FILE FORMAT GUIDE
What Is a USDZ File?
Apple's AR format — the file behind "View in your room" on iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro.
Pixar USD meets Apple AR
Universal Scene Description (USD) is an open scene format created by Pixar for film-production pipelines. It can describe geometry, materials, lighting, physics, and entire hierarchies of assets. USDZ is a specific packaging of USD: an uncompressed ZIP archive that bundles a single USD file with all its textures into one shareable blob.
Apple adopted USDZ as the native AR format for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS. When Safari encounters a link to a .usdz file, it launches AR Quick Look — the user sees the 3D model overlaid on their camera feed (or in the shared space on Vision Pro) with no app install required. That zero-friction AR experience is the reason USDZ exists as a distribution format distinct from raw USD.
What is inside a USDZ
| Data | Stored in USDZ? |
|---|---|
| Triangle/polygon mesh | Yes |
| PBR materials (RealityKit / MaterialX) | Yes |
| Textures (JPEG, PNG embedded) | Yes — packed in the ZIP alongside the USD |
| Skeletal animation, blend shapes | Yes |
| Scene hierarchy, transforms | Yes |
| Units | Meters (USD spec default, same as glTF) |
| Physics, spatial audio | Yes (RealityKit extensions) |
| Print settings, supports, infill | No — use STL or 3MF for printing |
Where USDZ files come from
| Source | How |
|---|---|
| Reality Converter (macOS) | Apple's free tool — drag in GLB/OBJ/FBX, export USDZ |
| Reality Composer Pro (visionOS) | Scene authoring for Vision Pro, exports USDZ |
| Blender 3.0+ | File → Export → USD (.usdz) with textures |
| This site (STL to USDZ) | Browser-based, no install — geometry only, no authored materials |
| E-commerce platforms (Shopify, Adobe Aero) | Product 3D viewers generate USDZ for iOS AR |
USDZ vs GLB
Both are rich 3D containers with materials, textures, and animation. The split is platform: GLB is the web and Android AR format (SceneViewer); USDZ is the Apple AR format (Quick Look). If you serve AR on a product page, you typically need both — a GLB for Android and a USDZ for iOS.
| USDZ | GLB | |
|---|---|---|
| Spec owner | Pixar (USD) + Apple (USDZ packaging) | Khronos Group (glTF 2.0) |
| Container | Uncompressed ZIP | Binary blob (12-byte header + chunks) |
| AR platform | Apple Quick Look (iOS, iPadOS, visionOS) | Android SceneViewer, WebXR |
| Web viewers | Limited — needs a USD decoder | Native in three.js, Babylon, model-viewer |
| Materials | RealityKit / MaterialX PBR | glTF PBR (metallic-roughness) |
| Animation | Yes | Yes |
| Units | Meters | Meters |
| Best for | Apple AR, Vision Pro | Web, Android AR, general interchange |
Use the STL to USDZ converter on this site to create a Quick Look-compatible file from an STL. For a richer result with authored materials, use Reality Converter or Blender and export USDZ from a textured GLB. See also What is a GLB file? for the web/Android AR side of the equation.
FAQ
What does USDZ stand for?+
USDZ is Universal Scene Description — Zip-compressed. USD is the scene format created by Pixar; Apple and Pixar jointly defined the .usdz packaging as an uncompressed ZIP archive of a USD file plus its textures. The format was announced at WWDC 2018.
How do I open a USDZ file?+
On any iPhone, iPad, or Mac running Safari — tap a .usdz link and AR Quick Look opens automatically. On Vision Pro, USDZ files render in the shared space. On non-Apple platforms, Blender (3.0+), Windows 3D Viewer (via an extension), and web viewers with USD support can open USDZ, but AR Quick Look is Apple-only.
Can I 3D-print a USDZ?+
Not directly — slicers expect STL or 3MF. Convert the USDZ to GLB in Blender or Reality Converter first, then use the GLB to STL converter on this site. If you already have the source STL, that is the file to print from.
USDZ vs GLB — which should I use?+
GLB for the web and Android AR (SceneViewer). USDZ for Apple AR Quick Look (iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro). If you serve both, you need both files — there is no single format that covers Android and iOS AR natively.
Does USDZ support animation?+
Yes — skeletal animation, blend shapes, and object transforms. AR Quick Look plays the animation when the model is placed in the room. The format also supports Apple's MaterialX-based materials for realistic rendering in RealityKit.