Microsoft 3D Viewer Alternatives After Its Removal (2026)
Microsoft 3D Viewer left the Microsoft Store on July 1, 2026. The best free ways to open STL, OBJ, 3MF and GLB files on Windows 10 and 11, compared.
The short answer
For a quick look at STL, OBJ, 3MF, PLY or GLB files, use a browser viewer that works locally, like the free Depthue STL viewer. For printing, your slicer is already a better viewer than 3D Viewer was. For glTF scenes, Microsoft recommends the Babylon.js Sandbox.
Disclosure: Depthue makes the options marked “By Depthue”. Each option is described from its own public documentation, including where it beats ours. Prices change; check each site before buying.
1.Depthue STL viewer
By Depthue- Price
- Free
- Best for
- Print files, measurements
Opens STL, OBJ, 3MF, PLY and GLB in the browser without uploading, and shows dimensions in mm or inches, triangles, volume, surface area and PLA weight.
2.Babylon.js Sandbox
- Price
- Free
- Best for
- glTF and GLB scenes
Microsoft's suggested web replacement, built around glTF and GLB with materials, animation and lighting.
3.Your slicer (Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer, PrusaSlicer, Cura)
- Price
- Free
- Best for
- Checking a model before printing
Opens STL, OBJ and 3MF on your printer's plate, measures it and flags mesh errors.
4.MeshLab
- Price
- Free, open source
- Best for
- Inspection and repair
Opens almost every mesh format and cleans, measures and repairs meshes.
5.Blender
- Price
- Free, open source
- Best for
- Viewing plus editing
A full 3D suite that also works as a heavy but capable viewer, with a 3D Print Toolbox add-on.
Side by side
| Depthue viewer | Babylon.js Sandbox | Slicers | MeshLab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Install | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| STL | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| 3MF | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| GLB / glTF | Yes | Yes | Varies | Yes |
| Dimensions in mm | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| Volume | Yes | Not listed | Yes (as filament) | Yes |
| File uploaded | No | Loaded in the browser | No | No |
What changed
3D Viewer shipped with Windows 10 in the Mixed Reality era and became the default way to double-click an STL. Microsoft deprecated it in February 2026 and removed it from the Store on July 1, 2026, after retiring Paint 3D. If it is already installed, it keeps working. On a new PC, you need something else.
Pick by what you do
- You just need to see the model: a browser viewer. No install, works on any PC.
- You print: your slicer. It shows the model on your actual plate.
- You fix meshes: MeshLab or Blender.
Open a file now
For a deeper comparison by platform, including Mac and phones, read the best STL viewers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Microsoft 3D Viewer discontinued?
Microsoft deprecated 3D Viewer in February 2026 and removed it from the Microsoft Store on July 1, 2026. Existing installations continue to work, but it cannot be newly installed from the Store.
What replaced Microsoft 3D Viewer?
Microsoft points users to the Babylon.js Sandbox, a web viewer for glTF and GLB. For STL and 3MF print files, a print-focused viewer or your slicer is more useful.
What opens STL files on Windows 11 now?
A browser viewer like the Depthue STL viewer, a slicer such as Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer, PrusaSlicer or Cura, or MeshLab and Blender. All are free.