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COLLADA file format (.dae)

COLLADA (.dae, COLLAborative Design Activity)

What is a COLLADA file?

COLLADA is an XML-based scene format that predates glTF as the Khronos interchange standard. It can carry geometry, materials, animations and full scene hierarchies, and remains common in older game pipelines, Google Earth assets and DCC tool exchanges.

  • Full scene graphs with animations and materials
  • Long-standing support in DCC tools
  • XML structure is inspectable and patchable

Best for: Legacy game and simulation asset pipelines.

View COLLADA files online

Open .dae files in the free online COLLADA viewer — assembly tree, section views and display modes, entirely in your browser.

How to open a COLLADA file

  1. Open the online COLLADA viewer. It runs in your browser, so there is no software to install and no account to create.
  2. Drop your .dae file in. The file is parsed locally and never uploaded. Inspect it with the assembly tree, section views and display modes.
  3. Convert it if you need another format. Press Convert to turn COLLADA into STL, then download the result straight from your browser.

Convert COLLADA to other formats

COLLADA to STLCOLLADA to OBJCOLLADA to PLYCOLLADA to GLBCOLLADA to glTFCOLLADA to 3MFCOLLADA to OFFCOLLADA to USDZ

Frequently asked questions

How do I open a .dae file?

Drop it into the free online COLLADA viewer on this site — it renders in your browser with an assembly tree and section views, and the file is never uploaded. No software install needed.

Does COLLADA store units and colors?

Units: yes. Colors/materials: materials & textures. Geometry is stored as polygon mesh scenes.

How do I convert COLLADA to STL?

Use the free COLLADA to STL converter: drop the file, press Convert, download. Everything runs locally in your browser — no upload, no signup.

What is COLLADA best used for?

Legacy game and simulation asset pipelines.

Does one COLLADA file always contain the complete scene?

No. A DAE document can reference texture images and other assets by path, so copying the XML alone may leave materials incomplete. It is also a mesh scene format, not an exact CAD representation.

Can COLLADA store animation?

Yes. The conversion pipeline on this site handles static geometry, hierarchy and flat colors only, so it does not write or display animation tracks.