VRM File Format (.vrm)
A VRM file is a glTF 2.0 binary file with a defined VRM extension added on top, first released by Dwango in 2018 for its VirtualCast platform and now maintained by the VRM Consortium, which pins down how a humanoid avatar's bones, blend shapes and licence terms are encoded so the same avatar loads correctly in different applications.
VRM at a glance#
| Full name | VRM avatar |
|---|---|
| File extension | .vrm |
| Category | 3D Models |
| Developer | Dwango |
| First released | 2018 |
| Compression | Varies from file to file |
| Specification | VRM Specification |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads this format but does not write it |
What a .vrm file can hold#
These are the things a VRM 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 |
| Skeletons and animation | Yes |
Strengths and limitations of VRM#
What VRM does well
- Standardises a humanoid bone mapping, so an avatar's rig lines up the same way across every VRM-compatible application
- Bundles a usage licence directly in the file, spelling out whether violence, commercial use or redistribution is permitted
- Built on glTF 2.0, so any glTF-aware renderer already understands the underlying mesh, materials and animation
Where VRM falls short
- VRM 1.0, released in 2022, isn't backward compatible with the earlier 0.x files most existing avatars still use
- The humanoid bone and expression system assumes a bipedal character, so it doesn't fit non-humanoid models well
- Almost entirely a Japanese VTubing and social-VR ecosystem format outside a handful of Western engine plugins
Use VRM when an avatar needs to move between VTubing, streaming and social VR applications with its rig and expressions intact.
Convert VRM to glTF or GLB when the avatar only needs to render as a generic mesh and the humanoid bone mapping and expression presets aren't needed.
How to open a .vrm file#
A .vrm file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts VRM 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 | VRoid Studio, VSeeFace, Blender (VRM Add-on) |
| macOS | Blender (VRM Add-on) |
| Web | FileFlip |
VRM questions people ask#
What is a VRM file?
A VRM file is a humanoid avatar model built on glTF 2.0, adding a standardised bone mapping, facial expression presets and an embedded usage licence so the same avatar behaves consistently across VTubing, streaming and virtual-world applications. Dwango released the format in 2018.
What's the difference between VRM and glTF?
VRM is glTF 2.0 with an additional extension layered on top, so every VRM file is technically a valid glTF binary underneath. What VRM adds is the humanoid-specific data glTF doesn't define on its own: a standard bone naming scheme, blend-shape expression presets, spring-bone physics and licence metadata.
What apps can I open a VRM file with?
VRoid Studio and VSeeFace both open VRM files natively, and Blender reads and writes them through the community VRM Add-on. Most VTubing software and social VR platforms accept VRM as an avatar import as well.
Converting VRM files#
Convert VRM to another format
FileFlip does not write .vrm 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.