Which versions the FBX viewer opens
| FBX file | result |
|---|---|
| 7.4 binary | opens (tested, including files from two open-source exporters) |
| 7.4 ASCII | opens (tested) |
| 7.5 ASCII | opens (tested, a 760-triangle sphere) |
| 6.x, tested with 6.1 | message with the version and a request to re-export |
Version 7.0 matches FBX 2010, so files from FBX 2010 onward belong in the first rows. For an old file, re-export as FBX 2014/2020, OBJ or glTF from the program that made it.
What you see of an FBX here
An FBX can hold more than a mesh, and it carries its own unit scale setting. This FBX file viewer is built for the geometry: shape, size, volume and whether the mesh is closed.
Textures are read by the engine but our tests do not cover them yet. The mesh check, section plane and measure tool work as on any other format.
The unit scale is not applied
Coordinates are taken as stored. A file flagged as millimetres with a 20-unit cube opens as 20 mm. A model whose real size depends on that flag will look off. Fix it with Edit: scale by %, or set an exact size in mm on one axis.
Many FBX models also use Y as up. When you convert one for printing, tick "Rotate Y-up model to Z-up" so it lands flat on the bed.
Typical FBX trouble
- "FBX 6.x" message. Re-export in a newer version; the file itself is not damaged.
- Open edges in the mesh check. Models made for screens are often built from loose shells. Edit → Repair welds vertices and closes simple holes.
- You need an FBX back. There is no FBX writer here. Save GLB or OBJ and import that into your animation tool.
Check an FBX model before you print it
A character model can look perfect in a render and still fail an hour into the print. Start with the mesh check in Info, which reports open edges, non-manifold edges, flipped and degenerate triangles, and the number of separate parts. Wireframe shows how dense the mesh is. The section plane reveals whether a limb is a closed solid or a thin shell.
Then set the size: scale to an exact height in mm on one axis, and the other two axes follow in proportion. Lay on bed puts the lowest point at Z = 0.
FBX converters and neighbours
Three pairs were converted and re-opened with the same size, volume and triangle count: FBX to OBJ (binary cube and the ASCII sphere), FBX to STL and FBX to GLB. Lighter scene files open in the GLB viewer, and plain meshes in the OBJ viewer.
Questions and answers
How do I open an FBX file without installing software?
Drop it on this page in a Chromium browser. The file is parsed in the tab and stays on your computer.
Binary or ASCII FBX, which one opens?
Both, from version 7.0. Tests used 7.4 binary, 7.4 ASCII and 7.5 ASCII files.
Why is my FBX the wrong size?
The FBX unit scale flag is ignored, so the raw coordinates become millimetres. Rescale with Edit, by % or to an exact length.
What does the FBX 6.x message tell me?
It names the version found in the file, for example 6.1, and suggests a re-export as FBX 2014/2020, OBJ or glTF.
Can this FBX reader export to FBX?
No. Save OBJ, GLB, glTF or STL instead; FBX to glTF was also tested.