FILE FORMAT GUIDE
glTF File (.GLTF): JSON Assets & Companion Files
A .gltf file describes a 3D asset using JSON. Its geometry and textures may be separate files. Keep those companion resources with the description when moving an exported model.
Check supported header evidence locally. Identification is not file validation or a malware scan.
Analyze a file locallyQuick facts
- Extension
- .gltf
- Format
- glTF JSON Asset
- Category
- 3d
- MIME type
- model/gltf+json
- Standard / developer
- Khronos Group
- Open with
- Blender
What is GLTF?
glTF is designed for runtime delivery rather than preserving all authoring information. JSON describes scenes and references data. The binary GLB form uses different packaging; changing an extension does not convert between them.
- Export a model with separate geometry and texture files
How to open GLTF
Use an importer to inspect the model, not merely a JSON editor. The documented workflow here is Blender 4.5; inspect material conversion and referenced textures.
BlenderDesktop application
Keep the .gltf, .bin and exported textures together. Use File > Import > glTF 2.0 (.glb, .gltf), then select the .gltf. Enable the glTF 2.0 add-on in Preferences if necessary.
Technical details
- Signature
- Not reviewed
- Encoding
- UTF-8 JSON
- Container
- Not applicable
- Compression
- Not reviewed
Things to check
- A Blender separate export can include .bin and texture files, not just the .gltf document.
- Importing does not reproduce every original authoring detail.
Related formats
- Binary glTF
Binary glTF packages asset content in a chunked container rather than a separate JSON file.
Sources & review
Fact review: 2026-09-18. Unknown fields are not inferred from the file extension.