Someone sent you a .usdz or .reality file, and it opens fine on an iPhone but not on your Android phone or Windows PC. That is expected: both formats come from Apple. This guide explains what each file is and the practical ways to view it on other devices.
What is a USDZ file?
USDZ is a 3D file format based on Pixar's Universal Scene Description, packaged by Apple for AR. On iPhone, iPad and Mac it opens in Quick Look, and on an iPhone you can place it in your room in AR. Android phones and Windows do not open it natively.
What is a .reality file?
A .reality file is made with Apple's Reality Composer tools. It can hold animations and interactions as well as 3D models. It is meant for Apple devices and opens in Quick Look on iPhone and iPad. Outside Apple's ecosystem there is no reliable way to open it, so the most dependable route is to ask whoever made it for a GLB or USDZ export.
How to view a USDZ file on Android
Android's built-in AR viewer, Google Scene Viewer, uses glTF and GLB files rather than USDZ. So the route is to convert the file to GLB:
- Open the file in a 3D tool that imports USD. Recent versions of Blender can import USD files, including .usdz.
- Export it as glTF 2.0 in the binary .glb format.
- Upload the GLB to the free AR viewer. You get a link that opens in AR on both Android and iPhone.
Check the result after converting. Materials and animations do not always carry over perfectly between formats.
How to view a USDZ file on Windows
Import it into Blender or another 3D tool that reads USD to look at it on screen. To see it in AR, convert it to GLB as above and open the AR link on your phone.
Sharing one model with iPhone and Android users
If you are sending a model to people on both kinds of phone, use a GLB file. An ARView link hands it to Apple Quick Look on iPhone and Google Scene Viewer on Android, so everyone gets the same model from one link, with no app to install. See how AR works on iPhone and Android for the details.
Frequently asked questions
Can Android open USDZ files?
Not with its built-in AR viewer, which uses glTF and GLB. Convert the USDZ to GLB, for example with Blender, then open it through a web AR link.
How do I open a .reality file on Android or Windows?
There is no reliable way. .reality files are made for Apple devices. Ask the creator for a GLB or USDZ version of the model.
What is the best 3D format to share with iPhone and Android users?
GLB. It works with Google Scene Viewer on Android, and services such as ARView can show it on iPhone too, all from one link.