GLBKitGLBKit

USD Model Viewer

Open and inspect usd files directly in your browser. No installation.
Pixar USD, USDA, and USDC support with referenced textures.

Drop your USD file here

Upload a USD, USDA, USDC, or USDZ file, or a ZIP package containing your USD assets and dependencies.

USDZIP

Why Developers Choose GLBKit for USD

GLBKit opens Pixar USD and USDA files in the browser to inspect geometry, materials, and supported referenced texture assets. It is an inspection viewer; it does not run full OpenUSD composition or full variant and payload resolution.

Browser Based USD

Open USD and USDA files directly in your browser without installing software.

Local File Processing

Process compatible USD files locally on your device.

Fast WebGL Rendering

Render USD geometry with GPU-accelerated WebGL.

Interactive 3D Inspection

Rotate, zoom, pan, and inspect meshes, materials, and textures.

USDZ & USDC Aware

Load supported USD variants and referenced texture assets when available.

No Server Upload

Inspect USD assets without sending them to a remote server.

About this format

USD (Universal Scene Description) is Pixar's open format for interchange, collaboration, and large-scale scene composition. It is the standard in VFX, feature animation, and architectural visualisation. GLBKit renders .usd and .usda files in the browser, including textures and basic scene structure, so you can review assets and references before opening DCC tools.

What is a .usd file?

.usd is the binary form of Universal Scene Description, a layered, hierarchical format developed by Pixar. It supports geometry, materials, animation, lighting, and complex composition with variants, references, and payloads.

The text form, .usda, is human-readable and great for debugging. The zipped container, .usdz, bundles assets for AR Quick Look on iOS.

  • Layered scene description with references and variants
  • Binary .usd and text .usda variants, plus .usdz for AR
  • Standard interchange format in VFX and feature animation
  • Open source, used by Pixar, Apple, NVIDIA, Autodesk

Common uses for USD files

USD is the lingua franca of modern VFX and animation. It is also used in product visualisation, AR, and large-scale scene composition.

  • VFX and feature animation pipelines (Pixar, Disney, ILM, DNEG)
  • Product configurators and architectural visualisation
  • AR Quick Look assets for iOS (via .usdz)
  • OpenUSD-based collaboration with Omniverse, Houdini, Maya

How GLBKit renders .usd files

GLBKit parses the .usd file in the browser and renders its geometry, materials, and textures with WebGL. The viewer focuses on visual inspection: geometry, materials, and basic scene structure.

  • Drop a .usd or .usda file to start
  • Orbit, pan, and zoom with mouse, touch, or pen
  • Material and texture rendering where present
  • No upload, no signup, fully local processing

GLBKit capabilities for .usd

GLBKit renders the geometry and surface appearance of a USD scene. It does not run full OpenUSD composition, but it gives you a fast, accurate preview of what is in the file.

  • Geometry, mesh, and material rendering
  • Texture support from referenced image files
  • Inspect variants and basic structure
  • Process files locally in the browser

Who uses GLBKit for .usd files

USD is everywhere in VFX and animation. GLBKit is the fastest way to confirm what is in a .usd file without opening Houdini or Maya.

  • VFX and animation artists reviewing assets
  • Architects and product designers previewing USD scenes
  • AR/VR developers inspecting .usdz bundles
  • Pipeline engineers debugging USD composition

Open your .usd file now

Drop a .usd or .usda file into the viewer. Inspect geometry, materials, and scene structure in seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about opening USD, USDA, USDC, and USDZ assets.

USD (Universal Scene Description) is Pixar's layered, hierarchical format for interchange, variants, references, and large-scale scene composition.
Yes. Drop the .usd or .usda into GLBKit's USD viewer and it renders in your browser.
USDZ is a zipped USD bundle for AR Quick Look. GLBKit inspects the geometry inside via the standard USD viewer.
No. GLBKit renders geometry and materials in a USD scene. It does not run full OpenUSD composition, so complex variants and payloads may be simplified.
When referenced textures are available in the same folder or via relative path, GLBKit loads them automatically.
No. USD parsing and rendering happen locally in your browser.