Clogged nozzle (nothing comes out)

Try these in order

Most likely and quickest to check first. Change one thing at a time so you know what fixed it.

1. Burnt plastic or dirt in the nozzle

   • Do a cold pull: heat to printing temperature, push filament through, cool to about 90 °C for PLA, then pull it out sharply.
   • Clear it with a cleaning needle from below while hot.
   • Nozzles are cheap. If it keeps clogging, replace it.

2. Nozzle too close to the bed

   On the first layer the nozzle can be pressed into the bed so hard that nothing can get out.

   • Raise the Z offset and check the nozzle isn't touching the bed.

3. Heat creep

   Filament softening too high up in the hot end and swelling. Usually happens part way through a print.

   • See the heat creep page.

4. Wrong temperature for the filament

   • Check you're not printing PETG or ABS at PLA temperatures. A previous filament's leftovers can also block it, so purge well when changing material.
   Material temperatures →

5. Dirt or specks in the filament

   Cheap filament can carry dust or tiny bits of other material that build up in the nozzle, so the clog keeps coming back after you clear it.

   • If clogs keep coming back with one spool but not others, stop using that spool.
   • Clip a small piece of foam or a filament filter around the filament before the extruder to wipe off dust.
   • Clear the nozzle with a cold pull, or replace it.