# Import a rigged, animated GLB into Blender Source: https://bake3d.ai/guides/rigged-glb-blender Updated: 2026-10-08. Written by Bake3D (https://bake3d.ai). Import a rigged, animated GLB into Blender with the Bake3D add-on or by hand, then check the armature, textures and every animation before you edit it. ## Short answer To import a rigged GLB into Blender, use File, Import, glTF 2.0 and pick the file, or use the Bake3D add-on in the sidebar. Blender creates an armature, the skinned mesh and one action for each animation. Play each action, check the textures and the scale, and look past the first frame before you edit or export. ## How we checked Blender 4.4 checks cover the add-on's ZIP install, registration, worker-thread generation, polling and import against a local stand-in for Bake3D. The import used a rigged, animated fixture and checked collection and action naming and the frame range. Server exports for six structurally different rigs, as GLB and FBX, were imported in Blender 4.4 separately. Later Blender versions may present different controls. GLB can carry a mesh, its materials and textures, a skeleton, skin weights and animation in one file. For a Bake3D workflow, it is the simplest way to bring a generated asset into Blender without rebuilding its rig. ## Use the Bake3D add-on Download [bake3d-blender.zip](https://bake3d.ai/integrations/blender/bake3d-blender.zip). In Blender 4.2 or newer, open **Preferences → Add-ons → Install from Disk**, choose the ZIP and enable Bake3D. If you installed the older single-file `bake3d.py` add-on, remove it first. Open the **Bake3D** tab in the 3D Viewport sidebar. Enter an API key from [Account → API](https://bake3d.ai/account/api) (Pro or Studio) for this session, or start Blender with `BAKE3D_API_KEY` in its environment. The key is never written to the `.blend` file. Refresh the credits line to load your balance; the generation and motion buttons then show their current costs. Choose **Image file** and pick a PNG, JPEG or WebP with the file browser; the add-on uploads it to your account. You can also choose **Image URL** or **Text**. Select **Generate mesh and rig**. Network work runs on a worker thread and a timer applies its results, so Blender stays responsive. The job is checked every four seconds, with a back-off when rate limited and a 20-minute limit. **Stop waiting** leaves the job running; **Cancel job** stops it and refunds its credits. **Skip the included animation at generation** creates a rig without the free included motion. For an existing character, search your rigged projects and choose one. **Compose motion** describes new motion with a length and loop setting. Choose **Saved animation** or **Preset** to import something other than the included animation. **Refresh animations and presets** shows which presets fit this rig and why others cannot play on it. Select **Import character**. **Rest pose only** leaves the animation out of this export only. **Root motion** bakes travel into the skeleton's `motion_root` bone. **Height (m)** scales the export to a real-world height; 0 keeps the generated size. ## What an import creates Each import goes into a new collection named after the character, and its top object is renamed to match. The action is named after the clip. The scene's frame range grows to include the clip but never shrinks. A looping clip ends one frame early, because its last key repeats the first pose and would otherwise play twice at the seam. glTF stores times in seconds, and Blender converts them with the scene's frame rate, which the add-on leaves unchanged. Imports support undo. Exports are grounded (feet at zero height) and centred on the origin, facing glTF +Z. Blender maps that to −Y, so the character faces the Front view. The armature's top bone is `motion_root`, an unweighted bone on the ground. With Root motion on, it carries only planar travel and heading, and the hips keep their bob and jump. With Root motion off, it stays still and the character animates in place, keeping vertical motion such as a jump and wheel roll. For a connected Blender MCP bridge or your own script, set the key in the add-on, then call `bpy.ops.bake3d.import_character(project_id="PROJECT_ID", animation_id="ANIMATION_ID", synchronous=True)`. Scripts can also use `from bake3d import Client`. The [integration reference](https://bake3d.ai/docs/integrations#blender) lists the setup details. *Figure: What the imported armature looks like inside the mesh, from the side. Bones run from the hips to the head, down each leg and along the tail. Rendered in Blender from our sample fox.* ([picture](https://bake3d.ai/guides/fox-rig-skeleton.webp)) ## Import a file manually Export the **rigged rest pose** if you want to author motion in Blender. Export an **animated GLB** if you want the keyframes from a Bake3D motion. Choose in-place export for a stationary preview, or root motion if the character should move through the scene. An OBJ or STL file does not carry the same rig and animation data. Use those formats for geometry-specific workflows rather than as substitutes for a rigged GLB. You can practice the import with the [homepage fox rigged GLB](https://bake3d.ai/samples/bake3d-fox-2.glb). This sample contains the mesh and rig in its rest pose. For a free test model with playable clips, download one of our [free rigged and animated 3D models](https://bake3d.ai/free-3d-models): each GLB brings its walk and other clips in as separate actions. 1. Save your current Blender scene. 2. Use **File → Import → glTF 2.0** and choose the GLB. 3. Inspect the Outliner for the imported mesh and armature. 4. Frame the imported objects in the viewport, then use Material Preview or Rendered view to inspect textures. 5. If the file contains animation, select the armature and inspect the available action in the animation editors. If several actions or NLA tracks are present, make sure you are previewing the intended action. Scrub through the timeline and confirm that the mesh follows the armature. Import adds content to the scene, so check placement and scale before combining it with existing assets. ## Check more than the first frame Count the expected parts and materials. Inspect the back of the character and any small appendages. Then check a few frames around the largest movements. To see the bones and play each clip before Blender is even open, drop the GLB into our free [GLB viewer](https://bake3d.ai/tools/glb-viewer). A file can import successfully while still containing an unsuitable rig or an awkward motion. For a vehicle or mechanism, rotate one part and confirm that the main body stays stable. For a creature, look for unwanted movement in nearby limbs or collapse at the joints. The [rig quality checklist](https://bake3d.ai/guides/check-ai-generated-rig) gives a repeatable review sequence. ## When something is missing If there is no action, confirm that you exported an animation rather than only the rest pose. If textures are absent, inspect the material nodes and image references. If deformation is poor, compare the same motion in Bake3D before making changes in Blender. The [glTF 2.0 specification](https://registry.khronos.org/glTF/specs/2.0/glTF-2.0.html) describes what the format carries. A custom viewport shader is not automatically part of the exported file, so always check the destination result.