Beta Features
HelixScreen includes several features that are functional but still being refined. These are gated behind a beta flag so they can be tested without affecting the default experience.
Enabling Beta Features
Section titled “Enabling Beta Features”Method 1: Secret tap (recommended)
- Go to Settings → tap the About row to open the About overlay
- Tap the Current Version button 7 times (like enabling Android Developer Mode)
- A countdown appears after 4 taps (“3 more taps…”, “2 more taps…”, etc.)
- A toast confirms “Beta features: ON”
Repeat the same process to disable beta features.
Note: Taps must be within 2 seconds of each other or the counter resets.
Method 2: Config file
Set "beta_features": true in your settings.json.
Method 3: Test mode
Beta features are always enabled when running with --test.
Beta Feature List
Section titled “Beta Feature List”When beta features are enabled, the following appear in the UI with an orange “BETA” badge and left accent border:
| Feature | Location | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HelixPrint Plugin | Advanced panel | Install/uninstall the HelixPrint Klipper plugin for advanced print start control | Functional; plugin manages bed mesh, QGL, z-tilt skipping |
| Configure PRINT_START | Advanced panel | Make bed mesh and QGL skippable in your print start macro | Functional; requires HelixPrint plugin installed |
| Sound System | Settings panel | Sound effects with volume control and theme selection | Functional; multi-backend (SDL/PWM/M300) |
| Plugins | Settings panel | View installed plugins and their status | Functional; plugin system is early-stage |
| Update Channel | Settings panel | Switch between Stable, Beta, and Dev update channels | Functional; Beta/Dev channels may have less-tested releases |
| Macro Browser | Advanced panel | Browse and execute custom Klipper macros | Functional; hides system macros, confirms dangerous ones |
| Z Calibration | Controls panel | Quick-access Z calibration button | Functional; requires probe hardware |
| MPC Calibration | Heater Calibration panel | Model Predictive Control calibration as an alternative to PID | Functional; requires Kalico firmware |
| Belt Tension | Advanced panel | Measure and compare belt path resonant frequencies for CoreXY/Cartesian | Functional; requires accelerometer; optional PWM LED strobe |
| Multi-Printer Management | Settings panel, Navbar, Printer Manager | Add, switch between, and manage multiple Klipper printers from one touchscreen | Functional; switch/add/delete printers with one-tap switching |
Graduated from beta: PID Calibration, Input Shaper, the Spool Wizard, the G-code Console, Probe Management, Z-Offset Calibration, and Timelapse are now available to all users without enabling beta features.
Update Channel Selection
Section titled “Update Channel Selection”When beta features are enabled, a channel selector appears in Settings → About:
| Channel | Description |
|---|---|
| Stable | Production releases (default) |
| Beta | Pre-release builds for testing upcoming features |
| Dev | Development builds — latest code, may be unstable |
The update channel can also be set via update.channel in the config file (0=Stable, 1=Beta, 2=Dev).
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