.3ds files
.3ds file
3D Studio Model
The legacy Autodesk 3D Studio mesh format from the DOS era.
What opens a .3ds file
- Windows
- Blender (with the Autodesk 3DS add-on enabled), Autodesk 3ds Max, MeshLab
- macOS
- Blender (with the Autodesk 3DS add-on enabled), MeshLab
- Linux
- Blender (with the Autodesk 3DS add-on enabled), MeshLab
What a .3ds file is
3DS was the native format of Autodesk 3D Studio for DOS and remains common in older model libraries. It is limited — 65,536 vertices per mesh, short material names, no modern shading data — and Autodesk has long since moved to MAX and FBX. Blender dropped built-in 3DS support in 2.8 and now offers it again as an official add-on you enable in preferences.
Converting it
A .3ds file is commonly converted to .obj, .fbx, .stl or .blend. It is a binary format, so a text editor will show unreadable characters rather than its contents.
Details
- Extension
- .3ds
- Full name
- 3D Studio Model
- Category
- 3D and CAD
- Created by
- Autodesk
- Format
- Binary
Common questions
- How do I open a .3ds file?
- On Windows use Blender (with the Autodesk 3DS add-on enabled); on macOS use Blender (with the Autodesk 3DS add-on enabled); on Linux use Blender (with the Autodesk 3DS add-on enabled). The legacy Autodesk 3D Studio mesh format from the DOS era.
- What is a .3ds file?
- 3D Studio Model. 3DS was the native format of Autodesk 3D Studio for DOS and remains common in older model libraries. It is limited — 65,536 vertices per mesh, short material names, no modern shading data — and Autodesk has long since moved to MAX and FBX.
- Can I convert a .3ds file?
- Yes. It is usually converted to .obj, .fbx, .stl or .blend, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.
Related pages
- .stl — Stereolithography Model The universal 3D printing format — a shell of triangles with no colour or units.
- .obj — Wavefront OBJ Model A plain-text 3D mesh format that nearly every 3D program can import.
- .fbx — Filmbox 3D Scene The standard interchange format for 3D models with rigging, animation and materi
- .gcode — G-code Toolpath The line-by-line instructions a 3D printer or CNC machine actually executes.
- .blend — Blender Project Blender's own project file, holding an entire scene, its animation and its setti
- .3mf — 3D Manufacturing Format The modern replacement for STL, carrying colour, materials and units.
Sources
- Media Types Registry — IANA
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place