Opening USD Files

The USD file type is primarily associated with USDView.

USD	File extension: USD
	File type:	scene description file

What is a USD file?

USD files mostly belong to USDView. USD files are used for Universal Scene Description, a format that organizes 3D scene data.
This file format stores details about scene elements such as models, lights, materials, and animation. It supports layering, referencing, and variant management, which means different parts of a scene can be worked on separately and then combined.
These files are used across many applications in film and design.

Pixar created USD files to help manage complex scenes in high-end visual effects and animation. Find more details at Pixar's USD release.

Autodesk also integrates USD into 3ds Max, making it easier to import and work with these scenes. More details are available at Autodesk 3ds Max overview.

FilExt.com tip: Overall, USD files are core to interchanging detailed 3D scene information across platforms.

How to open USD files

You need a suitable software like USDView to open a USD file. Without proper software you will receive a Windows message "How do you want to open this file?" or "Windows cannot open this file" or a similar Mac/iPhone/Android alert. If you cannot open your USD file correctly, try to right-click or long-press the file. Then click "Open with" and choose an application. You can also display a USD file directly in the browser:. Just drag the file onto this browser window and drop it.

Online USD Text Viewer

Choose your .usd file to analyze

or drag and drop it here

Online File Viewer

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USD file extension format:

If you know the file format, you can also find out how to open or edit the file. The file format can be determined based on the file extension and the signature (the first few characters of a file). Frequently, however, one file extension is used by different programs for different file formats, and one file format for different file extensions. If there are problems opening a file, you must first determine the file format used. Our examination of the USD files comes to the following conclusion:

USD is rarely used as a file extension and is used by a few programs, each with its own file format. The two most common formats are as follows:

• 55% of all USD files are Universal Scene Description files. If you open these files in a text editor, you will see only illegible characters. The files are 3 KB to 17 MB in size, with a median of 220 KB. This file type is new and state-of-the-art. The files contain the following words: PXR-USDC.
• 7% of all USD files store the data in the .NET file format. The .NET format is used to save Microsoft .NET Framework objects to a file (ex. save game state as file) via object serialization. Such a .NET object may contain functions and data like settings, images or videos. The content consists of illegible binary data, which can only be read and interpreted by the associated programs. The average file size is 27 bytes with most files being between 27 bytes and 29 bytes in size. An example of a file name is StoredPublishVersionKey.usd. Files like these are sometimes connected to publish and stored.

All other USD files (38%) have no uniform format. Files like these are sometimes linked to data, user, grps or mnsl. If you want to find out what your USD file contains, drag and drop it onto this page.