Free STL to STEP converter
STL to STP, for CAD programs

Drop an STL file and save it as a STEP file that SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Inventor, Onshape and FreeCAD can open.

The conversion runs in your browser, so the file never leaves your computer.

Free, no sign-up. Your file stays on your computer. It is opened and converted in this browser tab and is never uploaded to us or anyone else.

File will not convert, or the model needs cleaning up? Our team fixes and converts it for you. Send us the file and we reply with a fixed price. Send the file

  • STL to STEP (.step, .stp)
  • Size and a watertight check first
  • Or save as OBJ, GLB or 3MF
How it works

How to convert STL to STEP

3 steps, and the file never leaves your computer.

1. Drop the STL file

Drop the .stl file. It opens in 3D with its size and triangle count.

2. Check it is closed

The watertight check shows if the mesh is a closed solid. CAD programs handle a closed mesh much better than an open one.

3. Download the STEP

Open the .step file in your CAD program with its normal import. Each triangle of the STL becomes a flat face.

Good to know

What a STEP made from an STL can do

Read this before you plan to edit the part.

The faces stay flat facets

An STL holds only triangles, so the STEP is made of the same triangles as flat faces. A curved surface stays a set of facets. No converter can bring back the exact curves.

Good for: measuring, fitting, reference

You can place it in an assembly, check that parts fit, measure it and design new parts around it.

Hard: editing it like a CAD part

Changing a hole or a fillet means rebuilding that feature. For real editing, remodel the part from the mesh, or ask us to.

Large meshes make heavy files

Every triangle becomes a face, so a detailed scan can make a STEP that CAD programs open slowly. Reduce the mesh in your slicer or Meshmixer first if it is very large.

From 3D file to images

What we make from 3D files

Product companies, game studios and architects send us their models to be turned into images and films that sell.

3D product rendering of a tambour-front storage cabinet shown in black and white finish options side by side on a plain background

3D product rendering

Photoreal studio and lifestyle images of your product, made from the model.

See product rendering
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3D modeling

Clean models from drawings, photos or a rough mesh, and broken files repaired.

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Architectural visualization

Photoreal images of buildings and interiors from your model or drawings.

See architectural visualization
STL to STEP FAQ

Questions about STL to STEP

Formats, quality and privacy.

Ask us a question
How do I convert STL to STEP for free?
Drop the STL file on the converter on this page and download the STEP. It is free, with no sign-up, and the file is not uploaded.
Can I edit the STEP file in SolidWorks or Fusion 360?
You can open, measure and reference it, but it is made of flat facets, not exact surfaces. To change features properly, the part has to be rebuilt as a CAD model.
Is STP the same as STEP?
Yes. .stp and .step are the same format. Rename the file if a program asks for the other extension.
Can you rebuild my STL as a real CAD model?
Yes. We model parts from meshes, drawings and photos. Send the file with the quote form and we reply within 30 minutes: a fixed price and a delivery date, or the 1-2 questions we need answered first.
Is my file uploaded?
No. It is converted in this browser tab on your own computer and never sent to us or anyone else.
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Architects, developers & interior designers

Working for 215 companies since 2013

125 of 220 clients came back

More than half of our clients have hired us again

Send us the mesh and get a real CAD model

Attach the file and say what the images are for. We reply within 30 minutes: a fixed price and a delivery date, or the 1-2 questions we need answered first.

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