Free Online 3DS to STL Converter

Or drag and drop your files here to upload.
A maximum of 20 files can be uploaded at once.

Please note: Your 3DS file, once uploaded to our server will be deleted 15 minutes after upload so please download your converted 3DS file before this time.

How to Convert your 3DS to STL Online?

Here are 2 simple steps to convert your 3DS to STL using our fast and free 3DS converter tool.

Upload your 3DS file

Click the "Upload a 3DS File" button, then select a 3DS to upload. The maximum file size is 100MB.

Download your STL

Click the download link to receive your STL file.

File format information for 3DS and STL

Extension3DS
Full Name3D Studio Mesh
Type3D Model
Mime TypeN/A
FormatBinary
Opens WithMeshLab

A 3DS file is a legacy 3D graphics format originally created for use with the 3D Studio software. Although widely supported at the time, 3DS files have fallen in popularity and have been replaced as the 3D format of choice by more capable formats.

There are considerable limitations when working with 3DS files. One major limitation is the format's use of 16-bit values, which limit the total number of vertices and faces to 65536. This number was plenty large enough when the format was created in the early 1990s but has since become a limiting factor with modern 3D models containing millions of vertices and polygons.

Despite its limitations, a significant number of 3DS models still exist, and there are many 3D modelling packages out there that offer support for importing these files.

3DS Converter Capabilities

Our 3DS 3D Model/Mesh tool does not support any color material data contained within 3DS files so the converted file will not contain any color information.

ExtensionSTL
Full NameStandard Triangle Language
Type3D Model
Mime Typeapplication/vnd.ms-pki.stl
FormatText
Opens WithBlender, MeshLab, CAD Assistant, DAZ Studio

The STL, or Standard Triangle Language, file format has been around since the '80s and is supported by most modern 3D modelling applications. In particular, the STL format has become something of a standard format within the area of 3D printing, despite the rise of more modern formats such as 3MF.

STL files come in two flavours: binary or text format. The text format is human-readable, making it easy to perform manual edits, but can lead to very large file sizes. As you can imagine, the binary format is much more compact and represents the majority of the STL files you are likely to encounter.

The format itself is very simple; the 3D model is represented by a sequential list of triangles, with each triangle defined with 3 points consisting of their X, Y, and Z positions, along with an additional vector that contains the face normal (the direction the face is pointing). There is an additional attribute block for each triangle; however, this is largely unused and thus unsupported.

STL Converter Capabilities

Our 3D conversion tool does not support color/material information in STL files so your file will not contain any color information.

Information for converting from 3DS to STL

Your 3DS file will be converted to a STL file using our unified 3D model and mesh conversion tool. Our 3DS 3D tool performs accurate conversions of 3D elements such as vertices, faces, normals and relevant material information. Our tool will not attempt to transfer any color information if present in your 3DS file, your final 3D model will contain geometry data only.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I convert my 3DS file to STL?

First click the "Upload..." button, select your 3DS file to upload. Your 3DS file will be uploaded to our servers. When the 3DS to STL conversion has completed, you can download your STL file straight away.

How long does it take to convert my 3DS to STL?

We aim to process all 3DS to STL conversions as quickly as possible, this usually takes around 5 seconds however this can be longer for certain files, so please be patient.

How accurate is the 3DS to STL conversion?

We aim to provide the best conversion experience. Our tools are under constant review and development with new features being added every week.