The Ender-3 V3 SE needs more assembly than a fully enclosed printer, but the job is short when the base and gantry are kept square.
Put the base on a firm table and attach the gantry with the screws identified in Creality’s official user manual. Start all screws before tightening them. That lets the gantry settle into its locating surfaces instead of being pulled crooked by the first fastener.
Fit the display and spool holder, then connect the extruder cable, X-axis motor and both Z-axis motors exactly as labeled. Use the supplied cable clip so the loom cannot enter the bed’s travel. Confirm the local mains-voltage selector before connecting power. A wrong selector position is a safety fault, not a tuning problem.
Seat the flexible plate, remove nozzle residue and check that the bed and toolhead have no obvious shipping damage. Turn on the printer, choose Leveling and let the CR Touch complete its automatic routine. Keep hands away from the moving gantry and bed.
Load PLA using the manual or automatic feed command. The spool should unwind without pulling sideways on the runout path. Install the current Creality Print release from Creality’s official download page and select the exact Ender-3 V3 SE profile.
Do not adjust eccentric nuts or belts merely because tools were included. Make a first print, observe the machine, then correct only real play or binding using Creality’s procedure.
With assembly and the first leveling cycle done, the next step is a real print. The first print walkthrough covers loading filament and reading the first layer, and the broader beginner print checklist is a useful reference if something looks unfamiliar. For a deeper look at the CR Touch mesh and Z compensation, see the dedicated leveling guide.