A CR Touch can make first-layer setup more repeatable on compatible Creality printers, but it is not a plug-and-play fix for every board, firmware build, or bed problem. This guide documents the physical installation and setup workflow used on Creality 32-bit boards, then shows the checks that matter before you trust the first layer.
Use the workflow in this order: confirm compatibility, install and secure the probe wiring, flash only matching official firmware, establish Z offset, then run a controlled first-layer test.
- Physical Install
- Firmware Update
- Set Z-Offset
- Update Printer Profile in Cura
This guide applies to a compatible Creality printer with a supported 32-bit mainboard. Check the board label, not only the printer name, before choosing firmware or a probe bracket.
The original installation documented here used Creality 4.2.2 and 4.2.7 boards. Other boards, connector layouts, firmware builds, and menu paths can differ.
Confirm compatibility before opening the electronics cover
Find the exact board label on the mainboard before downloading firmware. A printer family can ship with more than one board revision, and the board version—not just the printer name—determines the firmware and connector guidance you should follow.
This is a hardware-and-firmware change, so work in a controlled order. If the probe, homing, or firmware behavior is not normal, stop before adding Cura changes or starting a print.
Step-by-Step Install Guide
Requirements
Required Hardware
- A compatible Creality printer and the exact mainboard revision installed in it
- An SD card and card reader that meet your printer maker's current firmware-install requirements
- SD Card Reader
- CR Touch
- Computer
Product links in this older guide are examples of the hardware used during the original installation. Verify compatibility and current availability before buying.
Step-by-Step Guide
This guide can be used by itself or along with the installation video I created.
Physical Install
Install the CR Touch by routing the harness, connecting the correct ends to the probe and mainboard, and mounting the probe to the bracket made for your printer. Keep the printer powered off and disconnected while the electronics cover is open.
Run Wires
I like to run the wires before I try to mount anything to make sure I don’t run into any issues. You will want to run the wires alongside the cables for the extruder and leave enough slack at the extruder to be able to plug the adapter into the CR Touch. It is important that there be slack here because if the wires get pulled when the axis is moving around it can cause the connections to come loose and the probe to fail. At this point, I would not use a couple of zip ties to hold the wires in place loosely. You want to make sure you can still adjust the wires if needed.
Connect the probe-side harness
Once the wires have been run, you can connect the adapter to the CR Touch. The adapter can only be plugged in one way, so if it’s not going in try to flip it around.
Connect the harness to the mainboard
Use the diagram for your exact board and CR Touch harness. Do not copy pin order from a BLTouch clone, a different Creality board, or an online photo unless it matches the documented connector for your hardware.
Here is an overview of what each wire is for.
| Wire Color | Board Pin | Board Label |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | PC14 | Out |
| Red | GND | G |
| Yellow | PA1 | IN |
| Black | +5V | V |
| White | GND | G |
Clean up the cabling
Now that everything is wired up, you should spend a couple of minutes cleaning up the cables. You will want to tighten the loose zip ties from before and add a couple more where it makes sense. I would target one zip tie every 6 – 8 inches. The main purpose of this will be to make sure the cables don’t get caught or pinched when the printer is in operation.
Mount the CR Touch to its bracket
The next thing you want to do is mount the CR Touch to the mounting bracket that came with the kit. The wires should be on the outside of the bracket, and you will use the provided bolts to mount everything in place as shown below.
Mount Bracket to the X-Axis Carriage
Finally, we will want to mount the bracket to the x-axis carriage. To do this, you will need to remove the two screws that are on the left side of the fan duct cover. Hold the CR Touch bracket in place, then put the screws back in. The bracket should go on the outside of the fan duct cover.
Note: It may be a little tricky to get the screws back in, but I found that if I push one of the screws all the way through it’s easier to align it with the threads on the carriage.
Firmware Update
Download the Firmware Package
Use Creality's current support/download area to locate firmware that explicitly matches the printer model, exact board revision, and CR Touch or BLTouch configuration. Download locations and file names change, so do not rely on the historical screenshots or filename examples in this article as current instructions.
If the official listing is unclear, stop and verify the match with Creality support or a documented manufacturer resource. Flashing a file for a different board or printer variant can leave the machine unable to boot normally.
