What is a .ply file?
Polygon File Format · 3D model · Stanford University · 1994
A .ply file is a Polygon File Format model, also called the Stanford Triangle Format. It stores 3D geometry as a list of vertices and faces, often from 3D scanners, and can carry colour and normals.
What is a .ply file used for?
PLY files begin with the word ply and a header that declares the properties of each vertex and face. They come in ASCII (readable) and binary variants, and are a favourite for scanned point clouds and meshes.
It is common in 3D scanning, photogrammetry and research. MeshLab and Blender open it; convert to OBJ or glTF for wider use.
What opens a .ply file?
The .ply format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list.
Windows
- MeshLab
- Blender
- CloudCompare
macOS
- MeshLab
- Blender
- Preview
Linux
- MeshLab
- Blender
- CloudCompare
Open a .ply file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .ply. Drop it into the WhatFileType identifier, which reads its signature in your browser without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with MeshLab or Blender.
- On Mac, use MeshLab or Blender.
- On Linux, try MeshLab or Blender.
- Still stuck? Convert the .ply to obj, which opens more widely.
Why can't I open my .ply file?
Almost always because no installed app understands PLY. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads. If double-clicking opens the wrong program instead of nothing at all, the file association is set to the wrong app rather than the file being broken.
The other possibility is that the file is not really a .ply at all. Drop it into the file identifier to check it by its bytes instead of its name. Nothing is uploaded.
How to convert a .ply file
You can convert a .ply file to obj, stl, gltf using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
What is the .ply file signature (magic bytes)?
A .ply file starts with the hex bytes 70 6C 79 0A, which read as ply. in ASCII. Programs identify PLY by those bytes, not by the filename, so a renamed file still gives itself away.
These are the documented signatures for PLY. For a full breakdown, see the PLY (Stanford) file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | ASCII | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 6C 79 0A | 0 | ply. | 'ply' then a newline |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .ply file?
A .ply file is a Polygon File Format model, also called the Stanford Triangle Format. It stores 3D geometry as a list of vertices and faces, often from 3D scanners, and can carry colour and normals.
How do I open a .ply file?
Use MeshLab or Blender, both free, or CloudCompare for point clouds. They can convert it to OBJ, STL or glTF.
What is a PLY file used for?
Storing 3D meshes and point clouds, especially output from 3D scanners and photogrammetry, often with per-vertex colour.
Is PLY text or binary?
Both exist. ASCII PLY is human-readable; binary PLY is smaller and faster. The header states which, right after the ply marker.
Related formats
Sources
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