.BLEND File Extension

Blender 3D Data File

Developer The Blender Foundation
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What is a BLEND file?

A BLEND file is a 3D image or animation project created with Blender, an open-source 3D modeling program. It contains 3D mesh data, lighting information, vertex painting, animation keyframes, NURBS objects, procedural textures, UV mapping layout, and real-time interactivity data. BLEND files may store multiple scenes in a single file.

More Information

Screenshot of a .blend file in Blender 2.9
BLEND file open in Blender 2.9

Blender is a free, multiplatform application for creating various 3D productions, including models and animations. When saving the 3D image or animation you created in Blender, the application generates a BLEND file to store its contents. After saving the BLEND file, you can close the file, then re-open it for further editing.

Unlike many other types of project files, BLEND files contain all the objects, sounds, images, effects, scenes, and other assets included in a Blender project. If you want to share a Blender project with another user, you need only provide them with that project's BLEND file, not any of the assets you imported into the project.

NOTE: BLEND files are saved in a proprietary binary format to keep them from growing to an unmanageable size.

How to open a BLEND file

You can open a BLEND file with Blender (cross-platform). To do so, select File → Open... from the program's menu bar. Then, navigate to and open your BLEND file. The 3D image or animation your BLEND file contains will appear in Blender.

How to convert a BLEND file

Blender can convert BLEND files to various file types, including the following formats:

  • .DAE - Digital Asset Exchange File
  • .GLTF - GL Transmission Format
  • .PLY - Polygon Model File
  • .STL - Stereolithography File
  • .FBX - Autodesk FBX Interchange File
  • .OBJ - Wavefront 3D Object File
  • .USD - Universal Scene Description Format
  • .PDF - Portable Document Format

To convert a BLEND file with Blender, select File → Export.

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Programs that open BLEND files

Windows
Mac
Linux

Verified by FileInfo.com

The FileInfo.com team has independently researched the Blender 3D Data file format and Mac, Windows, and Linux apps listed on this page. Our goal is 100% accuracy and we only publish information about file types that we have verified.

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