3DS file extension

The 3DS file extension is associated with the 3DS Max application developed and sold by Autodesk. 3ds Max is used for 3D rendering and modeling and for creating 3D images and animations.

3DS files are used to save various settings and attributes such as mesh data, vertices data, mapping parameters, smoothing information, lighting data, image references and animation data.

Everything is stored in blocks also called chunks which contain length parameters and identifiers which define the file’s structure. The 3DS file format is binary offering advantages such as lower file size and better loading times.