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.DAE file extension

To open .DAE files on Windows, if you have a 3D tool installed that supports COLLADA (e.g., Autodesk Maya, Esri CityEngine), open the app and use File > Import (or the app’s import command) to import the .DAE.

To open a .DAE file, use a program that supports COLLADA (DAE) import/export, such as Autodesk Maya or Esri CityEngine. Because .DAE is an XML-based 3D exchange format, it’s usually imported into a project rather than “run” like an app.

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Last updated: April 30, 2026 · Reviewed by Julian Stricker

Open on your device

Choose your operating system for a dedicated step-by-step opening guide.

How to open .DAE files

Use these platform-specific instructions to open .DAE files safely.

Windows

  1. If you have a 3D tool installed that supports COLLADA (e.g., Autodesk Maya, Esri CityEngine), open the app and use File > Import (or the app’s import command) to import the .DAE.
  2. If double-clicking opens the wrong program, right-click the file > Open with, pick your 3D app, or set it as the default for .dae.
Full Windows guide

Mac

  1. Open a COLLADA-capable 3D application and use its Import feature to bring the .DAE into a scene/project.
  2. If Finder opens the wrong app, Control-click > Open With and choose the correct application.
Full Mac guide

Linux

  1. Use your desktop’s “Open With” to select a 3D application that supports COLLADA import (availability depends on what you have installed).
  2. If your environment uses the shared MIME database, ensure your system recognizes the file as model/vnd.collada+xml and then select a compatible app for that type.
Full Linux guide

iOS

  1. iOS may not have reliable native COLLADA support; if the Files app can’t preview it, transfer the .DAE to a desktop 3D application (or send it to an installed app that explicitly supports importing COLLADA/DAE).
Full iOS guide

Android

  1. Android often won’t open .DAE directly in a useful way; if it won’t preview, move the file to a desktop and import it into a COLLADA-capable 3D tool.
Full Android guide

Security notes

  • .DAE is XML-based, so treat it like other structured text formats: a malicious or malformed file can potentially trigger bugs in a 3D importer/parser. Prefer opening/importing .DAE from trusted sources only.
  • Be cautious when importing .DAE into complex 3D tools: even without “macros,” imported assets can include heavy geometry/animations that may cause crashes or resource exhaustion; consider testing in a separate project/session.
  • If a .DAE arrives with lots of extra files (textures, referenced assets), verify you expected those attachments; missing or swapped external resources can change what you see after import.

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Can't open this file?

These are the most common causes and fixes when .DAE files fail to open.

Common reasons

  • The .DAE opens as plain text or shows XML instead of a 3D model
  • Import succeeds but textures/materials are missing
  • The app says the .DAE is invalid or fails to import
  • Wrong scale/orientation after import

Fix steps

  1. Open your 3D application first and use its Import function to load the .DAE.
  2. Change the default app association for .dae to a 3D tool you trust (or keep it unassociated and always import from within the 3D app).

OS-specific troubleshooting

What is a .DAE file?

.DAE files are COLLADA documents—XML files usually identified with the .dae extension. COLLADA is an XML-based 3D asset exchange schema maintained by Khronos, intended to move 3D scenes, meshes, materials, cameras, and animations between tools. The registered media type for COLLADA is model/vnd.collada+xml.

Background

COLLADA (often stored as .dae) is designed as an interchange format for 3D digital assets so that content can move between creation tools and pipelines. Because it is XML-based, a .dae file can be opened in a text editor for inspection, but it is meant to be consumed by software that understands the COLLADA schema.

In practice, .dae is frequently used in 3D authoring and DCC (digital content creation) workflows, where software can import or export COLLADA. For example, Autodesk Maya supports COLLADA import/export behavior via its DAE_FBX option, and Autodesk Softimage (2013) documents import/export support for COLLADA as an XML-based asset exchange (*.dae) schema.

.DAE also appears in geospatial/3D city workflows. Esri CityEngine documents importing DAE (COLLADA) models, including common usage alongside KML/KMZ for 3D model content.

Common MIME types: model/vnd.collada+xml

Further reading

Authoritative resources for more details on the .DAE format.

Common .DAE issues

The .DAE opens as plain text or shows XML instead of a 3D model

A .dae file is an XML document; if your system associates it with a text editor or browser, you’ll see the underlying XML rather than a rendered model.

  1. Open your 3D application first and use its Import function to load the .DAE.
  2. Change the default app association for .dae to a 3D tool you trust (or keep it unassociated and always import from within the 3D app).

Import succeeds but textures/materials are missing

COLLADA often references external images and resources; if those files weren’t delivered with the .DAE (or paths are broken), materials may appear untextured.

  1. Check whether the sender included texture image files and keep them together with the .DAE in the same folder when possible.
  2. In your importing app, look for options to search for missing files or relink textures, then re-import if needed.

The app says the .DAE is invalid or fails to import

The file may be corrupted, not actually a COLLADA document, or uses features your importer doesn’t support.

  1. Open the file in a text editor and verify it looks like an XML COLLADA document (not random/binary data).
  2. Try importing into a different COLLADA-capable program (for example, Maya vs. CityEngine) to rule out importer limitations.

Wrong scale/orientation after import

Different tools use different coordinate systems and unit conventions; interchange formats can import with unexpected scale or axis orientation.

  1. Review import options for units, up-axis, and scaling, then re-import with corrected settings.
  2. If you control export, adjust export settings in the source tool to match the target tool’s expectations.

FAQ

What does .DAE usually mean?

Most commonly, .DAE is a COLLADA Digital Asset Exchange file—an XML-based 3D scene/model format.

What MIME type is used for .dae (COLLADA)?

The registered media type is model/vnd.collada+xml.

Can I edit a .DAE file in a text editor?

Yes—COLLADA documents are XML, so you can inspect and edit them as text, but practical changes are usually done in a 3D application and then exported again.

Is renaming another 3D file to .dae a valid conversion?

No. Renaming doesn’t convert the file contents. Use an application that can export to COLLADA/DAE or a proper conversion workflow.

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