Godot supports glTF 2.0 natively, so you can load GLB files without any extra plugin. All you have to do is copy the .glb into your project folder. Godot imports it automatically, and you can then drag it from the FileSystem dock into a scene. On top of that, the official documentation explicitly labels glTF 2.0 as "recommended" in its list of supported 3D formats (source: Godot Docs - Available 3D formats, as of July 2026).
In this article we walk through the whole process of bringing a GLB into Godot and getting it ready for use in a game, following what the official documentation says. We use the documentation for the stable release as of July 2026 (the Godot Engine 4.7 series) as our reference.
What you will learn in this article
- How to import a GLB into Godot (about 3 minutes)
- Using it in a game: creating collisions with node name suffixes
- What to do when a GLB will not import or looks wrong
Note: Figmee currently lets you upload a drawing or illustration and generate and download figurine-style images and 3D model data (GLB / 3MF). Sales of physical 3D-printed pieces are in preparation (Coming Soon).
3D formats supported by Godot
The official documentation lists the following supported formats for 3D scenes.
| Format | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| glTF 2.0 | Recommended | Supports both the text-based .gltf and the binary .glb |
| .blend | Supported | Blender files can be used directly |
| DAE (COLLADA) | Supported | A long-established interchange format |
| OBJ (Wavefront) | Supported | A simple format focused on geometry |
| FBX | Supported | A widely used industry-standard format |
For .glb, the docs explain that "glTF binary files (.glb) are a smaller option that include the mesh and texture settings." Because even the textures fit into a single file, references do not break when you move it between folders. That property is a big advantage whenever you hand files off. We explain the GLB format itself in What Is a GLB File?.
Unity does not support glTF out of the box and needs an official package added, whereas Godot supports it from the start. That is the most visible difference between the two engines (for the Unity steps, see How to Import GLB into Unity).
Why glTF 2.0 is the recommended format
The reasons boil down to three points.
1. References do not break. A .glb bundles the mesh and textures into one file. With formats that keep textures in separate files, the images lose their links the moment you change the folder structure and you end up with a plain white model. That does not happen with GLB.
2. It is designed for real-time display. glTF is a format defined by the Khronos Group for loading and displaying content quickly at runtime. Its purpose lines up with what a game engine does in the first place.
3. It travels well. You can reuse the same GLB as-is for other purposes, such as display in a web browser, other engines or 3D viewers. Converting it into an engine-specific format would throw that versatility away.
How to import a GLB into Godot (about 3 minutes)
- Copy the
.glbinto your project folder (30 seconds). With the Godot editor open, use your OS file manager to place the file in the project folder (underres://). When you switch back to the editor, it appears in the FileSystem dock automatically. - Select the file in the FileSystem dock (10 seconds). Once selected, its import settings appear in the Import dock.
- Check the settings in the Import dock (1 minute). The settings are split into several sections.
- Root Type / Name: the type and name of the root node
- Meshes: settings for tangent generation, LOD and light baking
- Animation: frame rate and track optimization
- Import Script: a script that automates post-import processing
- Press
Reimportafter changing settings (20 seconds). Your changes are not applied until you press it. - Drag and drop it into the scene (10 seconds). Drag it from the FileSystem dock into the viewport or the node tree of the open scene. According to the official docs, in this case the root node is renamed to match the file name.
- Check how it looks (1 minute). If everything appears pitch black, the scene may have no light, or no environment (WorldEnvironment) may be set up.
When you want finer control, open the Advanced Import Settings dialog. You can open it by double-clicking a 3D scene in the FileSystem dock, or with the Advanced… button in the Import dock (source: Godot Docs - Import configuration, as of July 2026). Use it when you want to override settings for individual meshes or materials.
A rule to remember: you cannot overwrite the source file
There is one rule worth understanding first when working with 3D data in Godot. The official documentation puts it like this: "Godot can only save to its own scene formats (.tscn / .scn) and cannot save over the original 3D scene file."
Inside Godot, an imported GLB is handled as a PackedScene (a scene in Godot's native format that contains the meshes, materials, skeletons and animations). In other words, changes you make in Godot are never written back to the original .glb.
In practice, this means two things.
- Always keep the original data separately as your "source." Hold on to your Blender project or the GLB you generated.
- Do your Godot-side work in a separate scene that inherits from the imported scene. That way, your work survives even when you swap out the source data and reimport.
With AI-generated 3D models, regenerating gives you a different variation. If you build your structure on the assumption that the model will be swapped out, you are less likely to have to redo work later. We lay out the overall picture of editing routes in How to Edit AI-Generated 3D Models: A Complete Overview.
Using it in a game: creating collisions with node name suffixes
Godot has a handy mechanism that looks at the suffix appended to node names in the source data and changes the node type at import time. The suffix can be separated with -, $ or _, and it is case-insensitive (source: Godot Docs - Node type customization, as of July 2026).
| Suffix | Behavior at import |
|---|---|
-col | Generates a static triangle-mesh collision as a child node |
-convcol | Generates a ConvexPolygonShape3D instead of a triangle mesh |
-colonly | Removes the mesh and keeps only a StaticBody3D collision |
-convcolonly | Like -colonly, but uses convex decomposition |
-rigid | Imports the mesh as a RigidBody3D |
-navmesh | Converts it into a navigation mesh |
-occ / -occonly | Generates an occluder (Occluder3D) / converts the mesh into an occluder |
-noimp | Removes the node and its animations at import, whatever its type |
-vcol | Enables the vertex color flag |
-alpha | Applies the transparency (TRANSPARENCY_ALPHA) mode |
-loop / -cycle | Sets the animation loop flag |
There is a catch here: the suffix has to be on the node name in the source data. Node names in AI-generated 3D models are assigned automatically, so you will not get collisions as-is. There are two ways around this.
