Convert DAE to FBX Online (Free & Secure)
DAE to FBX conversion on iLove3DM takes one upload and no account. Your DAE model, built from polygon meshes with scene graph, cameras and lights, is rewritten as FBX with its materials intact.
Select .DAE file
or drag & drop .dae file here
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⚡ AI Summary & Quick Answer
DAE to FBX conversion on iLove3DM takes one upload and no account. Your DAE model, built from polygon meshes with scene graph, cameras and lights, is rewritten as FBX with its materials intact.
Both formats are designed for moving assets between modelling packages, so the differences come down to hierarchy, units and animation. DAE (.dae) is verbose XML following the Khronos COLLADA schema. It holds polygon meshes with scene graph, cameras and lights and is most often opened in SketchUp, Blender, and Google Earth. FBX (.fbx) is a proprietary Autodesk container, usually binary, holding polygon meshes with layered UVs, skins, blend shapes and scene hierarchy, and is typically used in Unity, Unreal Engine, and Maya.
The converter parses the DAE scene graph, normalises meshes and materials, and re-exports them as FBX. Units change from a unit scale declared in the asset header (often meters or inches) to centimeters by default, with a settable unit scale. Everything runs in your browser or an isolated, auto-purged instance, so models stay private.
.daeAbout DAE (Collada)
ISO-standard XML schema for exchanging digital assets between graphics software applications.
- Structure: verbose XML following the Khronos COLLADA schema
- Materials: COLLADA effects (Blinn, Phong, Lambert) with image references
- Units: a unit scale declared in the asset header (often meters or inches)
- Axis: either Y-up or Z-up, as declared in the file
- Opens in: SketchUp, Blender, Google Earth, Gazebo or Rviz
.fbxTarget format: FBX (Autodesk Filmbox)
Industry-standard exchange format for games, animation, and visual effects supporting complex skeletal rigs and blend shapes.
- Structure: a proprietary Autodesk container, usually binary
- Materials: Lambert or Phong materials with optional PBR extensions
- Units: centimeters by default, with a settable unit scale
- Axis: Y-up by default, but exporters can change it
- Opens in: Unity, Unreal Engine, Maya, 3ds Max or Blender
What happens to your data in DAE → FBX conversion
Conversion route: DAE → GLB → FBX (parsed into a GLB scene, then exported as FBX).
| Aspect | Result | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Geometry | Preserved | DAE stores polygon meshes with scene graph, cameras and lights; FBX stores polygon meshes with layered UVs, skins, blend shapes and scene hierarchy. Surfaces are retriangulated where needed and positions, normals and UV coordinates are carried across. |
| Materials | Preserved | DAE uses COLLADA effects (Blinn, Phong, Lambert) with image references and FBX can represent the same information, so base colour and surface settings are preserved. |
| Textures | Preserved | In DAE, textures are referenced as external image files. FBX can reference or embed textures too, so images and UV mapping stay linked. |
| Vertex colours | Preserved | Per-vertex colours in DAE are written to FBX as vertex colour data. |
| Animation | Preserved | DAE provides skeletal animation, controllers and kinematics; FBX supports it as well, so clips can travel with the model. |
| Units & scale | Adapted | DAE uses a unit scale declared in the asset header (often meters or inches); FBX uses centimeters by default, with a settable unit scale. Check the scale in your target application, and use the Scale tool if the model looks too big or too small. |
| Orientation | Adapted | DAE is either Y-up or Z-up, as declared in the file and FBX is Y-up by default, but exporters can change it. The converter writes a consistent orientation, but verify the up axis in your target software. |
Expect the FBX file to be roughly 1.7x smaller than the DAE source, since FBX is medium, usually larger than GLB when textures are embedded.
Why convert DAE to FBX?
Why leave DAE
People most often convert from DAE when they are making a legacy Collada asset viewable on the web. Other common cases include opening a SketchUp or robotics export in a modern pipeline and retiring an XML-heavy archive into a compact format. In DAE → FBX specifically, preserved: geometry, materials, textures, vertex colours, and animation; adapted: units & scale and orientation. Expect the FBX file to be roughly 1.7x smaller than the DAE source, since FBX is medium, usually larger than GLB when textures are embedded.
Why choose FBX
FBX is the right target when you are importing into Unity, Unreal Engine or Maya. It also fits scenarios such as keeping skeletons and animation for character pipelines and handing an asset to a game or VFX team. Both formats are designed for moving assets between modelling packages, so the differences come down to hierarchy, units and animation.
Where the result opens
After conversion you can open the .fbx file in Unity, Unreal Engine, Maya, 3ds Max or Blender.
Step-by-Step Guide: DAE → FBX
- 1
Upload your .dae file
Drag your DAE model onto the converter or click to browse. Textures are referenced as external image files; zip the model with its textures and companion files if you want them included.
- 2
Check your free quota
Free accounts can run a few conversions per day; signing in unlocks tracking of your remaining uses. No watermark is ever added.
- 3
Convert to FBX
Press the Convert to FBX button. The pipeline follows DAE → GLB → FBX (parsed into a GLB scene, then exported as FBX), which usually takes a few seconds for models under 100 MB.
- 4
Download the .fbx file
Your FBX file downloads automatically. Open it in Unity and Unreal Engine to confirm scale and orientation.
Tips for DAE → FBX
- Z_UP files appear lying on their side in Y-up tools (DAE source).
- Version differences between FBX releases cause import warnings (FBX target).
- Always verify real-world size: DAE is a unit scale declared in the asset header (often meters or inches), while FBX is centimeters by default, with a settable unit scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert DAE to FBX without losing quality?
Upload the .dae file and press convert; the route is DAE → GLB → FBX (parsed into a GLB scene, then exported as FBX). Geometry is carried over exactly; materials are preserved, and textures stay linked through UV coordinates.
Does DAE to FBX conversion keep textures?
In DAE, textures are referenced as external image files. FBX can reference or embed textures too, so images and UV mapping stay linked.
Why does my FBX model look the wrong size or rotation?
DAE uses a unit scale declared in the asset header (often meters or inches); FBX uses centimeters by default, with a settable unit scale. Check the scale in your target application, and use the Scale tool if the model looks too big or too small. DAE is either Y-up or Z-up, as declared in the file and FBX is Y-up by default, but exporters can change it. The converter writes a consistent orientation, but verify the up axis in your target software.
Will the FBX file be bigger or smaller than my DAE file?
Expect the FBX file to be roughly 1.7x smaller than the DAE source, since FBX is medium, usually larger than GLB when textures are embedded.
What software can open the converted FBX file?
FBX files open in Unity, Unreal Engine, Maya, 3ds Max or Blender. If you need to go back, use the FBX to DAE converter.
Is it safe to upload my DAE model?
Yes. Files are processed in your browser or on isolated instances and purged right after conversion. They are never used to train AI models, and no watermark is added.