Framing is one of the most important steps in xTool Studio, and in laser engraving generally. It's how you make sure your design lands exactly where you want it on your item, before you burn anything. A lot of new users skip it, and it's the quickest way to waste material.
This short guide shows you how to frame, the two types of framing, how to nudge your design into the perfect spot, and how to make the frame brighter when you can't see it. I filmed it on my F1 Ultra, but framing works the same way on most xTool machines.
What framing is
When you frame, the laser projects a low-power light outline of your design onto your item. You can see exactly where it's going to engrave, then make small (or big) adjustments in Studio and watch the frame move to match.
If your machine has a camera, you'll see your item on screen behind your design, which is great. But cameras are only accurate to within a few millimeters. They're not exact. That's why you frame, even with a camera.
Step 1: Focus first
Before you frame anything, make sure the laser is focused on the top surface of your item. On the F1 Ultra there are two dots. In the photo above they're apart, which means it isn't focused yet. I used the arrows on the machine to move them together. On the F1 or another model, use whatever focus control your machine has.
Once the dots are joined, the frame you see is true to where the laser will actually engrave.
Step 2: Turn framing on
- Put your design on the canvas. I picked an easy-to-recognize one from the Elements library. (Your settings don't matter for framing, so you can set those afterwards.)
- Click the little hatched box icon at the bottom right, next to Process. It used to be in a different place in xTool Creative Space.
- The icon turns blue while it's framing. The laser now traces a box on your item, matching the outer edge of your design (the blue box you see when you select it).
- Click the icon again to stop framing. It goes back to white.
Step 3: Rect or Outline
Click the small arrow next to the hatched box to open Framing settings. Under Mode there are two types of framing:
- Rect traces a rectangle around the outside of your whole design. Quick, and good for checking it fits on your item.
- Outline traces the actual shape of your design. This is really handy when it has to go in a precise position.
Sometimes it switches over to Outline straight away. I find it doesn't always, so if it keeps tracing a box, click the hatched box to stop framing, then click it again to restart. Now it'll trace the outline.
Step 4: Move it into position while it frames
This is the clever part. While framing is running, you can move your design and the frame updates live:
- Select the design and use your arrow keys to nudge it a little at a time.
- Or click and drag it to a new spot.
- You can resize it too.
Keep going until the frame sits exactly where you want it on your item. That's how you get your engraving in the right place every time and don't waste materials.
Step 5: Make the frame brighter
On some materials you'll struggle to see the frame. In Framing settings, Light power was set to 4 by default on my machine. Drag it up to 10 and the light gets noticeably brighter. On wood it isn't really an issue, but on a blue or dark item turning it right up makes a big difference.
Studio warns you that the material may get burnt if the light power is set too high. I haven't had that happen myself, but it's worth a quick check on a scrap of your material before you frame a finished piece at full brightness.
What's changed since this video
I made this in September 2025. Framing itself still works exactly like this. One newer feature that helps with it is Switch origin, in the top toolbar. It lets you choose which point of your design its position is measured from (it used to always be the top left corner), which is useful when you're placing designs in jigs or want to frame from a specific spot. You'll find it in my xTool Studio update guide.
Next steps
Once your design is in the right place, you need the right settings. My free Laser Settings Library has the ones I've tested on xTool machines, and my material test video (or read the written guide) shows how to find your own. If you engrave lots of the same item, a jig holds every piece in the same position so your frame lines up every time. You can find mine at L3D Accessories.
Got a framing problem, or a tutorial you'd like me to do next? Tell me in the comments on the video.
