Convert 3DS to USDZ (Free)

Drop a .3ds file, click Export, download the .usdz. Apple AR: tap the file on an iPhone or iPad and the model stands in the room.

Also converts STL, OBJ, GLB, PLY, 3MF, WRL from the same file.

Runs in your browser. No upload, no signup, nothing to install.

Also from Innerscene: Circadian Lab, a free lighting calculator for room illuminance, melanopic EML, and glare.

Your 3DS file is read and converted on your own machine. It is never uploaded.

How to convert 3DS to USDZ

1
Open your .3ds file
Drag it onto the viewer above, or click "Open a 3DS File". Files up to 200 MB open directly; the parse runs in a worker so the page stays responsive.
2
Pick USD for AR Quick Look in the Export menu
Click Export in the toolbar, then USDZ (.usdz).
3
Download
The .usdz is written in the browser and saved straight to your downloads folder. No queue, no email, no watermark.

What survives the conversion

A file conversion is a translation, and formats do not carry the same things. Here is exactly what moves from 3DS into USDZ, and what does not.

Geometry	Kept	Both formats store triangle meshes, so the shape transfers directly.
Colors and materials	Kept	USDZ carries full PBR materials, which is at least what 3DS stores, so the colors come across.
Textures	Kept	Bitmap textures are embedded in the USDZ file with their UV coordinates.
Layers and structure	Reduced	USDZ has named objects but no layers, so each layer becomes a named part instead.
Units and scale	Kept	USDZ stores an explicit unit. 3DS does not, so the size is taken from how the viewer read the file. Check the scale once on import.
Lines and points	Dropped	AR Quick Look renders neither lines nor point clouds, so only the triangle meshes are written.

What the USDZ writer emits: An uncompressed, 64-byte-aligned USDZ holding a USD layer with UsdPreviewSurface materials and any baseColor texture. Lines and points are skipped because Quick Look renders neither.

The source: 3D Studio (.3ds)

Meshes, the object hierarchy and material colors from the legacy 3D Studio container.

The target: USD for AR Quick Look (.usdz)

Apple AR: tap the file on an iPhone or iPad and the model stands in the room.

Opens in: iOS and iPadOS AR Quick Look, visionOS, macOS Preview, Reality Composer.

Your file never leaves your computer

Both the 3DS parser and the USDZ writer are JavaScript and WebAssembly running in your own browser tab. There is no upload step, no server-side conversion queue, and no copy of your file anywhere but your machine. That matters for drawings under NDA, for client work, and for anything you would not email to a stranger.

Frequently asked questions

▶Is this 3DS to USDZ converter free?

Yes. No signup, no watermark, no per-file limit and no paid tier. Innerscene.

▶Is my 3DS file uploaded anywhere?

No. The file is read with the browser file API and converted in the same tab. Nothing is sent to a server unless you explicitly click Share, which is a separate, opt-in feature.

▶Will my colors and materials survive the USDZ export?

USDZ carries full PBR materials, which is at least what 3DS stores, so the colors come across.

▶Do layers and named parts carry into the USDZ file?

USDZ has named objects but no layers, so each layer becomes a named part instead.

▶Will the USDZ open at the right size?

USDZ stores an explicit unit. 3DS does not, so the size is taken from how the viewer read the file. Check the scale once on import.

▶How large a 3DS file can I convert?

Up to 200 MB, and the ceiling adapts to how much memory your device reports. The conversion runs on your own hardware, so a desktop with plenty of RAM will handle more than a phone.

▶Can I convert USDZ back to 3DS?

Not here. We read 3DS and write USDZ, but not the reverse. the universal 3D viewer

▶Which browsers does it work in?

Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. No plugin and no extension.