Convert GLB to 3MF
Free GLB to 3MF converter that runs in your browser. See real dimensions before you download, and get a watertight, slicer-ready file.
Why convert GLB to 3MF?
GLB to 3MF is the route from a web, AR or AI-generated model to a project that Bambu Studio, PrusaSlicer, OrcaSlicer or Cura can open directly. 3MF is a better print container than STL because it stores the unit and can hold several parts and colours. The geometry comes across in full. GLB works in metres with Y-up, so MeshShift scales to millimetres (x1000) and can rotate the model so it sits on the build plate the right way up. Colours from the GLB's materials are kept as 3MF base materials, which is handy for multi-colour printers, while image textures are not carried because 3MF has no texture slot in this converter.
How to convert GLB to 3MF
- Drop your GLB 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 3MF as the output and click Convert. Several files download as one ZIP.
What carries over from GLB to 3MF
| GLB | 3MF | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colour / materials | Yes | Yes | Kept |
| Textures | Yes | No | Dropped |
| Units stored in file | Yes | Yes | Written as mm |
| Separate parts | Yes | Yes | Kept |
| Usual up axis | Y | Z | Rotated (switchable) |
What changes
- Material colours are kept as 3MF base materials; textures are not carried over.
- Metres become millimetres automatically, and the model can be rotated to Z-up.
- Meshes in the GLB become separate parts in the 3MF where the scene has separate meshes.
- Animations, cameras and lights are not exported.
Tips
- Open the 3MF in your slicer and check how the colours are assigned to parts and filaments.
- AI or game meshes often need repair; use the free print check before slicing.
- If the model only has a texture and no flat colours, it will print as one colour; paint it in your slicer.
- Check the dimension labels before conversion to avoid a part scaled by 1000.
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.
About 3MF files
3MF was designed by the 3MF Consortium, whose members include Microsoft, Autodesk, HP, Stratasys and Prusa, as a modern replacement for STL in additive manufacturing. A .3mf file is a ZIP archive following the Open Packaging Conventions. Inside it, an XML model part holds the mesh, while other parts can hold thumbnails, textures and metadata. Unlike STL, the mesh shares vertices between triangles, which makes files smaller and keeps the surface connected. The core specification defines units, build items with placement transforms, and several objects in one file. Extensions cover materials, slices and beam lattices. Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer and PrusaSlicer save their projects as 3MF with their own settings stored in extra files, so a project from one slicer may open in another with the geometry intact but the print profile ignored.
3D printing notes
For multi-colour and multi-part prints, 3MF is the format to use. Bambu Studio and OrcaSlicer open each part as a separate object, which lets you assign a different filament or setting to each one, and Prusa-family slicers do the same. Because the unit is stored in the file, a model does not arrive at the wrong size. Be careful with project files: a 3MF saved by Bambu Studio carries printer, plate and process settings that PrusaSlicer will not apply, and some slicers pick a different default when a model has no declared plate. MeshShift writes 3MF with several parts and keeps colours as base materials, and it reads 3MF for viewing, measuring and print checks.
Frequently asked questions
Are GLB textures kept in the 3MF?
No. Flat material colours are kept as base materials, but image textures are not transferred. A textured model will therefore need colours assigned again in the slicer.
Why choose 3MF over STL for a GLB?
3MF stores units, can keep several parts, and retains material colours. That helps multi-colour or multi-part printing. For a single grey part an STL works just as well.
Is this GLB to 3MF converter free and private?
Yes. The conversion runs in your browser with JavaScript and WebAssembly, so your GLB 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.