IQM File Format (.iqm)
An IQM file is a compact binary model written by Lee Salzman's Inter-Quake Model tools, laying out a header of section offsets followed by aligned arrays of vertex data, joints, poses, animations and per-frame bounds so an engine can read it with minimal parsing.
IQM at a glance#
| Full name | Inter-Quake Model |
|---|---|
| File extension | .iqm |
| Category | 3D Models |
| Developer | Lee Salzman |
| First released | 2010 |
| Compression | Uncompressed |
| Specification | IQM Format Specification |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads this format but does not write it |
What a .iqm file can hold#
These are the things a IQM file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.
| Textures and materials | Yes |
|---|---|
| Skeletons and animation | Yes |
Strengths and limitations of IQM#
What IQM does well
- Data arrays sit at fixed offsets in a documented header, so an engine can memory-map and read the file with very little parsing code
- Open, MIT-licensed reference tools and spec, unlike the closed formats it was built to replace
- Carries meshes, a skeleton, blend weights and multiple named animations in one file
Where IQM falls short
- Far smaller ecosystem than FBX or glTF, so most DCC tools need a dedicated add-on rather than built-in support
- The companion IQE text format exists for editing, so a binary IQM itself isn't meant to be hand-edited
- Documentation lives in a plain-text spec file rather than a maintained standards site
Use IQM when a game engine needs a skeletal model format it can load with minimal, predictable parsing code.
Convert IQM to FBX or glTF when the model needs to go into a mainstream DCC tool or engine that doesn't already have IQM support built in.
How to open a .iqm file#
A .iqm file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts IQM 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 | Blender (IQM import/export add-on) |
| macOS | Blender (IQM import/export add-on) |
| Linux | Blender (IQM import/export add-on) |
| Web | FileFlip |
IQM questions people ask#
What is an IQM file?
An IQM file is a binary 3D model in the Inter-Quake Model format, storing meshes, a skeleton, blend weights and animations in a compact, aligned layout designed for a game engine to load quickly. Lee Salzman created it as an open, engine-agnostic successor to the various id Tech model formats.
What's the difference between IQM and IQE?
IQM is the compact binary format engines load at runtime, while IQE is a plain-text version of the same data meant for editing and for compiling from other formats. Tools convert IQE, or formats like OBJ, SMD and MD5, into IQM as a build step.
What software can open IQM files?
Blender reads and writes IQM through a dedicated import/export add-on, and a handful of open-source game engines built on the format load it natively. Mainstream commercial 3D tools generally don't support IQM without that add-on.
Converting IQM files#
Convert IQM to another format
FileFlip does not write .iqm files, so nothing on the site converts into this format. It works as a source only.
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.