What is the 3DXML file format?
.3dxml is a lightweight, universal file format based on XML, developed by Dassault Systèmes for 3D data exchange across their product lifecycle management ecosystem. A single .3dxml file can contain 3D content in binary or XML form, holding data such as textures, lighting settings, meshes, and other 3D model data. .3dxml is a partially proprietary format with a specification published by Dassault Systèmes.
.3dxml = ZIP archive
.3dxml files are essentially a ZIP archive that consists of a manifest, BOM (Bill of Materials) files, and at least one .3DRep representation file encoding the 3D geometry. Renaming a .3dxml file to .zip allows you to open the archive with any utility that supports ZIP and inspect its XML structure directly.
Uses of .3dxml files
The .3dxml format was designed to incorporate PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) information into user manuals, technical documentation, websites, and marketing materials. It is natively produced by CATIA and SolidWorks, and can be viewed without a paid license using the free 3D XML Player provided by Dassault Systèmes.
Note
.3dxml files can sometimes be confused with X3D, an ISO-approved format that also uses the XML standard for representing 3D graphics. Unlike .3dxml, X3D is a fully open standard maintained by the Web3D Consortium.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA 3DXML is passive 3D data (XML + mesh), not executable code, so opening one in a viewer is safe from a malware standpoint. The realistic concern is confidentiality: an exported model can reveal proprietary product geometry, so treat shared .3dxml files as intellectual property. Only download the 3D XML Player from Dassault's official 3ds.com site (and GLC_Player from glc-player.net / SourceForge) to avoid bundled-installer or fake-viewer download portals.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open 3DXML files
Windows3 apps
3D XML Player
Free Install Dassault's free 3D XML Player, then open the .3dxml to rotate, zoom, measure and explore the model (also embeds in a browser). 
CATIA
Paid Dassault's flagship CAD; opens/exports 3D XML natively. Use only if you have it - overkill for plain viewing.
GLC_Player
Open-source Free open-source 3D viewer; File > Open the .3dxml to view, rotate and capture images. Also reads 3DS/STL/COLLADA/OBJ. 
macOS1 app
GLC_Player
Open-source Free macOS 3D viewer; open the .3dxml to view and rotate the model (the official 3D XML Player is Windows-only). 
Linux1 app
3D XML Player (browser plug-in / embed)
Free 3D XML content is designed to be embedded and viewed inside a web page via Dassault's player component. Technical details
deep spec| Container format | ZIP archive; magic bytes `50 4B 03 04` ("PK") at offset 0 - rename to `.zip` to inspect internal XML structure |
| Internal file types | XML scene/BOM descriptors, binary `.3DRep` geometry files, and embedded texture assets (PNG/JPEG) |
| MIME type | `application/vnd.3dxml` |
| Manifest | Every package includes a `_3DXML` manifest XML file declaring the root document and listing all package contents |
| Geometry representation | Tessellated polygon meshes (lightweight visualization); not full B-rep or NURBS surface data |
| PLM data support | Embeds Bill of Materials (BOM), product attributes, metadata, and hierarchical assembly tree |
| Texture handling | PNG and JPEG textures stored as discrete files inside the ZIP container, referenced from scene XML |
| Compression | ZIP Deflate compression applied to internal XML and `.3DRep` representation files |
| Native authoring tools | CATIA, SolidWorks, and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform - all Dassault Systèmes products |
| Free viewer | 3D XML Player (Windows desktop and browser plug-in), provided at no cost by Dassault Systèmes |
| Openness | Partially open - schema and spec published by Dassault Systèmes; core implementation remains proprietary |
| Animation support | Scene kinematics and animation sequences can be embedded as XML descriptors within the package |
| Related native formats | `.catpart` and `.catproduct` are CATIA's native formats; `.3dxml` is the lighter shareable derivative |
| Lighting and materials | Supports embedded lighting settings and material/appearance (color, texture mapping) in the scene XML |
| Target use case | Visualization, PLM data sharing, product documentation, and marketing - not full engineering data fidelity |
| Released | 2005 (3D XML format and free 3D XML Player launched by Dassault Systèmes) |
| Open standard | Yes · royalty-free |
| Specification | www.3ds.com |
3DXML conversions
Community Q&A
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