Convert 3DS to PLY
Convert a 3DS file to PLY in your browser. Free, no upload, no sign-up.
Convert 3DS files to PLY directly in your browser. The converter parses the 3DS mesh, rebuilds it in memory and writes it out as PLY, keeping every triangle. Nothing is uploaded, there is no file size limit beyond your computer's memory, and the result downloads instantly. PLY preserves per-vertex colors from scans and is the native format of MeshLab and most scanning pipelines.
How to convert 3DS to PLY
- 1Drop your 3DS file
Drag a .3ds file onto the box above or click to choose one. Mesh geometry is read; textures and lights are ignored.
- 2Check the preview
The model renders in 3D so you can confirm it loaded correctly. Dimensions, volume and triangle count are shown next to it; open edges are flagged if the mesh is not watertight.
- 3Download the PLY
Adjust the export options if needed and click download. Per-vertex colors are kept when the source has them; textures are not.
What is a 3DS file?
3DS is the binary format of the original Autodesk 3D Studio from the DOS era. It is limited to 65,536 vertices per object and 8-character names, yet an enormous number of models from older libraries and marketplaces are still shipped as .3ds files.
Commonly used by: legacy 3ds Max scenes, old model marketplaces
Mesh geometry is read; textures and lights are ignored.
What is a PLY file?
PLY was designed at Stanford to store 3D scanner output. It supports per-vertex colors and arbitrary custom properties, in either ASCII or binary encoding, which is why scanning and photogrammetry software prefers it over STL.
Commonly used by: 3D scanners, photogrammetry (Meshroom, RealityCapture), MeshLab, research tools
PLY preserves per-vertex colors from scans and is the native format of MeshLab and most scanning pipelines.
3DS vs PLY
| 3DS | PLY | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | 3D Studio | Polygon File Format |
| Encoding | Binary | Text or binary |
| Geometry type | Triangle mesh | Triangle mesh |
| Colors | No | Yes |
| Textures | Yes | No |
| Materials | Yes | No |
| Stores units | No | No |
| Multiple objects | Yes | No |
| Typical use | legacy 3ds Max scenes, old model marketplaces | 3D scanners, photogrammetry (Meshroom, RealityCapture), MeshLab |