Five apps
The same license opens .max files in SketchUp, Cinema 4D, Blender, Maya and Houdini, each with its own renderers. It also opens them in 3ds Max, if you have it.
Blender · Cycles · Eevee · V-Ray
Open .max files in Blender. Materials included.
Oruva reads the 3ds Max scene itself and opens it in Blender with its materials rebuilt as nodes for Cycles, Eevee or V-Ray, its modifiers applied and its textures relinked.
14-day free trial10 conversionsNo credit cardAccount required
How it works
From .max to Blender. No export step.
- 01
Add your folder
Point Oruva at the folder that holds your .max files and their preview pictures. It connects each picture to its model.
- 02
Send to Blender
Right-click the picture, choose Send to, Blender, then Cycles, Eevee or V-Ray. Missing textures are listed before sending.
- 03
Edit natively
A native .blend scene opens with real, editable node materials. Anything approximated is listed in a report.
98.5%
of 335 .max files picked at random from a real 73,871-file model library converted in our October 2026 test. Anything approximated is listed in the conversion report.
What comes across
- Files saved in 3ds Max 2009 through 2027
- Geometry, object names and hierarchy
- Materials rebuilt as editable nodes for Cycles, Eevee or V-Ray
- TurboSmooth arrives as native subdivision; MeshSmooth, Shell, Edit Poly, UVW Map, Bend and Twist are applied
- Textures found by filename next to the .max, in nearby maps folders, or in a folder you add once
- Renderable splines, including Sweep, and V-Ray proxies (as regular geometry when the proxy file comes with the model)
Good to know
- Blender 4.2–5.2 on Windows today. Oruva for Mac is coming.
- Forest Pack, RailClone and Corona proxies aren’t supported yet.
- Symmetry, Mirror, Chamfer and some other modifiers aren’t applied. Oruva uses the base mesh and warns you.
- Renders won’t always match 1:1. When a renderer can’t express something exactly, the report says so.
One license
More than a converter. Your whole library.
A library that finds things
Local AI tags and describes every preview, so you can search by words, colour or a photo. It runs on your computer.
Scenes built by ChatGPT or Claude
Give your assistant a photo or a sentence and it builds the scene with the models you own. Included with a paid license, on Windows.
Your options
Ways to open a .max without buying 3ds Max
| Option | Needs 3ds Max | Renderer materials in Blender | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oruva | No | Editable nodes for Cycles, Eevee or V-Ray | $99 once (launch price) |
| 3ds Max plus an exporter | Yes | Depends on the exporter | 3ds Max is $2,010 a year |
| The model’s FBX or OBJ download | No | Lost; rebuild them by hand | Free |
| Browser converters | No | Basic values at best | Free |
Questions
Before you download
Do I need 3ds Max installed?
No. Oruva reads .max files on its own.
Which 3ds Max versions can it open?
Files saved in 3ds Max 2009 through 2027, including the older versions most model libraries still use.
Blender already has a free .max importer. Why Oruva?
Try both on your own file: the Oruva trial is free too. Oruva applies TurboSmooth as native subdivision plus Shell and other modifiers, brings in renderable splines and V-Ray proxies, and remembers your texture folder. The same license also covers Cinema 4D, Maya, Houdini and SketchUp, with a searchable library around it.
Which Blender versions and renderers?
Blender 4.2 to 5.2 on Windows, with Cycles, Eevee or V-Ray for Blender. Oruva only offers renderers your Blender can load.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. Conversion runs on your computer. Your account is used for the license check only.
What does it cost?
$99 once at the launch price, until 22 March 2027, then $149. It includes one year of updates, for one person on up to two computers. No subscription.
Try it on your own .max files.
Ten conversions, fourteen days, no credit card.