How do I open a .blend file?

On Windows use Blender; on macOS use Blender; on Linux use Blender. Blender's own project file, holding an entire scene, its animation and its settings.

Can I convert a .blend file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .fbx, .obj, .gltf, .stl or .usdz, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

.blend files

.blend file

Blender Project

Blender's own project file, holding an entire scene, its animation and its settings.

What opens a .blend file

Windows: Blender
macOS: Blender
Linux: Blender

What a .blend file is

A .blend file stores everything about a Blender project — objects, materials, animation, render settings, even the window layout — in one file. Only Blender opens it, and while Blender reads files from older versions, a file saved in a newer release may not open in an older one. Export to FBX, OBJ or glTF to hand a model to another program.

Converting it

A .blend file is commonly converted to .fbx, .obj, .gltf, .stl or .usdz. It is a binary format, so a text editor will show unreadable characters rather than its contents.

Details

Extension: .blend
Full name: Blender Project
Category: 3D and CAD
Created by: Blender Foundation
Format: Binary

Common questions

How do I open a .blend file?: On Windows use Blender; on macOS use Blender; on Linux use Blender. Blender's own project file, holding an entire scene, its animation and its settings.
What is a .blend file?: Blender Project. A .blend file stores everything about a Blender project — objects, materials, animation, render settings, even the window layout — in one file. Only Blender opens it, and while Blender reads files from older versions, a file saved in a newer release may not open in an older one.
Can I convert a .blend file?: Yes. It is usually converted to .fbx, .obj, .gltf, .stl or .usdz, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

.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.
.3mf — 3D Manufacturing Format The modern replacement for STL, carrying colour, materials and units.
.3ds — 3D Studio Model The legacy Autodesk 3D Studio mesh format from the DOS era.

Sources

Media Types Registry — IANA
Official vendor product documentation — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked