Convert USDZ to GLB Online
Convert Universal Scene Description (USDZ) files to GL Transmission Format Binary (GLB), entirely in your browser. No upload, no sign-up. Your files never leave your device.
Drop your USDZ file here
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Decorative potion bottle with glass body, gold trim bands, and cork stopper — multi-material USDZ model for format conversion testing.
Geometry, PBR materials, textures, and scene hierarchy from your USDZ file are faithfully carried over into the GLB output, so the model looks the same after conversion.
GLB is natively supported by every major WebGL and WebGPU engine, including Three.js, Babylon.js, and PlayCanvas, letting you display your model on any browser without plugins.
GLB packs all geometry, materials, and textures into a single optimized binary file that is typically smaller than the equivalent USDZ, reducing load times for web and mobile apps.
While USDZ is tied to the Apple ecosystem, GLB works on Windows, Linux, Android, and the web. Converting opens your 3D content to every major platform and device.
Also convert from USDZ
How to Convert USDZ to GLB
Upload your USDZ file and get a web-ready GLB in seconds.
Upload USDZ
Drag and drop or select your .usdz file. USDZ is a self-contained archive so a single file is all you need.
Processing
Conversion runs entirely in your browser. The USDZ archive is unpacked, and geometry, materials, and textures are repacked into an optimized GLB file. Your data never leaves your device.
Download GLB
Get your GLB file immediately. Load it in any 3D viewer, game engine, or embed it directly on a web page with full material and texture support.
Why convert USDZ to GLB?
USDZ is Apple's packaging of Pixar's Universal Scene Description format, designed primarily for AR Quick Look on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro. It bundles a USD scene file with textures into an uncompressed ZIP archive that Apple devices can memory-map and render efficiently. However, USDZ support outside the Apple ecosystem is limited. Most web browsers, Android devices, and popular game engines like Unity and Godot do not load USDZ natively. If you need your 3D content to reach users beyond Apple platforms, converting to a more widely supported format is essential.
GLB is the binary container for glTF 2.0, an open standard maintained by the Khronos Group that has become the dominant format for real time 3D on the web. Every major browser engine, 3D framework, and content pipeline supports GLB out of the box. It stores geometry, PBR materials, textures, and animations in a single binary blob that is compact and GPU-friendly, earning it the nickname "the JPEG of 3D." Converting your USDZ files to GLB unlocks compatibility with platforms like Android, Windows, e-commerce product viewers, social media 3D posts, and virtually any web application that renders 3D content.
Key advantages of GLB over USDZ
GLB loads directly in all major browsers and WebGL/WebGPU engines without plugins or platform restrictions.
glTF 2.0 is maintained by the Khronos Group with broad industry adoption from Google, Microsoft, Adobe, and others.
GLB uses binary packing and optional Draco or meshopt compression to produce files that are typically smaller than USDZ equivalents.
GLB is the default 3D format on Android and is widely supported across Windows, macOS, and Linux 3D applications.
Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot, Blender, and virtually every 3D tool can import GLB directly.
USDZ vs GLB
| Feature | USDZ | GLB |
|---|---|---|
| File structure | Uncompressed ZIP with .usdc + textures | Single binary container |
| Animation | UsdSkel, morph, keyframe | Full skeletal, morph, keyframe |
| Materials | UsdPreviewSurface | PBR metallic-roughness |
| Textures | JPEG, PNG, AVIF, OpenEXR | JPEG, PNG, KTX2, WebP |
| Compression | None (zero-compression ZIP) | Draco, meshopt, KTX2 |
| Platform | Apple ecosystem only | Cross-platform (web, mobile, desktop) |
| File size | Typically large | Compact (with compression) |
When to Use Each Format
Use USDZ when
- Targeting Apple AR Quick Look on iOS, iPadOS, or visionOS
- Sharing 3D previews through iMessage, Safari, or Apple Mail
- Your assets were authored for the Apple AR ecosystem
- Working with USD-based pipelines from Pixar or SideFX
Use GLB when
- You need cross-platform support (Android, web browsers, Windows)
- File size must be minimized for web delivery or streaming
- You want advanced PBR material extensions not available in UsdPreviewSurface
- Publishing to platforms like Sketchfab, Shopify, or Google Search 3D
Known Limitations
UsdPreviewSurface maps cleanly to glTF PBR metallic-roughness, but clearcoat and some properties may behave slightly differently
AVIF and OpenEXR textures are re-encoded to JPEG or PNG since glTF does not natively support those formats
USD composition features (references, payloads, variants) are resolved and flattened during conversion
Apple-specific AR behaviors (tap interactions, object placement hints) have no glTF equivalent and are lost
USDZ to GLB FAQ
Why convert from USDZ to GLB?
USDZ only works natively on Apple devices. Converting to GLB gives you a format that works everywhere: Android, web browsers, game engines, and most 3D tools. It's the most common path for making Apple AR assets cross-platform.
Will the GLB file be smaller?
