Import Export
Introduction
This page lists the various file formats that FreeCAD can import and export. For completeness the FreeCAD native format is included in the list. Some formats have a related wiki page that can be reached by clicking on the extension in the first column.
Related
See the following pages for additional information:
Overview of file formats
| Format | Description | Import / Open | Export / Create |
|---|---|---|---|
| *.FCStd | FreeCAD native format | Std Open, Std MergeProjects | Std Save |
| *.cam | FreeCAD frozen views (camera settings) | Std FreezeViews | Std FreezeViews |
| *.FCMacro | FreeCAD macro (Python code) | Std Import | Std DlgMacroRecord |
| *.FCMat | FreeCAD material card | Std Import | no |
| *.FCParam | FreeCAD parameter file | Std DlgParameter | Std DlgParameter |
| *.FCScript | FreeCAD script (Python code) | Std Import | Std DlgMacroRecord |
| *.fctb | CAM tool bit file (JSON format) | CAM ToolBitLibraryOpen | CAM ToolBitLibraryOpen |
| *.fctl | CAM tool library file (JSON format) | CAM ToolBitLibraryOpen | CAM ToolBitLibraryOpen |
| *.3ds | 3D Studio mesh | Std Import | no |
| *.3mf | 3D manufacturing format | Std Import | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.amf | Additive manufacturing format | no | Std Export |
| *.asc | Point cloud format | Std Import, Points Import | Std Export, Points Export |
| *.ast | ASCII Stereolithography mesh (mostly used for 3D printing) | Std Import, Mesh Import | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.asy | Asymptote code | no | Mesh Export |
| *.bdf | FEM mesh | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.bdf | Nastran mesh | Mesh Import | Mesh Export |
| *.bmp | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.bms | Binary mesh | Std Import, Mesh Import | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.brep | OpenCasCade native format | Std Import, Part Import | Std Export, Part Export |
| *.brp | OpenCasCade native format | Std Import, Part Import | Std Export, Part Export |
| *.cnc | G-code | Std Import | CAM Post |
| *.csg | OpenSCAD Constructive Solid Geometry format | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.csv | Comma-separated values | Std Import, Spreadsheet Import | Spreadsheet Export |
| *.cur | Image format | Std Import | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.dae | Collada format. For Linux users: External pyCollada module required. | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.dat | Common airfoil data | Std Import | no |
| *.dat | FEM mesh | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.dib | Image format | Std ViewLoadImage | no |
| *.dwg | AutoCAD native format. Only 2D geometry is supported. External software required. | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.dxf | Autodesk drawing exchange format. Only 2D geometry is supported. External software required for the legacy Python importer and the legacy Python exporter. | Std Import | Std Export, TechDraw ExportPageDXF |
| *.e57 | Point cloud format | Std Import | no |
| *.emn | IDF format | Std Import | no |
| *.frd | FEM result CalculiX | Std Import | no |
| *.gc | G-code | Std Import | CAM Post |
| *.gcad | Open CAD format (obsolete, 2D-only format) | Std Import | no |
| *.gcode | G-code | Std Import | CAM Post |
| *.gif | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | no |
| *.glb | GL Transmission Format | no | Std Export |
| *.gltf | GL Transmission Format | no | Std Export |
| *.gv | Graphviz format | no | Std Save, Std SaveAs, Std ExportDependencyGraph |
| *.html | WebGL | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.icb | Image format | Std ViewLoadImage | no |
| *.icns | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.ico | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.ifc | Industry Foundation Classes exchange format for BIM models. For Linux users: External IfcOpenShell module required. | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.ifcJSON | Industry Foundation Classes exchange format for BIM models. External IFCJson module required (must be installed manually). For Linux users: External IfcOpenShell module required. | no | Std Export |
| *.iges | Older solid-based format | Std Import, Part Import (with or without colors) | Std Export, Part Export (with or without colors) |
| *.igs | Older solid-based format | Std Import, Part Import (with or without colors) | Std Export, Part Export (with or without colors) |
| *.inc | Povray format | Std Import | no |
| *.inp | FEM mesh | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.iv | Inventor V2.1 format | Std Import, Mesh Import | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.jpe | Image format | Std ViewLoadImage | no |
| *.jpeg | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.jpg | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.json | Draft annotation styles | Draft AnnotationStyleEditor | Draft AnnotationStyleEditor |
| *.json | Draft style settings | Draft SetStyle | Draft SetStyle |
| *.json | FEM mesh | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.json | JavaScript Object Notation | no | Std Export |
| *.med | FEM mesh | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.meshjson | FEM mesh | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.meshpy | FEM mesh | no | Std Export |
