OBJ file extension. How to open and convert files with OBJ file suffix

Files with obj extension can be found as common 3d objects saved using various 3D modeling and CAD modeling tools.

There are 2 other file types using
the OBJ file extension!

.obj - Intel (Object Module Format) relocatable object module

.obj - Microsoft Visual Studio object

Detailed description

Software that open obj file

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OBJ file extension - 3D object graphics

What is obj file? How to open obj files?

File type specification:

3d graphics, CAD-CAM-CAE file type

File extension obj is commonly used for a standardized files that contain 3D objects. This extension is used by various 3D graphic programs for universal object format.

Back in the mid 1980s a UNIX program called "Wavefront Visualizer" was created which used many different ASCII file formats to move 3D data from one module to another (this was before modern user interfaces were developed) - OBJ was used to convey the geometry data and MTL used to convey the material information. All of those sub-file formats became obsolete over time. However, in the early 1990s, Okino, Viewpoint, Alias and Wavefront Corp. came to bring the OBJ and MTL file formats back from the dead of the old Wavefront Visualizer days of the mid 1980s. OBJ + MTL files are "acceptable" for transferring basic mesh data, but the OBJ file format will not allow for the conversion of any hierarchy information, complex materials, lights, cameras, animation, meta data, skinning, etc. The OBJ file format is also verbose ASCII so it can end up creating large files.

Usually a simple data-format that represents only the 3D geometry, such as the position of each vertex, the texture coordinate associated with a vertex, the normal at each vertex, and the faces that make each polygon. Sometimes also known as Wavefront 3D objects.

Updated: April 26, 2025

The default software associated to open obj file:

Autodesk Maya

Company or developer:
Autodesk, Inc.

Autodesk Maya is application used to 3D modeling, animating and rendering. Maya is used by graphics in film and television, for video game developing and design visualization. Maya is developed for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

Help how to open:

Use CADRazor, Blender and other 3D modeling tools to open *.obj files.

How to convert:

Generally speaking, various 3D objects can be converted to other 3D/CAD graphic formats like .3ds, .ply, .sat, .skp etc. and many 3d formats can be exported into .obj file format.

Find conversions from obj file:

Find converter to obj file type:

List of software applications associated to the .obj file extension

Recommended software programs are sorted by OS platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android etc.)
and possible program actions that can be done with the file: like open obj file, edit obj file, convert obj file, view obj file, play obj file etc. (if exist software for corresponding action in File-Extensions.org's database).

Hint:
Click on the tab below to simply browse between the application actions, to quickly get a list of recommended software, which is able to perform the specified software action, such as opening, editing or converting obj files.

Software that open obj file - 3D object graphics

Programs supporting the exension obj on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile. Click on the link to get more information about listed programs for open obj file action.