---
title: "XYZ Viewer"
description: "View XYZ point cloud files online for free. No installation needed, with color display and smooth preview for 3D scans. Processed locally, never uploaded."
toolId: "xyz-viewer"
category: "preview"
subgroup: "pointcloud-viewer"
subgroupName: "Point Cloud & Splat Viewers"
url: "https://any3d.cc/en-US/tools/xyz-viewer"
markdown: "https://any3d.cc/llm/tools/xyz-viewer.md"
---

# XYZ Viewer

View XYZ point cloud files online, with 3D scan and scientific measurement data displayed instantly, supporting colors and smooth preview.

**Category:** 3D Model Viewer Tools (`preview`)
**Subgroup:** Point Cloud & Splat Viewers (`pointcloud-viewer`)

**HTML:** https://any3d.cc/en-US/tools/xyz-viewer

> Runs entirely in the browser. Files are not uploaded to Any3D servers.

## Overview

XYZ is a common point cloud file format where each line records the coordinates of a point, often used in 3D scanning and scientific measurement. This tool opens XYZ files directly in the browser, displaying the point cloud shape and color information in real time, making it easy to quickly inspect and share data. No file upload is needed, so your data stays private.

### How this XYZ viewer reads your file

XYZ has no single official layout, so here is exactly how each line is read.

| On a line | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| 3 numbers | Read as x y z; the point is shown in a default color |
| 6 or more numbers | The first 3 are the position, numbers 4 to 6 are red, green and blue (0 to 255); further numbers are ignored |
| Separators | Spaces or tabs |
| Lines starting with #, // or ; | Skipped as comments |
| Text headers | Skipped |

### If the XYZ looks wrong

| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nothing shows up | Values are separated by commas | Replace commas with spaces, or export with space separators. |
| Colors look strange | Columns 4 to 6 hold normals or colors from 0 to 1, not 0 to 255 | Export colors as 0 to 255 values, or remove those columns. |
| Only part of the scan is visible | Points are spread over a very large area | Zoom out to see the whole cloud. |
| Intensity is not shown | A 4th column alone is not read as color | Export RGB colors if you need them in the view. |

## FAQ

### Can I adjust the displayed point size?

Point size adjustment is not currently supported, but you can rotate and zoom to explore different levels of detail. Zooming in lets you inspect local structure clearly, while zooming out gives an overview, which covers most inspection needs.

### How can I compare multiple XYZ files?

Open multiple files one after another and they will be overlaid in the same scene, so you can directly compare different scan results. This makes it easy to see differences between repeated scans for data verification and quality checks.

### What is the difference between XYZ and PCD point cloud formats?

XYZ is a simple text format with one point per line, storing coordinates plus optional colors. PCD is more structured and can include fields such as intensity. This site uses a dedicated viewer for each format.

### Which programs export the XYZ files you open here?

Point cloud tools such as CloudCompare and MeshLab can save plain-text XYZ, and many scanners and survey programs export it too.

### Can I view PLY or PCD point clouds too?

Yes, with the PLY viewer and the PCD viewer on this site.

### Can I 3D print an XYZ point cloud?

Not directly. Points have no surface, so to do that, first build a mesh from them in a program such as MeshLab or CloudCompare, then export STL.

## About Configuration Options

### Preview settings

- **Auto-rotate** (Default: Off): Slowly rotate the model around the vertical axis after loading for a full view. Can be toggled anytime in the left panel.
  - `on` — On: Auto-rotate after loading
  - `off` — Off (Recommended): Stay still, rotate manually only (default)

### Animation

- **Clips**: Number of animation clips stored in the file.
- **Bones**: Number of skeleton bones used for rigging and skinning.

## Format Information

### Input format

- **Extension:** xyz
- **Full Name:** XYZ Point Cloud
- **Type:** 3D Model
- **Format:** XYZ
- **Tools:** [Three.js](https://threejs.org), [Blender](https://www.blender.org)
- **Open With:** [Blender](https://www.blender.org), [View in XYZ Viewer](https://any3d.cc/en-US/tools/xyz-viewer)
- **Description:** XYZ is one of the simplest point cloud text formats. Each line records the X, Y, Z coordinates of a 3D point, separated by spaces or tabs, with no header. It is easy to read and write, and is widely adopted in surveying and scientific research tools.

XYZ contains only coordinates, usually without color or normals, and the point cloud density determines reconstruction quality. It suits as a generic intermediate format for point cloud exchange, and can be converted to richer formats like PLY when rendering or modeling is needed.
- **Supported Features:**
  - Real-time WebGL rendering
  - Orbit controls with rotate/pan/zoom
  - Wireframe and shaded display modes
  - Animation playback (if supported by format)
- **Notes:**
  - XYZ is a headerless point list, so axis order is not standardized