Abstract: For the control of surface defects in interstitial-free (IF) steel, quantitative metallographic analyses of near-surface inclusions and surface liquid flow detection via the nail-board tipping method were conducted. The results show that, at casting speeds of 0.8 and 1.0 m/min, a thin liquid mold flux layer forms and non-uniform floating of argon bubbles occurs, inducing the entrainment and subsequent entrapment of the liquid flux; fine inclusion particles of Al₂O₃ can also aggregate at the solidification front. At higher casting speeds of 1.4 and 1.6 m/min, the liquid mold flux can be entrained and carried deeper into the liquid steel pool because of strong level fluctuations of the liquid steel and the flux. The optimal casting speed is approximately 1.2 m/min, with the most favorable surface flow status and, correspondingly, the lowest number of inclusions near the slab surface.