How do I convert a DAE file to OBJ?

Drop the .dae into the converter above; the .obj downloads in seconds. The XML parsing runs locally in your browser - no account, no upload.

What is a DAE file and why do I have one?

COLLADA (.dae) was the 2000s' open 3D interchange format - SketchUp's standard export, common on old marketplaces and in Second Life. It has been superseded by glTF, which is why so much older content needs converting out of it.

Do materials and textures come along?

No - the output is the mesh-only .obj. COLLADA files reference external texture images that are not part of the single file you drop, and OBJ would need separate .mtl and image files anyway. UVs are kept, so retexturing is straightforward.

Is my file uploaded anywhere?

No - conversion is fully local to your browser; the file never leaves your device.

Should I convert my DAE to OBJ or GLB?

OBJ if the destination is a sculpting/CAD/legacy tool or you want maximum compatibility; GLB if it is headed to a modern engine, web viewer, or AR - GLB can keep material data OBJ cannot. Both converters are on this site, so you can produce both from the same file.

The converted model looks rotated - why?

COLLADA files declare an 'up axis' (Y-up or Z-up) which some exporters set inconsistently. The geometry itself is correct - just rotate 90° around X in your target tool if it imports lying down.

Convert DAE to OBJ - Free Online Converter

Drop a .dae (COLLADA) file below and download it as .obj in seconds. The conversion runs entirely in your browser - no upload, no signup, no watermark. The fastest way to free geometry from legacy COLLADA scenes.

Updated July 2026

Done in seconds

Your DAE converts to OBJ locally in your browser - no upload queue, no waiting.

Private by design

Your file never leaves your device. Nothing is uploaded, nothing is stored.

Free, no strings

No signup, no watermark, no file limit - convert as many files as you need.

How to convert dae to obj

Drop your DAE file

Drag the .dae file into the converter above or click to browse. No account and no upload - the file stays on your device.

Conversion runs in your browser

The model is parsed and rewritten locally, in seconds for typical files. Geometry is carried over 1:1 - no remeshing, no quality loss.

Download the OBJ

The .obj download starts from the same spot. Convert as many files as you like - there is no limit or watermark.

DAE and OBJ, explained

.dae

What is DAE?

COLLADA (.dae) is an XML-based interchange format that predates glTF. It can carry full scenes with materials, rigs, and animations, and remains common in SketchUp exports, older asset marketplaces, and legacy game pipelines.

As an XML format, .dae files are verbose and slow to parse, and tool support has been fading in favor of glTF/GLB and FBX. It survives on two ecosystems: SketchUp imports COLLADA natively (most other mesh formats need Pro or plugins), and Second Life accepts mesh uploads only as .dae - so files move both ways, legacy assets out and fresh conversions in.

Developed by: Khronos Group (originally Sony) (2004)
Structure: XML scene description
Used by: SketchUp, older game pipelines, Second Life, legacy asset stores

.obj

What is OBJ?

OBJ is the plain-text workhorse of 3D interchange. It stores vertices, faces, UV coordinates, and normals in a human-readable file, with materials referenced from a companion .mtl file. Practically every 3D application of the last 30 years can read it.

Because OBJ splits materials and textures into separate files, a bare .obj carries geometry and UVs but shows up untextured unless the .mtl and texture images travel with it. It has no units, no rigging, and no animation - which keeps it simple and universally compatible.

Developed by: Wavefront Technologies (circa 1990)
Structure: Plain-text geometry, with materials in a separate .mtl file
Used by: Blender, Maya, 3ds Max, ZBrush, game engines, 3D scanners

What survives the dae to obj conversion

Format conversion is honest work: some data has nowhere to go in the target format. Here is exactly what carries over.

Mesh geometry

All meshes in the COLLADA scene are carried over exactly, with the node hierarchy's transforms baked in.

UV coordinates & normals

Texture coordinates and normals survive into the OBJ where the source provides them.

Scene assembly

The assembled scene layout is preserved - parts stay where the COLLADA file positioned them.

Materials & textures

The output is the .obj alone - no .mtl sidecar, and COLLADA's external texture references are not resolvable from a single dropped file.

Rigs & animations

COLLADA's skeletal animation has no OBJ equivalent; the mesh exports in rest pose.

When should you convert DAE to OBJ?

Convert to OBJ to modernize legacy content: old asset-store purchases, SketchUp exports, Second Life assets, and 2000s-era archives all live in .dae. OBJ gets them into any current tool.

Going back to DAE only makes sense for SketchUp or Second Life - the OBJ to DAE converter covers that. If the target is a modern engine or viewer, convert the .dae to GLB instead of OBJ to keep materials.

And if what you actually need is a new model rather than a new file format: 3D AI Studio's main tool can generate 3D models from photos with AI - with exports to every format on this page.

DAE to OBJ - frequently asked questions

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