Free Online OBJ Viewer
View any OBJ file in 3D. Place it in AR on iPhone or Android. Works in your browser.
OBJ is one of the most established 3D file formats in the industry. If you work with Blender, Maya, Cinema 4D, ZBrush, or almost any 3D modeling application, you have encountered OBJ files. They are the go-to export format for sharing 3D assets between different software, handing off models to clients, and publishing downloadable content on asset marketplaces.
But viewing an OBJ file usually means opening a full 3D application. Blender takes time to launch, Maya requires a license, and most people receiving an OBJ for review do not have modeling software installed at all. What you need is a way to open the file immediately, inspect the geometry, rotate it from every angle, and confirm it looks right, all without installing anything.
GeometryViewer does exactly that. Drag your OBJ file onto this page and the model loads instantly in 3D. Orbit around it with your mouse, zoom into details with the scroll wheel, and check the geometry from every angle. On your phone, tap "View in AR" to place the model in your real environment at true scale. No software to install, no account to create, no file uploaded anywhere. Everything runs locally in your browser.
What is an OBJ File?
The Wavefront OBJ format was created in the early 1990s by Wavefront Technologies for their Advanced Visualizer software. When Wavefront was acquired by Silicon Graphics and later by Alias (now part of Autodesk), the format was already widely adopted by the 3D graphics community. Its open, text-based specification made it easy for any software developer to implement, and it quickly became a de facto standard for 3D model interchange.
An OBJ file is a plain text file that describes 3D geometry using a simple line-by-line syntax. Each line begins with a keyword that identifies the data type. Vertex positions are prefixed with v and contain three floating-point coordinates (x, y, z). Texture coordinates use vt with two values (u, v) that map the surface to a 2D image. Vertex normals use vn with three components that define the surface direction at each point, controlling how light reflects off the model. Faces are defined with f and reference vertex, texture, and normal indices in the format v/vt/vn.
Beyond basic geometry, OBJ supports polygon groups (g), smoothing groups (s), and material references (usemtl). Materials themselves are defined in a separate companion file with the .mtl extension, referenced from the OBJ via a mtllib directive. The MTL file specifies properties like ambient color, diffuse color, specular highlights, transparency, and texture map file paths. This separation means an OBJ model's appearance can be changed by swapping out the MTL file without modifying the geometry.
Compared to STL, OBJ carries significantly more data. Where STL stores only triangles and normals, OBJ supports arbitrary polygons (not just triangles), texture coordinates, multiple material zones, and named object groups. This makes OBJ the better choice when you need to preserve texture mapping and material assignments. However, OBJ predates modern real-time 3D workflows. It does not support animation, skeletal rigs, scene hierarchies, or PBR (physically based rendering) materials natively. For those features, newer formats like glTF and GLB are the current standard.
Despite its age, OBJ remains deeply embedded in professional 3D workflows. It is the common denominator when moving assets between DCC (digital content creation) tools, and it is the primary export format for photogrammetry and 3D scanning applications like Polycam and RealityScan. Its human-readable text format also makes it uniquely debuggable: you can open an OBJ in a text editor and inspect or modify the raw geometry data directly.
How to View OBJ Files Online
Viewing an OBJ file in GeometryViewer is straightforward and takes just a few seconds:
- Step 1 — Open the viewer. Go to geometryviewer.com/obj-viewer in any modern browser. Works on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge across desktop and mobile.
- Step 2 — Drop your file. Drag your
.objfile from your file manager onto the viewer area. Or tap the "Open .obj file" button to use the file picker. On mobile, this opens your device's file browser. - Step 3 — Explore the model. The model loads and renders immediately. Orbit with your mouse, zoom with the scroll wheel, and right-click to pan. On touchscreens, use one finger to rotate and pinch to zoom.
When no MTL file is present, GeometryViewer applies a clean blue default material so the geometry is always clearly visible. This means even standalone OBJ files without accompanying material data display cleanly and are easy to inspect.
The entire viewing process happens locally. Your OBJ file is read from your device by the browser's File API, parsed into vertex buffers by JavaScript, and rendered with WebGL. Nothing is transmitted to any server. You can disconnect from the internet after loading the page and the viewer continues to function.
OBJ vs STL vs glTF
Choosing the right 3D format depends on what you need to preserve and where the file is going. Here is how the three most common formats compare:
STL is the simplest of the three. It stores only triangle geometry and surface normals. There is no support for color, texture, materials, or any metadata. STL is the universal 3D printing format: every slicer reads it, every printer expects it. If your goal is to 3D print a model, STL is usually all you need. Its simplicity is its strength.
OBJ adds significant capability over STL. It supports arbitrary polygon faces (not just triangles), texture coordinates for UV mapping, vertex normals for smooth shading, named object groups, and external material definitions via MTL files. If you need to transfer a textured model between different 3D applications while preserving its appearance, OBJ is the established choice. However, OBJ is a text-based format (and therefore larger than binary alternatives), does not support animation, and lacks PBR material definitions.
glTF/GLB is the modern standard for real-time 3D. Developed by the Khronos Group, glTF supports everything OBJ does plus skeletal animation, morph targets, PBR materials, scene hierarchies, cameras, and lights. GLB is the binary-packed variant that bundles everything (geometry, textures, materials) into a single file. For web, game engines, and AR/VR, glTF is the recommended format. Its main drawback is that older software may not support it yet.
In summary: use STL for 3D printing, OBJ for textured model exchange between DCC tools, and glTF/GLB for real-time applications and web delivery. GeometryViewer opens all three, so you can compare how the same model looks in different formats. For a deeper comparison, see OBJ vs glTF and STL vs OBJ.