| *.meshyaml | FEM mesh | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.nas | Nastran mesh | Mesh Import | Mesh Export |
| *.nc | G-code | Std Import | CAM Post |
| *.ncc | G-code | Std Import | CAM Post |
| *.ngc | G-code | Std Import | CAM Post |
| *.obj | Alias mesh | Std Import, Mesh Import | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.obj | Wavefront format - Arch module | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.oca | Open CAD format (obsolete, 2D-only format) | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.off | Object file format mesh | Std Import, Mesh Import | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.pbm | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.pcd | Point cloud format | Std Import, Points Import | Std Export, Points Export |
| Portable Document Format | Std Import (image format), Std ViewLoadImage | Std Export, Std PrintPdf | |
| *.pgm | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.plmxml | Siemens PLM format | Std Import | no |
| *.ply | Point cloud format | Std Import, Points Import | Std Export, Points Export |
| *.ply | Stanford triangle mesh format | Std Import, Mesh Import | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.png | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.poly | FEM mesh TetGen | no | Std Export |
| *.pov | Povray format | Std Import | no |
| *.ppm | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.pvtu | FEM mesh | Std Import | no |
| *.pvtu | FEM result VTK | Std Import | no |
| *.py | Python code | Std Import | Std DlgMacroRecord |
| *.py | Python module def | no | Mesh Export |
| *.scad | OpenSCAD format. External software required for import. | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.shp | GIS shapefile | Std Import | no |
| *.smf | Simple model format | Std Import | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.src | KRL robot trajectory | no | Robot ExportKukaCompact, Robot ExportKukaFull |
| *.step | Exchange format for engineering models | Std Import, Part Import (with or without colors) | Std Export, Part Export (with or without colors) |
| *.stl | FEM mesh | no | Std Export |
| *.stl | Stereolithography mesh (mostly used for 3D printing) | Std Import, Mesh Import | Std Export, Mesh Export (binary or ASCII) |
| *.stp | Exchange format for engineering models | Std Import, Part Import (with or without colors) | Std Export, Part Export (with or without colors) |
| *.stpz | Compressed STEP | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.svg | Scalable vector graphics format | Std Import (SVG or image format), Std ViewLoadImage | Std Export, TechDraw ExportPageSVG |
| *.svgz | Compressed SVG | Std Import (image format), Std ViewLoadImage | no |
| *.tap | G-code | Std Import | CAM Post |
| *.tga | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | no |
| *.tif | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.tiff | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.tooltable | CAM tool | CAM ToolBitLibraryOpen | CAM ToolBitLibraryOpen |
| *.tpic | Image format | Std ViewLoadImage | no |
| *i1.txt | FEM mesh Z88 | Std Import | Std Export |
| *o2.txt | FEM result Z88 displacements | Std Import | no |
| *.unv | FEM mesh | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.vda | Image format | Std ViewLoadImage | no |
| *.vrml | VRML Web 3D format | Std Import | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.vst | Image format | Std ViewLoadImage | no |
| *.vtk | FEM mesh | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.vtk | FEM result VTK | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.vtu | FEM mesh | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.vtu | FEM result VTK | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.wbmp | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.webp | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.wrl | VRML Web 3D format | Std Import | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.wrl.gz | Compressed VRML | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.wrml | VRML Web 3D format | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.wrz | Compressed VRML | Std Import | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.x3d | X3D extensible 3D | no | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.x3dz | Compressed X3D | no | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.xbm | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.xdmf | FEM mesh Fenics | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.xhtml | WebGL/X3D | Std Import | Std Export, Mesh Export |
| *.xlsx | Excel / Office Open XML spreadsheet | Std Import | no |
| *.xml | FEM mesh Fenics | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.xml | CAM tool | CAM ToolBitLibraryOpen | CAM ToolBitLibraryOpen |
| *.xpm | Image format | Std Import, Std ViewLoadImage | Std ViewScreenShot |
| *.yaml | FEM mesh | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.yml | YAML script | Std Import | no |
| *.z88 | FEM mesh | Std Import | Std Export |
| *.zip | SweetHome3D XML | Std Import | no |
| job_*.json | CAM job template | CAM Job | CAM ExportTemplate |
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