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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

General Questions

What is the glTF Importer for Maya?

The glTF Importer for Maya is a plugin that allows you to import glTF (GL Transmission Format) and glb (Binary glTF) files directly into Autodesk Maya.

It enables seamless integration of 3D assets that follow the glTF standard into your Maya workflow.

What versions of Maya are supported?

The plugin supports Maya 2022 or later.

  • Maya 2024 and earlier: Install numpy separately
  • Maya 2025+: numpy is included by default

See Dependencies Installation for the full requirements.

Installation Questions

Why am I getting installation errors?

Common installation issues can be resolved by:

  1. Ensuring you have the correct Maya version
  2. Verifying all dependencies are properly installed
  3. Checking that you have sufficient permissions to install plugins
  4. Following the step-by-step instructions in Plugin Installation
Do I need to install additional dependencies?
  • Maya 2024 and earlier: Yes, you need to install numpy.
  • Maya 2025+: No additional dependencies are required as numpy is included by default.

Follow Dependencies Installation for step-by-step instructions.

Where should I install the plugin files?

Extract the downloaded zip and copy:

  • The contents of the scripts folder to your user-specific Maya .../scripts directory
  • The contents of the plug-ins folder to the matching .../plug-ins directory (create it if it does not exist)

Refer to Plugin Installation for exact paths on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Import Questions

What file formats are supported?

The plugin supports both:

  • .gltf files (JSON format with external assets)
  • .glb files (binary format with embedded assets)
Is Draco (KHR_draco_mesh_compression) supported?

Draco mesh compression decoding is supported on Windows only.

On macOS/Linux, files that use KHR_draco_mesh_compression may fail to import or import without geometry. Re-export the asset without Draco compression (or provide an uncompressed glTF/GLB) to import successfully.

What file type should I choose in Maya's Import dialog?

In Maya's native Import dialog, choose the file type glTF2.0 Import.

If you don't see it, follow Plugin Installation and confirm the plugin is loaded.

Why isn't my glTF/glb file importing correctly?

Several factors can affect import success:

  1. File compatibility: Check Asset Compatibility and Workarounds (Sketchfab auto-generated assets may require preprocessing)
  2. File format issues: Ensure your file follows the glTF 2.0 specification
  3. Missing textures: Verify all referenced textures are available
  4. Large file size: Very large files may require specific settings
  5. Asset source: Assets from Khronos Sample Assets, Maya/Babylon exporter, or Blender/glTF 2.0 exporter typically work best
  6. Scale issues: If imported assets appear too large (common with Sketchfab assets), use Unit Scale in Geometry Options and select 1.0
Can I import animations from glTF/glb files?

Yes. The plugin supports skeletal animations, transform-based animations, and morph targets.

  • Configure options in Animation Settings before importing
  • Default animation FPS is 24 fps (Film)
  • Enable Open Time Editor Window to open Maya's Time Editor automatically after import
  • Use Show Animation Clips to manage multiple clips (organized in the Time Editor)
How do I handle material variants?

Material variants are supported through Show Material Variants.

This lets you switch between different material configurations defined in your glTF file.

Can the Material Variants / Animation Clips UI open automatically?

Yes. In the glTF2.0 menu, open the Material Variants Animation Clips options dialog (the option box next to the menu item), then:

  • Enable Show UI automatically when Maya starts to open the UIs on startup
  • Use Dock UI by default to control whether they open docked or as floating windows
My imported asset from Sketchfab appears too large or has deformation issues

Sketchfab assets, especially auto-generated ones, may have scale or deformation issues. Try these solutions:

  1. Scale issues: Use Unit Scale in Geometry Options and select 1.0
  2. Deformation issues: Ensure Import Skin Binding is enabled (inverse bind matrices are handled automatically during import)
  3. Import only static geometry: Disable Import Skin Binding, Import Blendshapes, and Import Animations together
  4. For more detailed workarounds, see Asset Compatibility and Workarounds

Material Questions

Why don't my materials look correct after import?

