What is a GLB file?

A GLB file is a 3D model in glTF 2.0, the open standard for 3D on the web, packed into one binary file. It holds the meshes, materials, textures, animations and scene together, so one file is everything. Browsers, AR on Android, Shopify and most 3D tools read it, and it is measured in metres.

Drop your GLB file here

Extension	.glb
Name	glTF Binary (GL Transmission Format)
Standard	Khronos Group, glTF 2.0 since 2017, ISO/IEC 12113
Stores	Meshes, PBR materials, textures, animation, skins, scenes
Units	Metres, Y up, by the specification
Compression	Optional: Draco, meshopt, KTX2 textures
Opens in	Browsers, Blender, Shopify, Android Scene Viewer, this page

GLB and glTF

glTF comes in two forms. A .gltf file is JSON text, with the geometry and textures in separate files beside it. A .glb file packs the same JSON, the binary data and the textures into one file. The content is identical; GLB is simply easier to send, upload and embed, which is why most tools export it by default.

Why the web and AR use GLB

glTF was designed to load fast in a real-time renderer, so its data is laid out the way a graphics card wants it. Its materials are physically based, which means a model looks the same in Blender, a browser and a game engine. And the unit is fixed at metres, so a phone placing a model in AR knows its real size without guessing.

That is why Shopify product models, model-viewer embeds, Three.js and Babylon.js scenes, and Android's Scene Viewer all use GLB. Apple's Quick Look uses USDZ instead, so stores usually provide both.

How to open a GLB file

Use the viewer at the top of this page, which also shows it in AR on a phone. Other options:

Blender, free, imports and exports GLB.
Windows 3D Viewer, where it is installed, opens GLB directly.
On Android, many file managers open a GLB in Scene Viewer for AR.

Compressed GLB files

A GLB can use extensions that shrink it: Draco or meshopt for geometry, and KTX2 for textures. A viewer that does not have the right decoder shows a blank model or an error. The viewer on this page includes the meshopt decoder. If a GLB refuses to open in an older tool, it is often Draco-compressed; re-export it without compression.

Free tools for GLB files

GLB viewer Open and inspect a .glb or .gltf file, with AR on mobile. GLB to STL Convert a GLB to a binary STL for 3D printing. GLB to OBJ Convert a GLB to OBJ geometry for any 3D editor. glTF viewer Open a .gltf or .glb file and spin it in your browser. FBX to GLB Convert an FBX to GLB for the web, AR and game engines.

Frequently asked

Is GLB better than FBX?

For the web, AR and online stores, yes: it is open, compact, and read natively. FBX is still common in animation and game pipelines, where tools like Maya and Unreal exchange it. Convert FBX to GLB when a model needs to go online.

Can I 3D print a GLB file?

Not directly in most slicers. Convert it to STL first. Note that GLB is in metres and STL is read as millimetres, so a correct converter multiplies by 1,000. The GLB to STL converter on this site does that, and stands the model upright for the print bed.

Why does my GLB look different in different viewers?

Lighting and tone mapping differ between viewers, even when the file is the same. The materials are standard, but each viewer chooses its own environment light and colour handling. Compare in neutral lighting before you judge the textures.