How to convert STL to OBJ

Need to convert STL to OBJ? STL stores raw triangle geometry only, with no colour, UVs or materials; OBJ is best for a universal static mesh almost any tool can read. This guide covers exactly what survives the conversion, what you can lose, and the quickest reliable workflow.

What transfers and what you lose

• STL carries no materials, so you will assign materials and textures in the OBJ pipeline.
• Check units and scale after importing. STL and OBJ workflows often assume different default units, which is the most common cause of a model arriving far too large or too small.

Convert STL to OBJ in your browser

This local converter supports standalone STL files for this safe mesh route. Nothing is uploaded. Materials, animation and external texture sidecars may be lost depending on the formats.

Local mesh converter

Drop an STL file here, or click to choose one.

Convert to OBJ

Choose a file to convert.

Recommended workflow

1. Open your STL file. Import the STL file into a tool that reads both formats, such as Blender (free), MeshLab or your slicer.
2. Check scale, units and orientation. Confirm the model is the right size and facing the right way before exporting. Fix the units now rather than in the target application.
3. Set up materials for the target. Assign materials and re-link textures so they export cleanly to OBJ.
4. Export as OBJ. Export to OBJ using the correct options for a universal static mesh almost any tool can read, then re-open the result to confirm geometry, scale and materials are intact.

Frequently asked questions

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