How to import a 3D model into Roblox Studio (FBX, textures, rigs)

Roblox Studio's 3D Importer reads FBX, glTF/GLB and OBJ files, so almost any model can make it into your game. Most import problems come from the file, not from Studio: a model in the wrong units, a pivot floating in mid-air, five materials where Roblox wants one. This guide covers which format to pick, how to prepare the file, the importer settings that matter, and fixes for the errors you will most likely hit.

Which file format should you import into Roblox Studio?

FBX for anything rigged or animated, because it carries the skeleton, skinning and clips. GLB is a good choice for static models since the textures are packed into one file, and OBJ only suits simple static props.

FBX and glTF also come in with a different structure. FBX meshes become MeshParts directly under one Model; glTF makes a MeshPart for every primitive. A single mesh with a single material gives the cleanest result either way.

How do you prepare a model for Roblox before exporting?

Check five things in your 3D tool: the triangle count, a single material, the scale in studs, the pivot at the bottom center and watertight geometry. They prevent most import errors.

1. Triangles. Roblox caps each mesh at 20,000 triangles. Game assets should be far below that; see triangle and texture budgets.
2. One material. A MeshPart has one material. A model with several materials comes in as several MeshParts, so bake everything onto one texture first.
3. Scale in studs. The simplest setup is 1 unit in your 3D tool = 1 stud, imported with Scale Unit set to Studs. A pet is usually 2 to 4 studs tall; a default avatar is about 5.
4. Pivot. Put the origin at the bottom center of the model, place it at the world origin and apply rotation and scale. Then it lands on the ground instead of half inside it.
5. Clean geometry. Roblox's modeling specifications ask for watertight meshes with real thickness: no open holes, no single-sided planes.

Step 1: Open the 3D Importer

In Studio, go to File > Import (Ctrl+M on Windows, Cmd+M on Mac) or click Import on the ribbon. Since April 2026 this opens Roblox's Universal Importer, which handles 3D models next to images, audio and video. Choose your file. If the textures are separate image files, keep them in the same folder (or the subfolder the model expects), or Studio will report missing textures. The importer opens a preview with the file's hierarchy on one side and settings on the other. Warnings and errors show up as icons in the hierarchy. Hover over an icon to read the message.

Step 2: Check the import settings

The defaults are sensible. These are the ones worth a look:

Step 3: Import rigs and animations

When the file has a skeleton, the importer shows rig settings. For a pet or creature, the Rig Type should be Custom. Studio then adds Bone objects under the MeshPart and an AnimationController to the model, instead of a Humanoid.

• Every bone needs at least one weighted vertex. Bones without weights are removed unless you turn on Keep Zero Influence Bones.
• The root bone sits at 0, 0, 0 with no weights. Each vertex can have up to 4 bone influences.
• Roblox's Animation Editor works at 30 fps, so bake clips at 30 fps and make loops seamless (first frame = last frame).

Since an August 2026 Studio update, animations inside the FBX are saved automatically to an AnimSaves folder (in ServerStorage) when you import the model. Open the Animation Editor from the Avatar tab, load the clip, then publish it with ⋯ > Publish to Roblox. Clips that live in separate FBX files can still be imported from the editor's menu (From File). If an animation doesn't show up, open the Animation Editor first and import the file again.

By default, Roblox only plays animations owned by the same user or group as the experience, unless the owner shares them through Creator Hub permissions. The simplest route is to publish with the account or group that owns your game. To play a clip, load it through the Animator inside the AnimationController, as Roblox's Use animations guide describes for rigs without a Humanoid:

-- Script inside the pet model
local pet = script.Parent
local controller = pet:FindFirstChildWhichIsA("AnimationController", true)
local animator = controller:FindFirstChildOfClass("Animator")
if not animator then
	animator = Instance.new("Animator")
	animator.Parent = controller
end

local idle = Instance.new("Animation")
idle.AnimationId = "rbxassetid://0000000000" -- your published Idle
local track = animator:LoadAnimation(idle)
track.Looped = true
track:Play()

Step 4: Fix textures with SurfaceAppearance

FBX and glTF files can bring in basic and PBR textures. If your model arrives grey or white anyway, set the texture by hand. Add a SurfaceAppearance inside the MeshPart and set ColorMap to the color texture. If you have them, add NormalMap, RoughnessMap and MetalnessMap too. For a color-only texture, MeshPart.TextureID also works.

For rarity variants, keep one model and swap textures. Make a copy of the pet per rarity, each with its own SurfaceAppearance, and clone the one you need at hatch time. SurfaceAppearance maps are set in Studio, not by scripts at runtime. The egg rarity guide covers how to plan the tiers.

Step 5: Finish the model in Studio

• Anchor static props that should not fall or be pushed.
• Set CollisionFidelity to Box or Hull for pets and small items. It is much cheaper than the default concave shape. Pets that follow players usually also have CanCollide off.
• Leave RenderFidelity on Automatic. Roblox lowers the detail of meshes that are far from the camera by itself.
• Test on a phone, or with Studio's device emulator, with as many copies on screen as your game will really show.

Why does a Roblox import go wrong, and how do you fix it?

Nearly always because of the file: wrong units, a misplaced pivot, too many triangles, several materials or unweighted bones. Fix it in your 3D tool and import again.