- Rename in Blender before exporting (recommended). Open the GLB in Blender, rename the object to something like
Character-col, and export it as a GLB again. From then on, simply reimporting gives you a model with collision already attached. - Add it manually in Godot. Add a StaticBody3D and a CollisionShape3D to the placed scene yourself. If you only have one model, this can be the quicker option.
Triangle-mesh collisions are faithful to the shape, but they are heavier to process. Use simple shapes (capsules, boxes, convex shapes) for moving characters and reserve triangle meshes for static background objects. That split is the easiest to manage in terms of performance.
Three things to check after importing
1. Scale
Sometimes a model is far too large or too small the moment you place it. This comes from the dimensions in the source data and is not an error. Line it up next to existing objects or the character height you have in mind and adjust it relative to them.
2. How the materials look
glTF materials are physically based (PBR), and the surface look is determined by how metallic the surface is (metallic) and how rough it is (roughness). In a toon-style game, this shading may clash with the art style. In that case, swap the materials on the Godot side. We explain how color and surface work in What Is a Texture?.
3. Face count
AI-generated models and highly detailed models can have a lot of faces by real-time standards. Base your decision on how many of them will be on screen at once, and reduce the count before exporting if needed (What Is Polygon Count?). The Meshes section of the Import dock also has LOD settings, so you can let Godot handle distance-based simplification.
What to do when a GLB will not import or looks wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The file does not show up in the FileSystem dock | The editor has not detected the folder change | Bring focus back to the editor once. Reopen the project |
| Changed settings are not applied | You did not press Reimport | Run Reimport in the Import dock |
| Everything is pitch black | The scene has no light or environment | Add a light (DirectionalLight3D, etc.) or a WorldEnvironment |
| Things pass through it or do not stand on the ground | No collision has been generated | Add -col in the source data and export, or add it manually |
| Performance is sluggish | Face count, triangle-mesh collisions | Use LOD. Replace collisions with simple shapes |
| Editing the original file changes nothing | You are editing a different copy | Replace the actual file under res:// and reimport |
| You cannot change the pose | There are no bones | A separate step called rigging is needed |
You will always run into the last item when using AI-generated 3D models. A model generated from a single picture is a static mesh with no bones, so as-is, you cannot make it walk or change its pose. For uses such as display, backgrounds, props or turntable views, you can use it without any extra steps, but if you want it to move as a character, plan for a separate rigging step (What Is Rigging?).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a plugin to load GLB in Godot?
No. Godot supports glTF 2.0 out of the box, and the official documentation lists it as the recommended format. Both .glb (binary) and .gltf (text) are supported. If you use .gltf, place the accompanying image files and other assets alongside it. A .glb fits into a single file, so you can skip that step.
How do I add collision to an imported model?
If you export the source data with a suffix on the node name, such as -col (generates a triangle-mesh collision as a child) or -colonly (removes the mesh and keeps only the collision), the collision is created automatically at import. If you cannot rename the nodes, add a StaticBody3D and a CollisionShape3D manually in Godot.
Can I write changes made in Godot back to the original GLB?
No. By design, Godot can only save to its own scene formats (.tscn / .scn). The safe approach is to keep the original data separately and do your Godot-side work in an inherited scene. If you want to change the shape itself, edit it in external software such as Blender, export it again and reimport it into Godot.
If I want to try out an AI-generated 3D model, which is easier, Unity or Godot?
Judged purely on "the number of steps until it loads," Godot wins. Because glTF 2.0 is supported natively, you can get all the way to display just by dropping the file in. Unity requires the extra step of adding one official package, but once that is done it is just as easy to work with. If you already have a project running in one of the engines, sticking with that engine is the sensible choice. Both are free to start with, so it is enough to begin by actually importing one model and checking the display and performance with your own eyes.
What if I only want to use part of an imported model?
In the Advanced Import Settings dialog, you can inspect meshes and materials individually and override their settings. Nodes you do not need are removed at import if you add -noimp to their names in the source data before exporting. Deleting unneeded nodes after placement also works, but you would have to repeat the same work every time you swap the model, so if you will be doing it repeatedly, handling it in the source data saves effort.
Summary
Importing a GLB into Godot takes three steps: (1) place the .glb in your project folder, (2) check the settings in the Import dock and press Reimport, (3) drag it from the FileSystem dock into a scene. glTF 2.0 is natively supported and the recommended format, so you do not need any extra plugin.
There are two points to keep in mind. The first is the rule that you cannot save over the original 3D file. Manage the original data as your source and do your custom work in an inherited scene. The second is automatic generation via node name suffixes: adding -col and similar suffixes in the source data automates collision creation. If you understand these two points from the start, your structure will hold up even as you keep swapping models during development.
Related guides
- How to Import GLB into Unity: Why It Is Not Supported Out of the Box and How to Install glTFast
- What Is a GLB File? How to Open, Use, and Convert It, Explained Simply
- How to Turn a 2D Character Illustration into 3D for Unity: Conversion, Import, and What It Takes to Animate
- How to Turn Your Indie Game Characters into Merch: 5 Steps Without Holding Inventory
