7 mm / 1–2 mm	30 mm/s	5%	Same as ABS. Use draft shield.
TPU	220–235°C	40–60°C	0–1 mm (DD only)	20 mm/s	100%	Direct drive required or very high risk of jams in Bowden. Print slowly.
Nylon	250–265°C	70–80°C	4–6 mm / 0.6–1 mm	30 mm/s	20%	Dry thoroughly. All-metal hot end if above 240°C.

Key settings that most affect quality

Retraction distance

Bowden extruders need 5–7mm. Direct drive needs 1–2mm.

The most common mistake in Cura is using direct-drive retraction values on a Bowden setup (Ender 3, CR-10). Bowden tubes add length between the extruder motor and nozzle — the retraction must pull filament back further. Too little retraction = stringing. Too much = gaps and clogs.

Combing mode

Enable "Within Infill" for best results

Combing routes travel moves over already-printed areas instead of crossing open space. This reduces stringing dramatically without needing excessive retraction. Set to "Within Infill" to avoid scars on outer walls. For PETG especially, combine with slightly reduced temperature rather than increasing retraction.

Z hop when retracted

Enable for PETG; disable for PLA speed

Z hop lifts the nozzle during travel to prevent dragging across the print. For PETG's sticky nature, 0.2mm Z hop prevents blobs and dragging marks. For PLA, it adds time — only enable if you are having nozzle-drag problems.

Print thin walls

Enable for detailed models

Found under Shell → Print thin walls. This fills gaps narrower than the nozzle diameter that would otherwise be skipped. Essential for miniatures and models with features smaller than 0.4mm. Slight quality tradeoff on smooth surfaces.

Draft shield

Enable for ABS/ASA without an enclosure

Draft shield prints a thin-walled perimeter around the entire print, trapping heat and reducing ambient airflow effects. It is not as effective as a full enclosure but is a meaningful improvement. Enable under Dual Extrusion → Draft Shield.

Printer support

Brand	Notes
Creality	Ships with Cura as the official slicer. All Ender and K-series models have bundled profiles. Download Creality Print (Cura fork) for the latest K-series profiles.
Elegoo	Official Cura profiles for Neptune series available via the Elegoo website and Cura marketplace.
Snapmaker	Snapmaker Luban is a Cura fork. Import community .curaprofile files for all Snapmaker models.
Ultimaker	First-party support — Ultimaker printers are the reference platform for Cura development.
Voron	Community profiles available from the Voron Design GitHub. No official first-party Cura support.

Cura vs OrcaSlicer: which to choose?

If your printer came with Cura (most Creality, Elegoo, Anycubic), start with Cura — the bundled profile is already tuned for your printer. OrcaSlicer has better calibration tools and cleaner default settings once you are past the initial setup stage. Many users migrate from Cura to OrcaSlicer after their first few months of printing.

OrcaSlicer guide →Creality settings database →Elegoo settings database →