3MF File Format (.3mf)
A 3MF file is a ZIP archive of XML documents, published by the 3MF Consortium in 2015 as 3D printing's replacement for STL, adding the colour, material, unit and multi-object placement data STL never had.
3MF at a glance#
| Full name | 3D Manufacturing Format |
|---|---|
| File extension | .3mf |
| Category | 3D Models |
| Developer | 3MF Consortium |
| First released | 2015 |
| MIME types | model/3mf |
| Compression | Lossless |
| Specification | 3MF Core Specification |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads and writes this format |
What a .3mf file can hold#
These are the things a 3MF file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.
| Embedded metadata | Yes |
|---|---|
| Textures and materials | Yes |
Strengths and limitations of 3MF#
What 3MF does well
- Carries colour, material, units and multiple objects with their build-plate placement, none of which STL can hold
- A ZIP of XML, so any archive tool can look inside without special software
- Backed by a consortium of major CAD and printer vendors rather than one company, and an ISO standard since 2025
Where 3MF falls short
- Slicer and printer support still trails STL, since STL had a decades-long head start
- The base spec covers geometry, colour and materials; some printer-specific features rely on vendor extensions
- Being XML inside a ZIP, a 3MF is more work to hand-edit than a plain-text format
Use 3MF over STL whenever colour, material or multiple positioned objects need to travel with the geometry to the printer.
Convert 3MF to STL only when the destination software is old enough to not support 3MF at all.
How to open a .3mf file#
A .3mf file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts 3MF into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.
| Platform | Programs that open it |
|---|---|
| Windows | PrusaSlicer, Cura, 3D Builder, Bambu Studio |
| macOS | PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio |
| Linux | PrusaSlicer, Cura |
| Web | FileFlip |
3MF questions people ask#
What is a 3MF file?
A 3MF file is a 3D printing format, a ZIP archive of XML, published by the 3MF Consortium in 2015 to replace STL. It adds colour, material, real-world units and multiple objects with their placement on the build plate, none of which STL can store.
Is 3MF better than STL?
3MF can carry colour, material, units and multiple positioned objects in one file, all of which STL simply has no fields for. STL still has broader support since it's decades older, so the better choice depends on whether the printer and slicer being used actually support 3MF.
Can I open a 3MF file with a ZIP tool?
Yes, a 3MF file is literally a ZIP archive containing XML documents, so any standard archive utility can open it and show the files inside. That doesn't render the model, but it does let you inspect the raw geometry and metadata directly.
Does my 3D printer support 3MF?
Most current slicers, including PrusaSlicer, Cura and Bambu Studio, read 3MF natively and it's become the default project format for several of them. Older or budget slicer software may still expect STL, so it's worth checking a specific printer's software before relying on 3MF alone.
Converting 3MF files#
Convert 3MF to another format
Convert another format to 3MF
- STL to 3MF
- 3DS to 3MF
- AC3D to 3MF
- AC3D Scene to 3MF
- ACC to 3MF
- AMF to 3MF
- ASE to 3MF
- ASK to 3MF
- B3D to 3MF
- BLEND to 3MF
- BSP to 3MF
- BVH to 3MF
- COB to 3MF
- COLLADA to 3MF
- CSM to 3MF
- DirectX X to 3MF
- DXF to 3MF
- ENFF to 3MF
- FBX to 3MF
- GLB to 3MF
- glTF to 3MF
- HMP to 3MF
- IFC to 3MF
- IQM to 3MF
See every 3D model conversion (40 more)
Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.