Image to STL.

Maintained by Bake3D · Updated 8 September 2026

How image-to-STL relief conversion works

The instant converter turns image brightness into a surface height. It places that surface above a solid rectangular base and closes the bottom and sides. The result is useful for raised graphics, plaques, test patterns and decorative panels. A white mark rises in the default mode; a black mark stays near the base. Invert reverses that relationship. Transparent pixels start at the base rather than becoming an unexpected raised background.

A photograph also works, but its lighting becomes geometry. A shadow on a face can become a depression, and a highlight can become a ridge. For a photograph intended to be viewed with light behind it, try the JPG-to-STL lithophane workflow, which starts with thinner, inverted settings. For a complete object with sides and a back, use the image-to-3D generator. That is a separate credit-based process which infers geometry beyond the visible image.

Convert an image step by step

1. Choose a PNG, JPG/JPEG or WebP file, or use the sample button to explore a known grayscale pattern.
2. Set the output width in millimetres. The image’s aspect ratio determines the other horizontal dimension; portrait images produce taller rectangles.
3. Set the base and relief height. The maximum possible thickness is their sum, although an image without fully bright pixels may not reach that maximum.
4. Adjust inversion, tone curve and smoothing while inspecting the preview. The converter rebuilds the result from the latest settings.
5. Download the STL, import it into your slicer as millimetres, and review its dimensions and layer preview before printing.

The tool accepts images up to 32 MiB and 64 megapixels, with neither side above 32,768 pixels. These bounds protect browser memory. Resizing a large photograph often has little effect on this output because the mesh samples a much smaller grid.

Choosing settings that preserve detail

Width controls physical size, not pixel resolution. At 100 mm wide, a small letter may still be too narrow for a particular nozzle or process. Increasing mesh resolution does not make that letter physically wider.

Relief height is the range above the base. Start with a modest range for logos or shallow ornament. A very large range can turn small brightness differences into steep walls. Base is the minimum supporting thickness; choose it for the material and intended use rather than treating the sample value as a universal print profile.

Long-edge samples bounds the mesh grid in both portrait and landscape orientations. More samples capture finer image changes and create larger files. Smoothing reduces abrupt pixel noise but can soften lettering. Tone curve changes the distribution of intermediate heights while preserving the darkest and brightest endpoints. The interactive sample contains gradients, steps and circles so these effects are easier to separate.

What the file preserves

The STL contains the generated triangles. It does not contain the original photograph, colors, textures, printer settings or editable brightness controls. Keep the source image if you want to revise the design later. Coordinates are written in millimetres with a flat base at Z = 0; STL itself has no unit field, so the receiving application must use the same unit interpretation.

The preview is a geometry inspection aid. It is not a simulation of extrusion, resin exposure or transmitted light. A closed mesh alone does not establish that every feature can be manufactured by your printer.

Troubleshooting and common questions

Why does the result look blocky?

First inspect the source at its original resolution. Compression artifacts and pixelated lettering become surface features. Increase samples if the source has useful detail, or add a small amount of smoothing if the source is noisy. A larger physical design can also make narrow features more practical.

Why is the picture raised in the wrong places?

Try inversion. For a logo, it can help to prepare a clear foreground and transparent background. For a photo, remember that brightness is being interpreted as height; this mode does not identify anatomical depth.

Are my images uploaded?

This instant conversion processes the selected file in your browser and creates a local download. It does not submit the image to the generation service or require an account. The full 3D workflow is separate and explains its upload and credit requirements before generation.

Has the geometry been checked?

Automated tests cover closed edges, opposing edge winding, positive volume, dimensions, extreme aspect ratios, transparency and tone controls. These are software checks, not evidence of a physical print on every machine. Use a small test piece and inspect your slicer’s output for the final manufacturing decision.