# glTF Viewer

> Open a .gltf scene with its .bin buffer and texture images, or the whole folder as a .zip. Works with separate and embedded files, Draco and Meshopt compression.

Page: https://printpal.io/tools/gltf-viewer
Updated: 2026-11-12
Use it: open https://printpal.io/tools/gltf-viewer in a browser and drop a file. Free, no account, files are processed locally and never uploaded.

A .gltf is the JSON half of glTF 2.0. It usually points at a **.bin** file holding the geometry and at separate images for textures, so dropping the .gltf alone gives most viewers an error. Drop all the files together, or a .zip of the folder, and the viewer resolves every reference by file name. Files with everything embedded work on their own.

Underneath it is the same model as a [GLB](https://printpal.io/tools/glb-viewer). Use the viewer to check that a glTF exported from Blender, three.js or a CAD tool carries its textures, has the size you expect (glTF is in metres) and is watertight before printing.

## How to use the glTF viewer

1. **Open the file.** Drop the .gltf together with its .bin and textures, or a .zip of the folder.
2. **Check size and orientation.** The model stands on the plate in millimetres. Switch to inches, or change the file units or up axis if it looks wrong.
3. **Run the checks.** Read the mesh check, pick your printer to see whether it fits, and use Measure (M) or Section (X) for a closer look.
4. **Save or convert.** Take a PNG screenshot, or save the model as STL, 3MF, OBJ, GLB, PLY or USDZ.

## What you can check

- Separate .bin and texture files, or embedded data URIs
- Draco, Meshopt and KTX2 compression
- Size in mm or inches from glTF metres
- Watertight check and triangle count
- Save as GLB, STL, 3MF, OBJ or USDZ

## glTF at a glance (glTF 2.0 JSON)

A .gltf is the readable JSON form of glTF 2.0. The geometry usually sits in a separate .bin file and textures in image files, which makes it easy to inspect and edit, and easy to break by moving one file.

- **Stores:** A JSON scene that points at .bin buffers and image files (or embeds them)
- **Color:** Full: textures, base colors and vertex colors
- **Units:** Metres, fixed by the spec
- **Up axis:** Y, fixed by the spec
- **File size:** JSON plus buffers; embedded base64 adds about a third
- **Opens in:** Web viewers, Blender, three.js, Babylon.js, game engines

## Tips

- **Error about a missing file?** The message names the .bin or images the .gltf asked for. Add them to the drop, or zip the folder.
- **One file instead of three?** Convert [glTF to GLB](https://printpal.io/convert/gltf-to-glb) to pack the buffers and textures into a single file.
- **Check the size** A glTF modelled in centimetres but exported without scaling looks 100 times too big. The viewer suggests the likely unit.

## FAQ

### What is the difference between glTF and GLB?

The data is the same glTF 2.0. A .gltf is JSON with separate (or embedded) buffers and images; a .glb packs all of it into one binary file, which is smaller and easier to share.

### Why won't my .gltf file load?

Usually the .bin or texture files it references are missing or renamed. Drop them together with the .gltf, or drop a .zip of the whole folder.

### Can I convert glTF to STL for printing?

Yes. Save it as STL from the sidebar, or use [glTF to STL](https://printpal.io/convert/gltf-to-stl), which converts metres to millimetres and Y up to Z up.

### Is the viewer free? Are there limits?

Free, with no sign-up, watermark or file limit. The practical limit is your device's memory: files of a few hundred MB open on most laptops.

### Are my files uploaded anywhere?

No. Files are read by JavaScript and WebAssembly in your browser and never sent to PrintPal. Only the code is downloaded, and the STEP and IGES reader once, from a public CDN.

## Related

- [glTF to STL Converter](https://printpal.io/convert/gltf-to-stl)
- [glTF to GLB Converter](https://printpal.io/convert/gltf-to-glb)
- [GLB to glTF Converter](https://printpal.io/convert/glb-to-gltf)
- [STL to OBJ Converter](https://printpal.io/convert/stl-to-obj)
- [OBJ to STL Converter](https://printpal.io/convert/obj-to-stl)
- [STEP to STL Converter](https://printpal.io/convert/step-to-stl)
- [STL to 3MF Converter](https://printpal.io/convert/stl-to-3mf)
- [GLB to STL Converter](https://printpal.io/convert/glb-to-stl)
- [3D model viewer](https://printpal.io/tools/3d-model-viewer)
- [3D model converter](https://printpal.io/tools/3d-model-converter)
- [Mesh Repair](https://printpal.io/tools/mesh-repair)
- PrintPal for LLMs: https://printpal.io/llms.txt