Usually much smaller. USDZ uses zero-compression ZIP and has no mesh compression. GLB with Draco can be 5 to 10 times smaller than the equivalent USDZ.
Are materials preserved accurately?
UsdPreviewSurface and glTF PBR metallic-roughness share very similar properties (diffuse color, metallic, roughness, normal, emissive, occlusion). The mapping is one of the cleanest between any two 3D formats.
Do animations survive the conversion?
Yes. Both formats support skeletal animation, blend shapes, and keyframe transforms. Baked animations transfer reliably. Interactive or procedural behaviors from AR Quick Look are not carried over.
Why USDZ Lives on an Island
USDZ is Apple's distribution format for 3D content. It takes Pixar's Universal Scene Description (USD) and wraps it into an uncompressed ZIP archive containing a .usdc binary scene file alongside JPEG and PNG textures. Apple designed it for one thing: instant AR on iPhones, iPads, and Vision Pro. Tap a USDZ link in Safari and AR Quick Look opens it without any app install. The uncompressed ZIP structure lets the OS memory-map the file directly, skipping extraction. Fast and elegant on Apple hardware.
The problem is reach. Android devices do not open USDZ files. Chrome and Firefox on Windows and Linux ignore them. Most web 3D frameworks, including three.js, Babylon.js, and PlayCanvas, do not load USDZ natively. Game engines like Unity and Godot have limited or no USDZ import. If your 3D assets exist only as USDZ, they are locked inside one ecosystem.
GLB as the Universal Alternative
GLB is the binary container for glTF 2.0, an open standard maintained by the Khronos Group. It bundles geometry, PBR materials, textures, and animations into a single file optimized for GPU consumption. The format has become the default for real-time 3D on the web. Google's <model-viewer> component, Android's Scene Viewer, Shopify's product pages, and Meta's 3D posts all expect GLB.
Browser support is universal. Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all render GLB through WebGL and WebGPU. Every major 3D JavaScript library loads it out of the box. Android uses GLB for native AR through Scene Viewer, making it the direct counterpart to USDZ on the other side of the mobile divide.
GLB also supports compression that USDZ lacks entirely. Draco reduces mesh geometry by 90% or more. KTX2 with Basis Universal compresses textures while remaining GPU-friendly. A USDZ file and its GLB equivalent can carry identical visual content, but the GLB will often be a fraction of the size.
What Transfers and What Shifts
Geometry converts cleanly. Vertices, faces, normals, and UV coordinates transfer without loss. Scene hierarchy is preserved. Grouped objects and nested transforms in the USDZ carry over to the GLB output.
Materials require a translation step, but it is one of the smoother conversions in 3D. USDZ uses UsdPreviewSurface, a PBR material model built around metallic and roughness parameters. GLB uses glTF's PBR metallic-roughness model. The core properties align: diffuse color maps to base color, metallic to metallic, roughness to roughness. Normal, emissive, and occlusion textures carry over directly.
The differences are subtle. UsdPreviewSurface calculates metallic reflectance slightly differently at extreme values. When the metallic parameter equals 1.0, USD sets both F0 and F90 reflectivity to the diffuse color, while glTF uses a different formula. For most product models, the visual difference is negligible. Highly polished chrome surfaces may show a slight reflectivity shift visible only in side-by-side comparisons.
Textures embedded in the USDZ archive (JPEG and PNG) are extracted and re-embedded into the GLB. AVIF or OpenEXR textures get re-encoded to formats glTF supports. One technical detail: USD uses a bottom-left texture coordinate origin while glTF uses top-left. The converter flips the V coordinate automatically.
Animations transfer well. Both formats support skeletal animation (UsdSkel maps to glTF skins), morph targets, and keyframe transforms. What does not convert: Apple's proprietary AR behaviors like tap interactions, physics triggers, spatial audio, and object placement hints. These are Quick Look features with no glTF equivalent.
Serving Both Formats from One Page
Many teams that convert USDZ to GLB still need to serve both formats. iPhone users get the best AR experience through USDZ and Quick Look. Everyone else needs GLB. The standard approach is to produce both and let the device pick.
Google's <model-viewer> web component handles this automatically. It accepts a GLB as its primary source and a USDZ through its ios-src attribute. On Android, it launches Scene Viewer with the GLB. On iOS, it opens AR Quick Look with the USDZ. Desktop browsers render the GLB inline. One HTML element, two formats, full platform coverage.
For teams building from a USDZ-first pipeline, the workflow is straightforward: keep the original USDZ for Apple devices, convert a copy to GLB for everything else. The GLB version can be further optimized with Draco compression and KTX2 textures for faster web loading, while the USDZ stays uncompressed as Apple's format requires.
This dual-format strategy is standard practice in ecommerce and product visualization. Furniture retailers, sneaker brands, and automotive configurators all maintain parallel USDZ and GLB assets. The USDZ-to-GLB conversion is the step that takes an Apple-only 3D asset and opens it to the rest of the internet.