Getting started

The whole workflow — place a shape, refine it, and export a printable file.

OwlCAD works in millimeters with Z pointing up, and you can start without an account — work is saved in your browser automatically. Everything sits on a build plate sized to your printer. This is the whole path from a blank plate to a print-ready file; follow any step through to its own guide for the detail.

1. Add a shape from the left rail — box, cylinder, sphere, 3D text, and more — or drop in a ready-made part from the parts library.
2. Move, rotate, and scale it with the gizmo, or type exact millimeter values in the Properties panel.
3. Sketch a profile and extrude or revolve it into a solid when a primitive isn't enough.
4. Combine shapes with boolean union, difference, and intersection, then round their edges or hollow them out — every edit stays parametric.
5. Import an existing STL, 3MF, STEP, or SVG, or generate one from a prompt with Pro.
6. Check the model for printing — watertightness, fit, and overhangs — then export a print-ready STL or 3MF.
7. Share a link when you are done; work autosaves locally, and signing in keeps cloud projects with version history.