View in AR
Augmented reality is one of the most useful features for anyone evaluating a 3D model. Dimensions on a screen are abstract. Seeing a model sitting on your actual desk, at the size it will actually be, gives you an intuitive understanding that no measurement readout can match.
On iPhone and iPad, GeometryViewer converts your OBJ to USDZ on the fly and launches Apple Quick Look. The model appears in your camera view, anchored to a real surface, with realistic lighting that matches your environment. You can walk around it, lean in to see details, and assess whether the proportions feel right in the physical space.
On Android, AR uses WebXR through Chrome. The experience is similar: the model appears at real-world scale on a detected surface. You can reposition it, walk around it, and see it from any angle.
AR preview is especially valuable when reviewing assets for product visualization, architectural models, or physical prototyping. Before committing to a 3D print or a manufacturing run, you can verify that the object is the right size for its intended context. For more details, visit the AR Viewer page.
Share & Embed
When you need a collaborator, client, or team member to see your OBJ model, you have two options in GeometryViewer.
Share with a link. Upload your OBJ file and you receive a unique URL. Send that link to anyone and they can view the model in full 3D with orbit controls and AR, all in their browser. No account is required on either end. No software to install. The recipient just clicks the link. This is ideal for client reviews, design approvals, and sharing work-in-progress models with remote teams. See Share 3D Model for details.
Embed on your website. If you run a portfolio, an asset store, or a product page, you can embed a live 3D viewer directly on your site using a simple two-line web component. Visitors can rotate and explore the model without leaving your page, and on mobile they get the AR button. The embed is lightweight and loads asynchronously. It works on WordPress, Shopify, Webflow, Squarespace, and any plain HTML page. Full documentation is on the Embed page.
Compatible Software
OBJ is one of the most widely supported 3D formats in existence. If your software exports OBJ, those files will open correctly in GeometryViewer. Here are some of the most common tools that produce OBJ files:
- Blender — Free and open-source 3D creation suite. OBJ is one of the default export formats, with full support for materials, UV maps, and vertex groups.
- Maya — Autodesk's professional animation and modeling software. OBJ export is built in and widely used for asset interchange.
- 3ds Max — Autodesk's 3D modeling and rendering tool, popular in architecture and game development.
- Cinema 4D — Maxon's motion graphics and 3D modeling application. Exports OBJ with materials and UV data.
- ZBrush — Digital sculpting tool from Maxon. High-polygon OBJ exports are common for detailed character and organic models.
- Rhino — NURBS-based modeler used in industrial design, architecture, and jewelry. Exports polygon meshes as OBJ.
- SketchUp — Architectural and interior design tool. OBJ export is available through built-in or plugin functionality.
- Polycam — Mobile 3D scanning app for iPhone (LiDAR) and Android. Exports scanned environments and objects as OBJ with texture.
- RealityScan — Photogrammetry app from Epic Games. Produces textured OBJ models from photos taken with your phone.
Whether your OBJ comes from professional DCC software, a photogrammetry scan, or a procedural generation tool, GeometryViewer will parse and render it correctly.
Privacy & Security
GeometryViewer processes your OBJ file entirely in your browser. The file is read from your local file system using the browser's File API, parsed by JavaScript, and rendered on screen by WebGL. At no point is the file transmitted to a server. There is no upload endpoint, no cloud processing, and no temporary storage.
The viewer does not use cookies, does not track your files, and does not require any permissions beyond reading the file you explicitly select. Your geometry stays on your device from start to finish. This makes GeometryViewer safe for confidential designs, client work under NDA, and proprietary assets that cannot be shared with third-party services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the OBJ viewer completely free?
Yes. GeometryViewer is 100% free with no usage limits, no watermarks, and no premium tier. You can open as many OBJ files as you want, as often as you want. There is nothing to pay for.
Do I need to create an account?
No. There is no account, no sign-up form, and no login screen. Open the page, drop your OBJ file, and start viewing. That is the entire workflow.
What file formats does the viewer support?
GeometryViewer supports OBJ, STL (both binary and ASCII), glTF, GLB, and 3MF. All five formats open in the same viewer with the same controls and features. This page is focused on OBJ, but you can drop any supported format here and it will load correctly.
Does the viewer work on my phone?
Yes. The viewer is fully responsive and works on iPhone (Safari), Android (Chrome), and tablets. Touch controls let you rotate with one finger, zoom with pinch, and pan with two fingers. On mobile you also get the AR button to place your model in your environment at real-world scale.
Can I view my OBJ file in augmented reality?
Yes. On iPhone and iPad, AR uses Apple Quick Look with automatic USDZ conversion. On Android, it uses WebXR through Chrome. In both cases, the model appears at real-world scale anchored to a surface in your room.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. All processing happens locally in your browser using JavaScript and WebGL. Your OBJ file is read from your device, parsed, and rendered on screen without ever leaving your machine. There is no upload endpoint and no server-side processing.
What happens if my OBJ has no MTL file?
GeometryViewer applies a clean blue default material automatically when no MTL file is present or when the referenced MTL cannot be loaded. The geometry displays correctly with smooth shading, so you can still inspect the shape, proportions, and surface detail of the model.
Can I share my OBJ model with someone?
Yes. Upload your file through the share feature and you will receive a unique link. Anyone who opens that link can view the model in 3D and AR without installing anything. No account is required for either the sender or the recipient.
GeometryViewer also opens STL, OBJ, GLTF, GLB, and 3MF — all in the same viewer.
Open any 3D file →Need 3D models to view? ModelDirectory.org has thousands of free STL, OBJ, GLTF, and 3MF files — open any of them here in one click.