AI UV Unfold
Generate clean, optimized UV layouts for your 3D models - keep your textures, and see the result before you download
Drop your 3D model here or click to browse
GLB, GLTF, FBX, OBJ · Up to 80k faces · 150MB limit
AI UV Mapping & Unfold Tool for 3D Models
Automatically generate optimized UV layouts for your 3D models using AI. Upload a GLB, GLTF, FBX, or OBJ file and get back a model with clean, efficient UV mapping - no manual unwrapping required. The AI analyzes your model's geometry and creates UV islands that minimize distortion and maximize texture space utilization. With the Smart UV engine your existing textures are carried over to the new layout, and rigged or animated models stay rigged and animated. Models generated with Image to 3D or Text to 3D can be loaded directly from your Dashboard. Free credits on signup, no credit card required.
What UV Unfolding Enables
Game Development
Generate clean UV layouts for game assets. Properly unwrapped UVs are essential for texture baking, lightmap generation, and material assignment in Unity and Unreal Engine.
3D Printing
Prepare models for color 3D printing by creating UV maps that allow texture application. Combined with the AI Texture tool, you can add detailed surface colors to any model.
Animation & Film
Create production-ready UV layouts for character and prop texturing. Clean UVs with minimal distortion are critical for hand-painting textures or applying procedural materials.
Rapid Prototyping
Skip the tedious manual UV unwrapping step in your pipeline. Generate UVs automatically and move straight to texturing with AI Texture or your preferred painting software.
How AI UV Unfolding Works
When you upload a 3D model, the AI analyzes the mesh geometry to identify natural seam locations where the surface should be cut for flattening. It considers surface curvature, polygon density, and geometric features to place seams in visually inconspicuous locations.
The unfolding process then flattens each UV island - a connected region of the surface - into 2D space while minimizing stretch and distortion. The AI optimizes the packing of these islands into a square texture atlas, maximizing the usable texture space.
Three engines are available. Smart UV (the default, up to 80,000 faces) re-bakes your existing textures onto the new layout so the model looks the same afterwards, keeps rigs and animations, and can save a preview image of the new UV layout to your dashboard. Meshy (up to 40,000 faces) and Hunyuan (up to 30,000 faces) create fresh UVs only, so existing textures need to be re-applied afterwards with AI Texture or in Blender, Maya, or Substance Painter.
If your model is too dense, reduce it first: Smart Low Poly in your Dashboard can unwrap clean UVs in the same step, or use the Remesh tool. GLTF files are automatically converted to GLB format for processing.
Tips for Best UV Results
Model Preparation
Use models with clean, manifold geometry and no overlapping faces. Models from retopology produce the best UV results because they have uniform polygon distribution. Run the Remesh tool first if your model has messy topology.
What to Avoid
Models above an engine's face limit (80,000 for Smart UV, 40,000 for Meshy, 30,000 for Hunyuan) can't be processed with it. Very thin geometry, non-manifold edges, and disconnected floating vertices can cause UV artifacts. Complex interior geometry that is not visible from outside may waste texture space.
Get Started
Upload a 3D model using the upload area above or select one from your Dashboard. The tool will analyze the model, count faces, and prepare it for processing. Click Unfold UVs to generate optimized UV layouts. Need a 3D model first? Generate one with Image to 3D from a photo, Text to 3D from a description, or create a reference image with Image Studio. After UV unfolding, apply textures with AI Texture or Remesh for further optimization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is UV unfolding for 3D models?
UV unfolding creates a 2D layout of a 3D model's surface, mapping each polygon to a flat space where textures can be applied. Think of it like peeling the skin off a 3D object and laying it flat. This tool uses AI to automatically generate optimized UV maps without manual unwrapping in software like Blender or Maya.
What file formats does the UV unfold tool support?
Upload GLB, GLTF, FBX, or OBJ files: up to 150 MB with Smart UV and up to 120 MB with the Hunyuan and Meshy engines. GLTF files are automatically converted to GLB for processing. Smart UV returns a GLB (or an FBX when you upload an FBX), Meshy returns a GLB and Hunyuan an FBX.
What is the face limit for UV unfolding?
Smart UV handles models up to 80,000 faces, Meshy up to 40,000 and Hunyuan up to 30,000. The tool counts faces when you upload a model, picks Smart UV whenever the model fits, and shows how close you are to each engine's limit. If your model is denser, reduce it first with Smart Low Poly from your Dashboard - turning on Unwrap UVs there (version 3.0) reduces and unwraps in one step - or use the Remesh tool.
Does UV unfolding preserve my existing textures?
With Smart UV, yes: your existing textures are re-baked onto the new UV layout, so the model looks the same afterwards, and rigs and animations are kept too. Turn off Keep textures if you only want new UVs. The Hunyuan and Meshy engines create new UVs only, so existing textures no longer line up and the model needs re-texturing afterwards, for example with AI Texture.
What is the UV atlas image?
Smart UV can save a flat picture of the new UV layout to your dashboard: every UV island laid out the way it sits in texture space. It is handy for checking the unwrap or as a template for hand-painting textures. It is free, and you can turn it off with Store UV atlas image separately. It is a preview of the layout, not a texture.
How long does UV unfolding take?
Smart UV usually finishes in under a minute; Hunyuan and Meshy typically take 1 to 2 minutes, depending on model complexity and face count. The tool shows real-time progress during processing.
How many credits does UV unfolding cost?
Smart UV costs 15 credits, Meshy 8 credits and Hunyuan 5 credits per model. If an unwrap fails, the credits are refunded automatically. Check your credit balance on your Dashboard. For higher volume usage, explore our subscription plans on the Pricing page.
Can I UV unfold models from my Dashboard?
Yes. You can select models directly from your Dashboard using the Choose from Dashboard button. This loads any model you have previously generated with Image to 3D or Text to 3D. You can also upload models from external sources like Blender, Maya, or ZBrush.