Material appearance can be affected by:

  1. Shader type selection: Choose the appropriate shader type in Material Settings - Standard Surface (default), Arnold, OpenPBR (Maya 2025+), or Stingray
  2. Shader limitations: Note that Stingray only supports basic properties (BaseColor, ORM, Normal, Emissive), and OpenPBR may have rendering limitations with Arnold
  3. Ambient Occlusion: Enable "Import Ambient Occlusion" in Material Settings to import AO from ORM texture (R channel) and multiply with base color for added depth
  4. Texture paths: Ensure textures are properly linked
  5. Maya's material system: Some glTF material features may need manual adjustment
  6. Lighting setup: Your Maya scene lighting affects material appearance
Can I extract textures during import?

The importer handles textures differently depending on the file type:

  • GLB files: The importer needs to extract and save textures using the Image Extraction feature because textures are embedded in the binary file. By default (when "Use Relative Path" is unchecked), textures are saved to your Maya project's sourceimages directory (e.g., C:\Users\{User name}\Documents\maya\projects\default\sourceimages\gltf_textures). When "Use Relative Path" is enabled, textures are saved relative to the GLB file location, which is useful for portable project structures.

  • GLTF files: Extraction is not needed because textures are external files. The texture image paths will be set relative to the GLTF file location automatically.

How do I handle PBR materials?

The plugin converts PBR (Physically Based Rendering) materials to Maya-compatible materials. You can choose from multiple shader types:

  • Standard Surface (default): Best for general use with Arnold and other renderers
  • Arnold: Optimized for Arnold renderer workflows
  • OpenPBR (Maya 2025+): Industry-standard PBR shader, though Arnold may not render all properties correctly
  • Stingray: Legacy option, only supports basic material properties (BaseColor, ORM, Normal, Emissive)

Additionally, you can enable "Import Ambient Occlusion" to import AO from ORM texture (R channel) and multiply it with base color for enhanced depth and shadow detail. Some manual adjustment may be required for optimal results depending on your chosen shader type.

Performance Questions

Why is my import taking so long?

Import time can be affected by:

  1. File size: Larger files take more time to process
  2. Geometry complexity: High-poly models require more processing
  3. Texture resolution: Large textures increase import time
  4. Complex rigged assets: Assets with complex rigging and skin binding may take longer due to the complex skin binding process
  5. Computer specifications: Available RAM and CPU/GPU power
Can I optimize import performance?

Yes, there are several ways to optimize import performance depending on your needs:

For Static Geometry (No Animation Needed): - Disable "Import Animations" in Animation Settings to skip all animation processing - Disable "Import Skin Binding" in Geometry Options to avoid processing skeleton and skinning data, which significantly speeds up imports for complex rigged assets

For Geometry Optimization: - Use "Merge Vertices" in Geometry Options to reduce geometry complexity, which can speed up processing for high-poly models

For Material Optimization: - Disable "Import Materials" in Material Settings if you only need geometry and plan to assign materials manually later

These optimizations are particularly effective for large files, complex rigged assets, or when you only need specific aspects of the imported content.

Troubleshooting

The plugin menu doesn't appear in Maya

If the glTF2.0 menu is not visible:

  1. Verify the plugin is properly installed
  2. Check that the plugin is loaded in Maya's Plugin Manager
  3. Restart Maya after installation
  4. Check Maya's script editor for error messages
I'm getting error messages during import

Common solutions:

  1. Check the Limitations and Known Issues page
  2. Verify your file meets glTF 2.0 specifications
  3. Try importing a simpler test file first - Test with assets from the Khronos Sample Assets repository
  4. Check Maya's script editor for detailed error information
  5. If importing Sketchfab assets, see Asset Compatibility and Workarounds for preprocessing steps
  6. For Sketchfab assets with issues, try disabling Import Skin Binding, Import Blendshapes, and Import Animations all at once to import only static geometry and materials
My animations aren't playing correctly

Animation issues can often be resolved by:

