Convert FBX to GLB
Free FBX to GLB converter that runs in your browser. See real dimensions before you download.
Why convert FBX to GLB?
FBX is common in production pipelines, but the web, AR viewers and many modern engines prefer GLB, the binary form of glTF. People convert FBX to GLB to show a model in a browser, put it on a product page, share it for AR, or load it in Three.js and similar tools. GLB is a single compact file with the meshes, materials and textures embedded, so there is nothing to lose when you send it. The geometry, hierarchy, materials and textures carry across. Units matter: FBX often uses centimetres while glTF expects metres, and MeshShift converts so that a 20 cm object is 0.2 units in the GLB. Skeletal animation is the main thing this converter does not carry over.
How to convert FBX to GLB
- Drop your FBX file (with its textures, if separate) onto the converter — it opens in your browser, nothing is uploaded.
- Check the preview and the dimensions in mm; fix units or the up axis in “Units & orientation” if the size or orientation looks wrong.
- Choose GLB as the output and click Convert. Several files download as one ZIP.
What carries over from FBX to GLB
| FBX | GLB | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colour / materials | Yes | Yes | Kept |
| Textures | Yes | Yes | Kept |
| Units stored in file | Yes | Yes | Written as mm → metres |
| Separate parts | Yes | Yes | Kept |
| Usual up axis | Y | Y | Unchanged |
What changes
- Centimetres are converted to metres so the model has the right real-world size in AR.
- Skeletons and animations are not exported; the output is a static model.
- Materials are mapped to glTF's standard material; exotic shader settings are simplified.
- Textures are embedded in the GLB, so the file can be larger than the FBX geometry alone.
Tips
- Check the size in the viewer; AR placements depend on the metre scale being correct.
- Large embedded textures make GLB heavy; resize textures before conversion for web use.
- If you need animation on the web, export from Blender or your DCC tool with animation enabled instead.
- Test the GLB in the viewer to confirm that textures and colours appear as expected.
About FBX files
FBX began as Filmbox, a motion-capture tool from Kaydara, and Autodesk bought it in 2006 and kept developing it as a proprietary format. It has no public specification; the supported way to read or write it is Autodesk's FBX SDK, and other tools rely on that SDK or on reverse-engineered code. There is a binary encoding and an older ASCII one. FBX is more than a mesh container: it stores scene hierarchies, materials, cameras, lights, skeletons, skinning weights and animation takes. For that reason it became the usual bridge between modelling and animation packages such as Maya and 3ds Max and game engines such as Unity and Unreal. Scale and axis conventions vary by exporter, with centimetres being the common default, so an FBX can look wrong in a different program until the unit and up-axis settings are checked.
About GLB files
GLB is the binary container for glTF 2.0, the format the Khronos Group describes as the JPEG of 3D. One .glb file bundles a JSON scene description, binary mesh buffers and embedded images, so nothing can go missing in transit. The format was designed for efficient delivery and loading on the web, and it is now used by Three.js, Babylon.js, model-viewer, Google Search 3D results, Meta platforms, Unity and Unreal importers, and many marketplaces such as Sketchfab. glTF defines a physically based metallic-roughness material model, a node hierarchy, cameras, skins and animations. Coordinates are in metres with +Y up and a right-handed system. It is excellent for display and game assets, but it is a presentation format rather than a manufacturing one, so print workflows usually convert it first.
3D printing notes
Slicers do not take FBX, so the file has to be converted to a mesh format first. Animation and rigging are irrelevant to printing, so only the posed geometry matters. Many FBX models are in centimetres, which means a character that is 18 cm tall in the file must end up as 180 mm; reading it as millimetres gives 18 mm, and reading it as metres gives a huge model. MeshShift defaults FBX to centimetres, shows the real dimensions, and lets you change the unit. It reads FBX but does not write it, so a typical path is FBX to STL or 3MF, followed by the print check to close holes between separate body parts.
Frequently asked questions
Does FBX to GLB keep the textures?
Yes, textures referenced by the FBX are embedded in the GLB, so you get a single self-contained file. Very large textures will make the GLB large, so reduce them first if it is for the web.
Does the animation carry over?
No. This converter writes the static mesh and materials. If you need animations in GLB, export with animation from your 3D tool.
Is this FBX to GLB converter free and private?
Yes. The conversion runs in your browser with JavaScript and WebAssembly, so your FBX file is never uploaded to a server. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no daily limit; very large files are limited only by your device's memory.