🖥️3ds Max

3ds Max is a professional 3D modeling, rendering, and animation software by Autodesk.

Currently, 3ds Max has a path to export to glTF, but it does not fully implement the glTF specification, so you may not find that all features of the format are supported through that export path.

You can read more about GLTF in 3ds Max from their official docs here.

GLTF Export Tutorial

Exporting GLTF

To export a .gltf or .glb file, go to:

File menu > Export > Select File to Export dialog > Save as type drop-down list > Choose GL Transmission Format (*.glb, *.gltf)

Note:

Although you can get to the glTF Exporter via File > Export > Export... we recommend you use File > Export > Real-Time Exporter... because the classic Export dialog will go to the RealTime Exporter dialog anyway, however, it may produce a warning about overwriting existing files twice (for the classic export function when choosing a file and for when you hit the export button in the RealTime Exporter dialog).
The glTF Exporter generates the best results when glTF Materials are applied to the meshes being exported. Using other materials in 3ds Max with the glTF Exporter will not export as effectively as glTF Materials.
The glTF Exporter exports all map channels.
The Real-Time Exporter can also export FBX files. See Exporting FBX for Games and Real-Time Exporter Dialog for more information.

Known Limitations

No animation, skin or morpher data is exported.
Hierarchies get flattened when exported.
Vertex Colors are not exported in the mesh.
Exporter does not support nested multi-subobject and shell materials past the second level of nesting.
The Bitmap Texture is the only supported map input for the glTF Material
Bitmaps of the same name but different type are not exported properly (if the material has both a red.png and a red.jpg, only one bitmap will export).
Materials are not exported correctly if using multi-materials that have empty slots in the Multi/Sub-Object Basic Parameters rollout.

BabylonJS GLTF Exporter Plugin

If you wish to have more advanced features we recommend using the BabylonJS glTF Exporter Plugin although this is currently limited to 3dsMax 2024 and below.

Last updated 2 months ago

Exporting GLTF

To export a .gltf or .glb file, go to:

File menu > Export > Select File to Export dialog > Save as type drop-down list > Choose GL Transmission Format (*.glb, *.gltf)

Note:

Although you can get to the glTF Exporter via File > Export > Export... we recommend you use File > Export > Real-Time Exporter... because the classic Export dialog will go to the RealTime Exporter dialog anyway, however, it may produce a warning about overwriting existing files twice (for the classic export function when choosing a file and for when you hit the export button in the RealTime Exporter dialog).

The glTF Exporter generates the best results when glTF Materials are applied to the meshes being exported. Using other materials in 3ds Max with the glTF Exporter will not export as effectively as glTF Materials.

The glTF Exporter exports all map channels.

The Real-Time Exporter can also export FBX files. See Exporting FBX for Games and Real-Time Exporter Dialog for more information.

Known Limitations

No animation, skin or morpher data is exported.

Hierarchies get flattened when exported.

Vertex Colors are not exported in the mesh.

Exporter does not support nested multi-subobject and shell materials past the second level of nesting.

The Bitmap Texture is the only supported map input for the glTF Material

Bitmaps of the same name but different type are not exported properly (if the material has both a red.png and a red.jpg, only one bitmap will export).

Materials are not exported correctly if using multi-materials that have empty slots in the Multi/Sub-Object Basic Parameters rollout.

BabylonJS GLTF Exporter Plugin

If you wish to have more advanced features we recommend using the BabylonJS glTF Exporter Plugin although this is currently limited to 3dsMax 2024 and below.