GLB → FBX

Convert GLB to FBX

GLB is the binary glTF container most marketplaces (Sketchfab, Khronos, mobile/AR assets) deliver. FBX is what Maya, 3ds Max, Unity and Unreal still expect. This converter handles the round-trip.

glb to fbx converter · convert .glb to .fbx · glb fbx converter online

Why convert GLB to FBX?

Most modern 3D libraries publish their models as GLB. It is compact, binary, and pre-packaged with PBR materials and textures. But a large part of the production pipeline — character rigs in Maya, animation cleanup in MotionBuilder, asset import in Unity or Unreal — is still rooted in FBX. Going from GLB to FBX is the single most-searched conversion in the 3D asset world for that reason.

Where it gets tricky: GLB stores PBR materials with metalness/roughness textures, and FBX expects a simpler Phong/Lambert shading model. Embedded textures travel fine, but the shading model is reinterpreted: roughness becomes Phong's shininess inverse, metalness usually maps to specular intensity. Geometry, UVs, normals and skinned animations transfer cleanly. Morph targets are preserved in modern FBX (7.4+) but older importers may drop them.

If you're feeding the result into Unity or Unreal, the FBX import settings in those engines re-derive PBR from the textures anyway, so the simplified materials inside the FBX rarely matter in practice.

What survives the GLB → FBX conversion

Computed automatically from the capabilities of each format.

Feature GLB FBX Status
Geometry (vertices & faces) Preserved
UV texture coordinates Preserved
Vertex normals Preserved
Vertex colors Preserved
Basic materials (diffuse, specular) N/A
PBR materials (metalness/roughness) Lost
Embedded textures Preserved
Keyframe animations Preserved
Skeletons & rigs (skinning) Preserved
Morph targets / blend shapes Preserved
Multiple meshes in one file Preserved
Parent/child hierarchy Preserved

When you need this conversion

Importing Sketchfab / asset store GLB models into Unity or Unreal
Bringing AR/mobile GLB assets into a Maya animation pipeline
Converting Khronos sample scenes for use in legacy game engines
Re-targeting GLB character rigs through MotionBuilder

Tips

Use Binary FBX output (not ASCII) for smaller files and faster import.
If you only need static geometry, output OBJ instead — smaller and simpler.
For Unreal 5+, prefer glTF native import over FBX — better PBR fidelity. Only convert if you must.

Common pitfalls

Read these before converting — they save hours of debugging in your engine.

PBR materials are simplified

FBX has no first-class PBR — roughness and metalness textures are kept but the material slot itself becomes Phong. Re-build the material in your engine using the same textures and you get the same look.

Y-up vs Z-up axis

GLB is Y-up. FBX has no enforced axis — some importers assume Y-up, others Z-up. If your model lies on its side after import, flip the up-axis in your engine's import settings rather than re-exporting.

Embedded textures grow file size

GLB embeds textures by default and the FBX we produce keeps them embedded. Expect a 1-3× file-size increase vs the source GLB because FBX is less compact.

Animations need names

Unnamed glTF animation clips become "Take 001", "Take 002"… in FBX. If your engine expects specific clip names (e.g. "Idle", "Walk"), rename them in the source glTF before converting.

Frequently asked questions

Will my animations survive the GLB to FBX conversion?
Yes. Keyframe animations, skeletal rigs and bone hierarchies transfer correctly. Morph targets / blend shapes are preserved in FBX 7.4+ output.
Do I lose PBR materials?
The textures themselves (baseColor, metalRough, normal, etc.) are preserved and embedded in the FBX. The material slot is converted from PBR to Phong because FBX has no native PBR. Most engines rebuild PBR from the textures on import.
Why does the FBX file end up bigger than the GLB?
GLB is highly compressed (binary glTF). FBX is a more verbose container. Expect a 1-3× size increase. If size matters, keep your assets as GLB whenever possible.
Can I batch convert multiple GLB files at once?
Not yet through this page — drop one file at a time. For batch processing, see our REST API which accepts up to 32 files per request.

Related conversions

Need to do this from your backend? See the API.