What it stores
- Geometry and scene graph
- PBR materials and embedded textures
- Animations and skins
- A single self-contained file
3D FILE FORMAT
GLB: one binary file for the web
GLB is the binary form of glTF: geometry, PBR materials, textures and animations in a single file. Browsers, AR viewers and game engines load it natively.
At a glance
What it does not store
- CAD precision: it is a mesh, not B-Rep
- Print metadata; glTF declares metres but exporters vary
- Parametric history
When to use it
- Showing a model on the web or in AR
- three.js, Unity, Unreal and Blender
- Sharing one file with its textures
Limits to know
- Textures dominate the file size
- Draco, Meshopt or KTX2 need a decoder
- Not a printing format
Convert to and from
GLB → STLConvert GLB to STLGLB → OBJConvert GLB to OBJ3MF → GLBConvert 3MF to GLBGLB → GLBCompress a GLB fileSTL → GLBConvert STL to GLBOBJ → GLBConvert OBJ to GLB
Questions about the format
GLB or glTF?+
GLB is a single binary package; glTF is JSON with separate .bin and texture files. Use GLB to share one file.
Does GLB have units?+
The specification uses metres, but exporters often ignore it. Check the scale in your engine.
Can I 3D print a GLB?+
Convert it to STL first: slicers do not read GLB, and textures are useless to them.