How can we help?

Parts Bin is made by one person, so you'll usually be talking to the maker.

Report a bugSomething broken? Post it on Discord with the template. Install tutorialStep by step, including the Windows warning. Forgot your PIN?Reset it with your Windows password. Nothing is lost. FAQPrivacy, backups, Mac and Linux, the BOM export.

Report a bug

Bugs are reported on the Parts Bin Discord. It's free to join, the maker reads it, and you'll usually get a reply the same day. A good report means it gets fixed faster.

Before you post

  • Make sure you're on the latest version. Settings, Updates has a button that opens the Releases page so you can see if there is a newer one.
  • If it's about your data, back it up first: Settings, Data and backup, Backup to file. Then try again.
  • Have a quick look at recent posts. If someone already reported it, reply there with your details instead.

What to include

  • Version. From Settings, Updates (for example "V4.1").
  • What you did. The exact clicks, in order. "Opened Orders, clicked Mark arrived on an order with 3 lines."
  • What you expected. "The 3 items should be added to stock."
  • What happened instead. "Only the first item was added." Copy any error text word for word.
  • A screenshot if you can. Windows key + Shift + S takes one; paste it straight into Discord.
  • Does it happen every time? Or only once?
Don't post your backup file in a public channel. It has your whole inventory in it. If the maker needs it, they'll ask you to send it in a direct message.

Copy this, fill it in, and paste it in Discord:

Version: V4.x What I did: 1. 2. 3. What I expected: What happened instead: Every time, or just once? Screenshot: (paste below)

Request a feature

Same place: post it on Discord. Explain the problem you're trying to solve, not just the button you want. "I keep forgetting which spools are dry" is more useful than "add a dry checkbox".

Suggest it on Discord

Install tutorial

Parts Bin V4 is a normal Windows installer. No admin rights, no account, and it takes about a minute.

  1. Download the installerFrom the Download page once V4 is out. It's a single .exe file.
  2. Run the .exeDouble-click it in your Downloads folder. It installs for the current user only, so you won't get an administrator prompt.
  3. Get past the blue boxWindows may show "Windows protected your PC". Click More info, then Run anyway. This is explained below.
  4. Click through the installerNext, Install, Finish. You can change the install folder if you want; the default is fine.
  5. Open Parts BinThere's a Parts Bin icon on your Desktop and in the Start menu. First launch shows a short tour of what's new in V4. Drag the slider on the last slide to finish it.
  6. Set it upOpen Settings (bottom of the sidebar). Set your currency symbol, your default low-stock threshold, and, if you like, your name for the greeting. Everything else can wait.
  7. Bring your V3 data across (optional)In V3: Settings, Backup to file. In V4: Settings, Data and backup, Restore, pick that file. Items, projects, orders, compartments and settings all come across. V3 stays installed and untouched until you remove it.

Updating later

V4 does not check for updates on its own, and it never contacts a server in the background. When you want a newer version, open Settings, Updates and click Check for updates. That opens the Releases page in your browser. Download the new installer and run it. Updates never touch your data.

Uninstalling

Windows Settings, Apps, Installed apps, find Parts Bin, Uninstall. Back up first if you want to keep your inventory.

The "Windows protected your PC" warning

This is normal and safe. Windows shows the blue SmartScreen box for any app that hasn't been code-signed with a paid certificate, which small free projects usually skip. It is not a virus warning. Click More info, then Run anyway. You only see it once.

If a downloaded file seems blocked before you even run it: right-click the file, Properties, tick Unblock at the bottom, OK. If you'd rather not run an unsigned installer at all, the full source is on GitHub and you can build it yourself.

Forgot your PIN?

First, the important part: your data is not lost. The PIN is a casual lock on the app window. It does not encrypt anything, so everything you entered is still sitting safely on your PC.

Use the Reset button on the lock screen

  1. On the PIN screen, click Reset PIN.
  2. Windows asks you to confirm it's you: type the password you use to sign in to this computer (or use your fingerprint or face if you have Windows Hello). Parts Bin never sees or stores this; it's the standard Windows prompt.
  3. The lock is switched off and the app opens with everything exactly as you left it. Set a new PIN in Settings whenever you like.

That's the only way past a forgotten PIN by design: someone who can't sign in to your Windows account can't get past it either.

If the Reset button doesn't work for you

If you have a backup file (Settings, Data and backup, Backup to file), uninstall Parts Bin, reinstall it and use Restore. Otherwise message on Discord or email and the maker will walk you through it.

FAQ

Is my inventory uploaded anywhere?
No. There is no server and no account. Everything is saved in the app's own private storage on your PC, with a hidden recovery snapshot written on every save. Parts Bin never goes online on its own. It only does when you ask it to: opening a Buy link, using the assistant, the Auto-fill button on a part, or the currency converter in the calculator. The privacy page has the full list.
Is it free? Will V4 cost money?
Free and open source. Every version so far has been, and V4 is the same. The code is on GitHub.
When is V4 out?
20 September. There's a countdown on the home page. The release will be announced on Discord and YouTube, and the Download page switches over that day.
Mac or Linux?
V4 is Windows-only at launch. macOS and Linux builds are possible and are on the list. Parts Bin is built by one person, so the more support it gets (Discord, YouTube, GitHub stars, people actually using it) the sooner they can happen. Say so in Discord if you'd use one.
How do I move my data to a new PC, or from V3 to V4?
Settings, Data and backup, Backup to file saves everything (items, projects, orders, compartments, materials, settings) to one file. On the other machine, or in V4, use Restore on the same screen. V3 backups load into V4 with no conversion.
What does the BOM export actually contain?
Two options. An order CSV (comment, supplier part code, quantity, description) you can upload to your board house, and a full CSV with every field of every item for spreadsheets and backups. Both are read-only exports and never change your data. Items with no part code are counted and reported rather than silently dropped.
Can I add my own categories?
Yes, in V4. Settings, Sidebar tabs, add a custom tab with a name and image. It gets its own ID prefix. You can also hide any built-in tab you don't use; the items stay in the library and still show under All.
Does scanning need the internet?
No. Barcode reading runs on your PC. Any webcam works.

Contact

Discord is fastest. Otherwise email PrintLab3D@outlook.com.au. You'll also find PrintLab3D on YouTube and TikTok.