PMX File Format (.pmx)
A PMX file is a binary character model for MikuMikuDance, the successor to the older PMD format, built by Yu Higuchi's tools to hold a mesh alongside its bones, facial morphs and rigid-body physics as one package that MMD loads and animates directly.
PMX at a glance#
| Full name | MikuMikuDance model |
|---|---|
| File extension | .pmx |
| Category | 3D Models |
| Developer | Yu Higuchi |
| Compression | Uncompressed |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads this format but does not write it |
What a .pmx file can hold#
These are the things a PMX 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 PMX#
What PMX does well
- A vast, still-active library of free character models is distributed as PMX, mostly built around Vocaloid and anime characters
- PMX Editor gives non-programmers a GUI for adjusting bones, morphs and physics without touching raw data
- Morphs and physics bodies ship inside the same file as the mesh, so a model arrives ready to pose and jiggle
Where PMX falls short
- Support outside the MMD ecosystem is limited to a handful of add-ons, chiefly Blender's mmd_tools
- The format has never had an official public specification; community reverse-engineering is what tools implement against
- PMX Editor, the primary authoring tool, is Windows-only, though Blender covers editing on other platforms
Use PMX when a character needs to be posed, animated or physics-simulated inside MikuMikuDance or the wider MMD tool ecosystem.
Convert PMX to glTF or FBX when an MMD character needs to move into a game engine or renderer outside the MMD ecosystem.
How to open a .pmx file#
A .pmx file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts PMX 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 | MikuMikuDance, PMX Editor, Blender (mmd_tools) |
| macOS | Blender (mmd_tools) |
| Linux | Blender (mmd_tools) |
| Web | FileFlip |
PMX questions people ask#
What is a PMX file?
A PMX file is a MikuMikuDance character model, storing a mesh together with its bones, facial morphs and rigid-body physics in one binary file. It's the successor to the older PMD format and the format almost all current MMD character content is distributed in.
What's the difference between PMD and PMX?
PMD is the older MikuMikuDance model format, and PMX succeeded it with a more flexible bone and morph system, support for more materials, and additional physics options. PMX Editor can open and convert PMD files, and current MMD content is essentially all PMX now.
Can I open a PMX file outside MikuMikuDance?
Yes, Blender opens PMX files through the community mmd_tools add-on, which reads the mesh, bones, morphs and physics much the way MikuMikuDance does. Outside of MMD-focused tools, native PMX support is rare.
Converting PMX files#
Convert PMX to another format
FileFlip does not write .pmx 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.