Move Firmware Package to SD Card
Use only the firmware file specified for the verified printer-and-board combination. Keep the original configuration and any known-good firmware available before making changes, and avoid loading an old filename because it resembles your machine.
Follow the printer maker's current SD-card formatting and file-placement procedure. Keep the card clear of unrelated firmware files and use the exact file name and card preparation guidance specified for your model.
Install the New Firmware on the Printer
With the printer reassembled, follow the manufacturer’s firmware-install procedure exactly. Stay with the printer through the first boot and do not remove power or the card until the normal boot sequence is complete.
After booting, verify the reported firmware version and the expected probe or bed-leveling controls. Before printing, confirm that the probe deploys and retracts reliably during the printer's normal homing or self-test sequence.
Some older Creality firmware labels CR Touch features as BLTouch. Treat the controls as a clue to verify, not proof that every setting or command applies to your exact build.
Z-Offset
Once the probe is mounted and the correct firmware is confirmed, establish a Z offset and verify it with a small first-layer test. The value is specific to the physical relationship between this nozzle, probe mount, and build surface—do not copy another printer's number.
Get Z-Offset
Home the printer using its normal procedure, then follow the documented nozzle-height or probe-offset workflow for that firmware. A paper check can give a repeatable starting reference, but use light, even drag rather than forcing the nozzle into the bed.
If the printer already has an offset stored, document it before changing it. Follow the firmware's documented reset or adjustment procedure rather than clearing settings blindly.
Set Z-Offset
Enter the measured offset through the menu path provided by your firmware. Labels and positive/negative direction vary, so follow the result on the first-layer test instead of copying the direction or an example value from another machine.
Save the adjustment only when the printer's documentation says it is supported, then power-cycle or re-home as directed to confirm that the setting persists.
Run a small first-layer test with the material and surface you actually use. Make only small adjustments while watching the first few lines; stop if the nozzle appears to scrape the bed.
I did make a video covering that process that you can see here.
Cura start G-code: verify before adding a mesh command
Do not add G29 to Cura by default. Whether a printer should probe before every print, load a saved mesh, or use another workflow depends on the installed firmware and its leveling configuration.
First confirm the documented start G-code for your exact firmware, test it while attending the printer, and keep the rest of the start G-code unchanged until that test succeeds. A generic command copied from another printer can cause an unexpected routine or fail entirely.
If you use Cura, start from a printer-specific profile and change one variable at a time. The profile should not be used to compensate for an unverified firmware or probe setup.
Related Questions
An automatic bed-leveling probe can compensate for small, measured variations when the printer, surface, and first layer are otherwise in good condition. It cannot correct loose mechanics, a dirty plate, bad filament flow, or a severely damaged build surface.
Is the CR Touch or BLTouch better? – Both are great options and have their own pros/cons. I made a video covering the differences and providing my recommendation that you can see here.
If you have an older 8-bit board, do not assume this CR Touch procedure applies. Confirm support, wiring, firmware, and recovery options for that specific board before purchasing hardware or attempting a flash.
If the official firmware does not support the configuration you need, treat a custom Marlin build as a separate, documented project. Do not combine a new probe installation with unverified firmware changes in a single troubleshooting session.
Related Articles
- Guide to Install a BLTOUCH on a Creality 32-bit Mainboard
- Ender 3 Pro Glass Bed Upgrade – Complete Guide!
- OctoPrint Bed Level Visualizer – Complete Setup Guide!
- 3D Printer Enclosure – Do I Actually Need One?
- Ender 3 Fan Upgrade – My Choice and Install Guide
Recap
A CR Touch is most useful when the printer is mechanically sound and you use it as part of a controlled first-layer workflow: confirm the hardware, use matching firmware, set offset carefully, and judge the result on a small test print.
Use the current guides below for the firmware, slicer, and troubleshooting steps that follow an installation.
Continue safely
Review the safe Marlin firmware workflow before considering a custom build.
Use the Z-Offset guide to verify nozzle height with a controlled first-layer test.
Use Cura first-layer settings only after the probe and firmware setup are working as expected.
After flashing firmware
Verify the print baseline before changing more settings
Confirm nozzle height and a known slicer baseline first, then troubleshoot the visible symptom if the print is still off.