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Is Microsoft 3D Viewer Free? Availability, Features, and File Formats

Microsoft 3D Viewer remains free for existing installations, but it is no longer a new Store download. Learn what it can inspect and which file formats to use.
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If you mean Microsoft’s Windows 3D Viewer, it is free to use if it is already installed on your PC—but it is no longer available as a new Microsoft Store download. Microsoft removed it from the Store on July 1, 2026. This answer does not necessarily apply to other apps called “3D Viewer.”

Can you still get Microsoft 3D Viewer?

Microsoft deprecated 3D Viewer in February 2026 and removed it from the Microsoft Store on July 1, 2026, according to its lifecycle guidance. Existing installations continue to work, and the reviewed Microsoft documentation does not identify a charge for using them. That makes the practical answer different for current and new users: it remains free for people who have it, but it is no longer an official Store download for people who do not.

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The app was preinstalled on some Windows 10 devices, but not on Windows 11. If it is absent from your PC, Microsoft’s current guidance does not offer a new Store installation route.

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What could 3D Viewer do?

Microsoft’s 2019 3D Content Guidelines describe 3D Viewer as a preview and inspection tool, not a full 3D modeling application. The documented functions include opening supported 3D content, viewing models, and inspecting technical information about them. These are capabilities described in legacy guidance, not a promise of continued development or support.

Previewing and inspecting models

The guidelines describe visualizations and statistics for a model’s scene, meshes, textures, animations, and performance. This information can help someone examine how a model is structured or check its assets; it is distinct from editing or creating the model itself. Microsoft’s documentation shows these inspection features in its 3D Content Guidelines.

Importing and saving

Microsoft’s legacy guidance says the viewer can import supported 3D file types and save them as GLB. Format support and conversion depend on the file type; the guidance should not be read as a guarantee that every 3D file will open successfully.

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  • Additionally, it can also be formed as a bidirectional mobile phone stand.

Which file formats should you use?

Microsoft says 3D Viewer uses glTF to render models and can automatically convert many imported formats to glTF. For this app, Microsoft recommends GLB—the binary form of glTF—as a substitute for FBX: “GLB (Binary GL Transmission Format) is the recommended substitute 3D file format for use in 3D Viewer.” The recommendation appears in Microsoft Support’s FBX support notice.

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Why FBX needs extra caution

FBX support is turned off by default because of a security vulnerability. Microsoft warns that enabling it can increase exposure to malicious code and advises assessing the risk before changing the setting. If you have an FBX file, prefer converting it to GLB through a trusted workflow rather than enabling FBX support casually. Microsoft explains the warning in its guidance on FBX files.

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What can you use instead?

Microsoft’s deprecation entry names Babylon.js Sandbox as an option for viewing 3D content. The notice does not establish that it supports the same formats or reproduces every inspection feature in 3D Viewer, so check whether it handles your file and the task you need.

Innerscene 3D Viewer is a separate product, not a Microsoft app or an endorsed replacement. Its vendor advertises it as free and lists operations such as orbiting, measuring, exploding, sharing, and converting, along with formats including GLB, GLTF, OBJ, STL, FBX, and 3MF. Those are the vendor’s claims about its own viewer; see its product page and format information.

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3D Pixi Loreo Viewer - Hands-Free Parallel Viewer for Computer Monitor or Prints
  • The Pixi 3D Viewer is a Parallel Format (side-by-side) 3D image viewer made of card paper
  • It is primarily a Computer Monitor Viewer for medium sized images or prints
  • inexpensive, lightweight, foldable and mailable, it folds flat to the thickness of its lenses (5 mm)
  • It is suitable for viewing 10 - 13 inch (25 - 33 cm) wide screen images. Equivalent to 15 - 17 inch computer monitors.

Before choosing a viewer, check these practical points:

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Quick Recap

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3D Pixi Loreo Viewer - Hands-Free Parallel Viewer for Computer Monitor or Prints
3D Pixi Loreo Viewer - Hands-Free Parallel Viewer for Computer Monitor or Prints
The Pixi 3D Viewer is a Parallel Format (side-by-side) 3D image viewer made of card paper; It is primarily a Computer Monitor Viewer for medium sized images or prints
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  • Access: Can you use it on your operating system now, or does it require an installation that is no longer available?
  • Format: Does it open your file directly? For Microsoft 3D Viewer, GLB is the recommended choice over FBX.
  • Inspection: Do you only need to view and rotate a model, or do you also need measurements or technical model statistics?
  • File handling: Does the tool keep the model on your device or require you to upload it? Check the service’s own information before submitting sensitive files.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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