GeometryViewer Blog

Guides, tutorials, and comparisons for 3D model viewing

Windows 3D Viewer Removal 2

Microsoft Removes 3D Viewer from Windows 11 →
What happened to 3D Viewer, why Microsoft removed it, and the best free alternatives.
Can't Open STL Files on Windows 11? →
How to view STL files on Windows 11 now that 3D Viewer is gone.

Format Comparisons 9

STL vs 3MF for 3D Printing →
Color, multi-material, mesh integrity, and file size compared.
GLTF vs GLB — What's the Difference? →
Multi-file vs single binary — when to use each glTF variant.
OBJ vs GLTF — Which Format? →
Legacy mesh format vs modern standard — features, size, and compatibility.
STL vs OBJ — What's the Difference? →
Two of the oldest mesh formats compared for printing and rendering.
Best 3D Format for Websites →
Which format loads fastest and looks best in a browser.
Best 3D Format for AR →
GLB, USDZ, and the augmented reality format landscape explained.
7 Best Free STL Viewers in 2026 →
Top free tools for viewing STL files — online and offline, ranked.

Format Guides 5

What is an STL File? →
Everything you need to know about the STL mesh format.
What is a GLB File? →
The binary glTF container — how it works and where it's used.
What is a 3MF File? →
The modern 3D printing format with color, materials, and metadata.
What is glTF? →
The "JPEG of 3D" — why glTF became the web standard for 3D.
Open 3MF Without a Slicer →
View and inspect 3MF files without installing slicer software.

Platform Guides 8

View 3D Models on Chromebook →
How to open and interact with 3D files on Chrome OS.
View STL Files on iPhone →
The easiest way to view STL models on iOS with no app install.
View STL Files on Mac →
Native and web-based options for viewing STL on macOS.
STL Viewer for Linux →
Open-source and online STL viewers that work on any Linux distro.
View 3D on iPad & Tablets →
Touch-friendly 3D viewing on iPad, Android tablets, and more.
View 3D on Android →
Open 3D files on any Android phone or tablet — no app needed.
Open GLB Files on iPad →
View GLB models on iPad using Safari or a web-based viewer.
Open STL Without Software →
View STL files instantly in your browser — nothing to install.

Embedding Tutorials 10

Embed 3D in Notion →
Add interactive 3D models to your Notion pages with an embed block.
Embed 3D in Ghost →
Add a 3D viewer to Ghost blog posts using an HTML card.
Embed 3D in WordPress →
Use a Custom HTML block to embed interactive 3D in WordPress.
Embed 3D in Shopify →
Show customers an interactive 3D preview on your Shopify store.
Embed 3D in Squarespace →
Add 3D model embeds to Squarespace pages with a code block.
Embed 3D in Wix →
Embed an interactive 3D viewer into any Wix site.
Embed 3D in Webflow →
Use Webflow's embed element to add 3D models to your site.
3D Viewer in React →
Add a 3D viewer component to your React app with an iframe or Three.js.
Embed 3D in Medium →
Link to an interactive 3D preview from your Medium articles.
Embed STL in HTML →
The simplest way to put an interactive STL viewer on any webpage.

Sharing & Workflow 6

Share 3D with Clients →
Send clients an interactive 3D link they can open on any device.
Share 3D on Discord →
Post 3D models in Discord with a clickable preview.
Share Large 3D Files →
How to share big 3D files without email attachment limits.
3D Model Approval Workflow →
Set up a review-and-approve pipeline for 3D design teams.
3D Model Review Tool →
Collaborate on 3D models with visual feedback and annotations.
Interactive 3D Portfolio →
Showcase your 3D work with interactive embeds instead of screenshots.

3D Printing 3

Check STL Before Printing →
Inspect your STL for errors, non-manifold edges, and wall thickness.
AR Print Preview →
See how your 3D print will look at real-world scale with AR.
STL Material Preview →
Preview how an STL looks with different materials and colors.

Industry & Niche 9

Dental STL Viewer →
View dental scans, crowns, and aligners in your browser.
Prosthetic STL Viewer →
Inspect prosthetic device models before printing.
Jewelry 3D Viewer →
Show customers interactive jewelry models with realistic materials.
Architectural Model Viewer →
Present architectural models to clients with an interactive viewer.
3D Viewer for Teachers →
Use 3D models in the classroom for hands-on digital learning.
3D Viewer for Small Business →
Add interactive 3D product views to your small business site.
View 3D Scans Online →
Open photogrammetry and LiDAR scans in the browser.
View CAD Files Online →
Open STEP, IGES, and CAD exports online without desktop software.
Open Source Hardware Preview →
Let users inspect open-source hardware designs interactively.

Troubleshooting 7

3D Model Not Loading? →
Common reasons your 3D model fails to load and how to fix them.
STL File Corrupt? →
Diagnose and repair corrupted or malformed STL files.
OBJ Missing Textures? →
Fix missing MTL and texture files when viewing OBJ models.
GLTF Textures Not Showing? →
Troubleshoot missing or broken textures in glTF/GLB files.
3D Model Upside Down? →
Fix orientation issues caused by different coordinate systems.
STL File Too Large? →
Reduce STL file size with decimation, compression, and optimization.
MeshLab Alternative Online →
View and inspect meshes in the browser without installing MeshLab.

Comparisons 3

GeometryViewer vs ViewSTL →
Feature-by-feature comparison of two popular online STL viewers.
Free Sketchfab Alternative →
A free, no-account alternative for sharing 3D models online.
model-viewer Alternative →
Alternatives to Google's model-viewer web component.

Conversion Guides 3

Convert STL to GLB →
Turn STL files into GLB for web viewing, AR, and sharing.
Convert STL to USDZ →
Create Apple AR-ready USDZ files from STL models.
Convert OBJ to GLTF →
Migrate OBJ models to the modern glTF format.

Developer 2

3D Viewer Web Component →
Build or use a custom element for embedding 3D viewers anywhere.
oEmbed for 3D Models →
How oEmbed enables automatic 3D previews when pasting links.

Emerging Tech 2

Gaussian Splatting Viewer →
View 3D Gaussian splatting captures in the browser.
NeRF Viewer Online →
Explore Neural Radiance Fields online without local setup.