Frequently Asked Questions

STL2Image is an AI-powered tool that transforms your 3D model files (STL, OBJ) into photorealistic product photographs. Upload your file, choose material, color, scene and style, and get a professional photo in about 20 seconds.

Anyone who 3D prints and needs professional product photos: MakerWorld sellers, Etsy shop owners, 3D printing service providers, product designers, and hobbyists who want to showcase their creations online.

Sign in with Google, purchase a credit pack, then open the app. Drag and drop your STL or OBJ file, customize the settings, and click Generate. Your photo will be ready in seconds.

We support STL and OBJ files. If you use Fusion 360, export as STL (File → Export → STL). If you use Blender, export as OBJ. We plan to add 3MF and STEP support in the future.

There is no hard limit, but files under 50 MB work best. Very large files (hundreds of thousands of faces) may take longer to load in the 3D viewer. If your file is too heavy, reduce the mesh resolution in your slicer or CAD software before exporting.

The real-world dimensions are extracted directly from the 3D file coordinates (in mm by default). This ensures the object appears in the final photo with correct proportions relative to the scene.

When you upload a file, our AI analyzes 6 different rotations to determine the correct upright position of your object (e.g., a lamp with the shade on top, a cup with the opening facing up). If the AI gets it wrong, use the "Rotate 90°" button to manually cycle through orientations.

PLA (normal and matte), PETG (normal and HF matte), ABS, plus a custom option where you can describe any material (resin, nylon CF, wood PLA, silk, etc.). Each material has its own surface finish and texture in the generated photo.

Built-in scenes: Auto (AI-suggested), Hand (held in hand), Table, Desk, Bookshelf, Wall, Drawer, and Custom (describe your own). Combined with 4 scene styles (Minimal, Cozy, Industrial, Modern), you get dozens of unique combinations.

Scene styles control the overall aesthetic of the photo environment. Minimal gives a clean white background, Cozy adds warm wood and natural textures, Industrial uses concrete and metal, and Modern creates a dark premium look. The style is applied on top of your chosen scene.

When the AI detects that your model is a container (pen holder, tray, organizer, etc.), it offers to fill it with appropriate objects in the photo. For example, a pen holder will be shown with pens and pencils inside, making the photo look more realistic and useful.

1:1 (square, great for MakerWorld and Instagram), 4:5 (Instagram portrait), 3:4, 9:16 (stories/reels), 16:9 (landscape/banner), and 3:2 (classic photo). Choose the one that fits your platform.

The viewfinder button in the bottom-right corner of the 3D viewer resets the camera zoom and position so you can see the entire model. This is especially useful if you've zoomed in too much. Note: the generation always captures the full model regardless of your zoom level.

Typically 15-30 seconds. The AI captures 4 reference views of your model (front, back, top, detail), sends them along with your settings to our image generation pipeline, and produces a photorealistic result.

Images are generated in high resolution suitable for web, social media, and marketplace listings. The exact resolution depends on the aspect ratio chosen.

The AI uses 4 reference photos of your 3D model to understand its shape. If the orientation is wrong (e.g., a lamp upside down), the AI will generate a photo of an upside-down lamp. Always verify the orientation in the 3D viewer before generating.

Yes, click "Generate again" to try with different settings (scene, style, material). Each generation costs 20 credits. Since the AI has some randomness, even the same settings can produce slightly different results.

The most common causes are: wrong orientation (the model is sideways or upside down), incorrect material/color selection, or a very complex model with fine details that the AI couldn't capture. Try correcting the orientation first, then regenerate.

Each image generation costs 20 credits. Credit packs: 10 images for $10 ($1.00/image), 30 images for $24.50 ($0.82/image), 60 images for $44.50 ($0.74/image). All packs are currently 50% off.

No, credits never expire. Buy them once and use them whenever you need.

No subscriptions. You buy credit packs when you need them. No recurring charges, no hidden fees.

We accept all major credit and debit cards through Stripe (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, etc.). Payment is secure and processed by Stripe.

Since credits are digital goods consumed instantly, we generally don't offer refunds. If you experience a technical issue where credits were deducted but no image was generated, contact us at stltoimage@gmail.com and we'll add the credits back.

Yes! STL2Image is perfect for MakerWorld product listings. However, remember that MakerWorld requires at least one real photo of your actual printed model. STL2Image photos complement your real photos · they don't replace them.

All our credit packs are currently offered at 50% off the regular price. This applies to everyone, with special focus on the MakerWorld maker community.

Absolutely. The generated photos are yours to use for any commercial purpose: marketplaces, social media, websites, advertising, product catalogs, or anything else you need.

Yes, you have full commercial rights to all images generated with your credits. There are no watermarks, no attribution required, and no usage restrictions.

We use Google's Gemini for both the orientation analysis (understanding what your object is and how it should be positioned) and the photorealistic image generation. The pipeline captures 4 studio reference shots of your 3D model and sends them to the AI along with your material, color, scene, and style preferences.

Yes, the 3D viewer works on modern mobile browsers. You can drag to rotate, pinch to zoom, and two-finger drag to pan. For the best experience, we recommend using a desktop browser.

No. Your 3D file is processed entirely in your browser. Only the reference images (rendered snapshots of the model) are sent to the server for AI generation. We never store your original 3D files.

First try refreshing the page and generating again. If the error says "Server overloaded", wait a few seconds and retry. If the problem persists, try a different browser or clear your cache. For persistent issues, email us at stltoimage@gmail.com with a screenshot.