--- title: "Bambu Lab Camera on Your Mac: Live View · Bambu Bar" description: "Watch your Bambu Lab printer camera on a Mac: in the menu bar panel, the main window or a floating window. Setup for P1, A1, X1, H2, H3C, P2S and X2D printers." url: https://bambubar.app/features/camera language: en --- # Your Bambu Lab camera, on your Mac Bambu Bar shows the printer's own camera on your Mac, straight from the printer on your local network: in the menu bar panel, on the Printer page, or in a small window that floats above your work. **Applies to:** [P2S](https://bambubar.app/printers/p2s), [X1 Carbon](https://bambubar.app/printers/x1-carbon), [X1](https://bambubar.app/printers/x1), [X1E](https://bambubar.app/printers/x1e), [X2D](https://bambubar.app/printers/x2d), [H2D](https://bambubar.app/printers/h2d), [H2D Pro](https://bambubar.app/printers/h2d-pro), [H2C](https://bambubar.app/printers/h2c), [H2S](https://bambubar.app/printers/h2s), [H3C](https://bambubar.app/printers/h3c), [P1S](https://bambubar.app/printers/p1s), [P1P](https://bambubar.app/printers/p1p), [A1](https://bambubar.app/printers/a1), [A1 mini](https://bambubar.app/printers/a1-mini), [A2L](https://bambubar.app/printers/a2l) _Updated 2026-11-08_ ## In short To watch a Bambu Lab printer's camera on your Mac with Bambu Bar: 1. Open **Settings → Camera** and turn on **Show the printer camera**. 2. On the **Printers** page, turn the camera on for the printer. 3. On an **X1, H2, H3C, P2S or X2D**, also turn on **LAN Only Liveview** on the printer's screen. **P1, A1 and A2L** printers need nothing extra. The picture appears in the menu bar panel and on the Printer page, and ⌘K opens it in a floating window. ## Three places to watch - **The menu bar panel.** Click Bambu Bar in the menu bar and the camera preview sits under the print's progress. Fold it away when you don't need it. - **The Printer page.** Open the main window for a larger picture next to temperatures, fans and filament. - **A floating window.** Press ⌘K, or choose **Show Camera** in the **Printer** menu, for a resizable window that stays on top of your other apps. Handy beside a browser or a CAD model. ## How each printer sends its camera Bambu Lab printers stream their camera in one of two ways, and Bambu Bar picks the right one for your model: | Printers | How the camera streams | What to turn on | | --- | --- | --- | | X1, X1 Carbon, X1E, X2D, P2S, H2D, H2D Pro, H2C, H2S, H3C | Video over encrypted RTSPS | **LAN Only Liveview** on the printer | | P1S, P1P, A1, A1 mini, A2L | A stream of JPEG pictures over an encrypted connection | Nothing extra | **LAN Only Liveview** is a switch in the printer's network settings (on most models under **Settings → Network**, or **Settings → LAN Only** on the newest screens). It lets apps on your network open the camera stream. It is not the same as **LAN Only** mode: the printer can stay in cloud mode, bound to your Bambu Lab account and Bambu Handy. See [LAN mode explained](https://bambubar.app/guides/bambu-lab-lan-mode) for the difference. Either way, Bambu Bar signs in with the printer's access code and checks the printer's certificate before it shows anything, the same way it connects for status. ## It streams only while you watch A camera stream costs the printer some effort and uses one of its few camera connections. So Bambu Bar opens it only while the picture is on screen: a folded preview, a closed panel or a window scrolled away uses no connection at all. If you'd rather see the picture the moment you open the panel, turn on **Keep the camera connected during prints** in **Settings → Camera**. The stream then runs for the whole print, which means Bambu Handy or Bambu Studio may not get the camera at the same time. ## What to expect from the picture - **It's the printer's own camera.** Bambu Bar shows exactly what the printer sends. The P1 and A-series cameras send still frames at a low rate, so their picture moves in steps rather than as smooth video; no app can make that camera faster. The X1, H2, H3C, P2S and X2D cameras send video. - **Nothing is recorded.** The picture is shown and thrown away. Bambu Bar doesn't save frames, record video or make timelapses: the printer and Bambu Studio handle timelapses. - **Local network only.** The camera comes straight from the printer over your network, like the rest of Bambu Bar. Away from home, use Bambu Handy; see [local and remote monitoring](https://bambubar.app/guides/bambu-lab-local-vs-remote-monitoring). - **The printer's camera only.** Bambu Bar doesn't add external webcams or other cameras. ## When the picture doesn't show The usual reasons are a switch that's still off, **LAN Only Liveview** on the RTSPS printers, or another app already holding the camera. [Camera not working](https://bambubar.app/guides/bambu-lab-camera-not-working) walks through the checks for each printer. ## Questions, answered ### Can I see the Bambu Lab camera on a Mac without Bambu Studio? Yes. Bambu Bar shows the camera on its own, in the menu bar panel, on the Printer page and in a floating window, without Bambu Studio open. It connects to the printer directly on your local network. ### Does the P1S or A1 camera need LAN Only Liveview? No. The P1S, P1P, A1, A1 mini and A2L send a JPEG stream that works with the printer as it is. Only the X1, H2, H3C, P2S and X2D printers need **LAN Only Liveview** on. ### Why is the P1S or A1 picture choppy? Those cameras send still frames at a low rate, so the view updates in steps. That's the camera itself: Bambu Studio and Bambu Handy show the same rate. ### Does Bambu Bar record the camera or make timelapses? No. It shows the live picture and never saves it. Timelapses are made by the printer and Bambu Studio. ### Can I watch the camera from outside my home? Not with Bambu Bar: it works on your local network. Bambu Handy shows the camera away from home through Bambu Lab's cloud. ## Read next - [Camera not working](https://bambubar.app/guides/bambu-lab-camera-not-working): No picture from your Bambu Lab printer's camera? The checks for each model, in Bambu Bar and in Bambu Studio. - [LAN mode explained](https://bambubar.app/guides/bambu-lab-lan-mode): Cloud mode, LAN Only, LAN Only Liveview and Developer Mode: four different settings, and which ones you actually need. - [Bambu Lab P1S Camera & Monitor for Mac](https://bambubar.app/printers/p1s): Monitor your Bambu Lab P1S from your Mac: print progress, the live camera, temperatures and AMS filament in the menu bar and desktop widgets. For macOS 26+. - [Bambu Lab A1 Camera & Monitor for Mac](https://bambubar.app/printers/a1): Monitor your Bambu Lab A1 from your Mac: print progress, the live camera, temperatures and AMS Lite filament in the menu bar and desktop widgets. For macOS 26+. - [Compatible Bambu Lab Printers: All 15 Models](https://bambubar.app/printers): Bambu Bar works with all 15 Bambu Lab printers: P2S, P1S, P1P, X1 Carbon, X1, X1E, X2D, A1, A1 mini, A2L, H2D, H2D Pro, H2C, H2S, H3C. Compare camera setup, chamber data and AMS filament for yours. --- Bambu Bar is an independent app, not affiliated with or endorsed by Bambu Lab. Bambu Lab is a trademark of its owner.