diff --git a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/AcquisitionSettingsDISPIM.java b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/AcquisitionSettingsDISPIM.java
index 6077cd5..fd24e28 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/AcquisitionSettingsDISPIM.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/AcquisitionSettingsDISPIM.java
@@ -110,13 +110,6 @@ interface Builder<T extends AcquisitionSettings.Builder<T>> extends AcquisitionS
          */
         T postMoveDelay(final int postMoveDelay);
 
-        /**
-         * Sets the number of channels.
-         *
-         * @param numChannels the number of channels.
-         */
-        T numChannels(final int numChannels);
-
         /**
          * Sets the channel group.
          *
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/AcquisitionSettingsSCAPE.java b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/AcquisitionSettingsSCAPE.java
index ec1cdbf..76731a8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/AcquisitionSettingsSCAPE.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/AcquisitionSettingsSCAPE.java
@@ -103,13 +103,6 @@ interface Builder<T extends AcquisitionSettings.Builder<T>> extends AcquisitionS
          */
         T postMoveDelay(final int postMoveDelay);
 
-        /**
-         * Sets the number of channels.
-         *
-         * @param numChannels the number of channels.
-         */
-        T numChannels(final int numChannels);
-
         /**
          * Sets the channel group.
          *
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/internal/DefaultAcquisitionSettingsDISPIM.java b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/internal/DefaultAcquisitionSettingsDISPIM.java
index 954fa8e..aacc3e7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/internal/DefaultAcquisitionSettingsDISPIM.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/internal/DefaultAcquisitionSettingsDISPIM.java
@@ -218,17 +218,6 @@ public Builder postMoveDelay(final int postMoveDelay) {
             return this;
         }
 
-        /**
-         * Sets the number of channels.
-         *
-         * @param numChannels the number of channels.
-         */
-        @Override
-        public Builder numChannels(final int numChannels) {
-            numChannels_ = numChannels;
-            return this;
-        }
-
         /**
          * Sets the channel group.
          *
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/internal/DefaultAcquisitionSettingsSCAPE.java b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/internal/DefaultAcquisitionSettingsSCAPE.java
index f4b29ca..5dc0fb0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/internal/DefaultAcquisitionSettingsSCAPE.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/api/internal/DefaultAcquisitionSettingsSCAPE.java
@@ -215,17 +215,6 @@ public Builder postMoveDelay(final int postMoveDelay) {
             return this;
         }
 
-        /**
-         * Sets the number of channels.
-         *
-         * @param numChannels the number of channels.
-         */
-        @Override
-        public Builder numChannels(final int numChannels) {
-            numChannels_ = numChannels;
-            return this;
-        }
-
         /**
          * Sets the channel group.
          *
@@ -245,6 +234,7 @@ public Builder channelGroup(final String channelGroup) {
         @Override
         public Builder channels(final ChannelSpec[] channels) {
             channels_ = channels;
+            numChannels_ = channels_.length;
             return this;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTablePanel.java b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTablePanel.java
index edb0521..ded96de 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTablePanel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/micromanager/lightsheetmanager/gui/tabs/channels/ChannelTablePanel.java
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ private void createEventHandlers() {
             table_.getTableModel().addEmptyChannel();
             final ChannelSpec[] channels = table_.getData().getChannels();
             model_.acquisitions().settingsBuilder().channels(channels);
-            model_.acquisitions().settingsBuilder().numChannels(channels.length);
             //System.out.println("add channel");
             //table_.getData().printChannelData();
         });
@@ -98,7 +97,6 @@ private void createEventHandlers() {
                 table_.getTableModel().removeChannel(row);
                 final ChannelSpec[] channels = table_.getData().getChannels();
                 model_.acquisitions().settingsBuilder().channels(channels);
-                model_.acquisitions().settingsBuilder().numChannels(channels.length);
                 //System.out.println("remove row index: " + row);
             }
         });