  1. Checking Animation Settings configuration — ensure "Import Animations" (and "Import Blendshape Animations" if needed) is enabled
  2. Setting Maya's playback speed to Real-time in the Time Slider options so imported FPS is respected
  3. Enabling "Open Time Editor Window" in Animation Settings to automatically open the Time Editor after import for easier access to animation clips
  4. Using Show Animation Clips to manage multiple animations — all clips are organized in Maya's Time Editor
  5. If you're on Maya 2023 or earlier and blendshape animations don't play, bake the clips via the Time Editor's Bake menu as described in the Asset Compatibility and Workarounds guide
  6. Verifying timeline settings in Maya
  7. Note: Sketchfab assets with rigged animations may require preprocessing (see Asset Compatibility and Workarounds)
Why do imported objects disappear when I enable shaded display with texture maps (press 6)?

If imported meshes or geometries disappear when you enable shaded display with texture maps (pressing 6), this can be caused by:

  1. Backface Culling: Change the Backface Culling setting to "off" in the mesh's shape node under the Mesh Component Display section. This will allow you to see both sides of the geometry
  2. Opacity Connection: The shader's Opacity attribute may be connected, causing transparency issues. You can temporarily disconnect the opacity connection in the shader's attribute editor to see the geometry
  3. Viewport Renderer: Start Arnold in the viewport to see the render result, which may display the geometry correctly

Additionally, to see advanced material properties like sheen, iridescence, clearcoat, transmission, and other PBR features, you need to:

  • Start Arnold in the viewport renderer, or
  • Take a render using Arnold

Maya's default viewport renderer may not display all advanced material properties correctly, so using Arnold is necessary to visualize these effects.

Advanced Usage

Can I batch import multiple files?

The plugin focuses on individual file import. For batch operations, you can use Maya's scripting capabilities with the programmatic interface.

See Technical Details for MEL and Python command examples.

How do I handle very large glTF scenes?

For large scenes:

  1. Consider splitting the scene into smaller files
  2. Use selective import options - Disable "Import Skin Binding" if you don't need animation, or disable "Import Materials" to import geometry only
  3. Optimize geometry before import
  4. Monitor Maya's memory usage
  5. Use "Merge Vertices" option to reduce geometry complexity
Can I re-export imported glTF/GLB files using Babylon exporter?

Yes, but there are important considerations for round-trip workflows:

  1. Material compatibility: Use Stingray shader when importing if you plan to re-export with Babylon, as Babylon doesn't work well with Standard Surface, Arnold, or OpenPBR shaders
  2. Animation clips: If your file has animation clips, you'll need to bake them from Time Editor to scene animation before exporting. See Asset Compatibility and Workarounds for the complete round-trip workflow
  3. Material limitations: Babylon only supports basic material properties with Stingray shader and doesn't support glTF extensions with Stingray
What's the difference between 'No merging' and 'Merge Vertices'?
  • No merging (default): Preserves original mesh structure and keeps components separate along UV seams
  • Merge Vertices: Combines vertices that share the same position; can reduce geometry complexity but may change how some edge cases behave
Can I modify import settings after import?

Import settings apply during the import process. To change settings, re-import the file with the new configuration.

After import you can still: - Modify materials - Apply material variants via Show Material Variants - Manage animation clips via Show Animation Clips

Getting Help

Where can I find more technical information?

Detailed technical information is available in Technical Details, including programmatic import using MEL and Python commands with all available import options.

How do I report bugs or request features?

You can report bugs, request features, share suggestions, view announcements, and get support by joining the Discord server.

When reporting issues, please include:

  1. Maya version and operating system
  2. Asset source (Sketchfab, custom export, etc.)
  3. File size and complexity details
  4. Specific error messages or unexpected behavior
  5. Sample files (when possible and appropriate)
  6. Output logs from the Maya Script Editor
  7. Steps to reproduce the issue
Are there example files I can use for testing?

The Khronos glTF Sample Assets repository provides official test assets that work well with the plugin.

These are recommended for testing your installation and understanding the import process. Assets exported from Maya using Babylon exporter or from Blender using the built-in glTF 2.0 addon also work reliably.

If your question isn't answered here, please check the other documentation pages or join the Discord server for additional support.