How to edit 3MF files on iPad and iPhone
You can edit 3MF files directly on iPad or iPhone with Forma3D — no desktop required. Import the file, modify the mesh with touch-first vertex, edge, and face tools, repaint color regions, and export a print-ready 3MF back to your slicer.
Updated October 30, 2026 · Published by Forma3D
What a 3MF file contains (and why it matters)
3MF (3D Manufacturing Format) stores more than geometry: per-face colors for multi-filament printing, measurement units, and slicer metadata. Editing a 3MF in a tool that only understands STL geometry silently drops that data. Forma3D reads and writes the color and metadata layers, so painted regions survive the round trip.
Editing workflow on iPad
- Import — open a 3MF from Files, Mail, or a share sheet
- Edit geometry — select vertices, edges, or faces; move, extrude, inset, bevel, or Boolean-cut them
- Repaint regions — assign new colors to faces for multi-filament output
- Repair — bridge open loops and fix non-manifold edges before export
- Export — save as 3MF with per-face colors and Bambu/Creality-compatible metadata intact
Common 3MF edits people do on iPad
| Task | Tool in Forma3D |
|---|---|
| Change filament colors of an existing model | Face paint, flood fill, color merge |
| Remove or cut off a part of the model | Manifold Cut, Boolean Subtract |
| Split a multi-part 3MF into pieces | Separate by region, constructor joints |
| Fix a broken or non-manifold mesh | Bridge faces, remesh, repair tools |
| Resize to fit the build plate | Numeric scale in millimeters, snap-to-grid |
Frequently asked questions
Can you edit a 3MF file on iPad?
Yes. Forma3D is a native iOS mesh editor that imports 3MF on iPad and iPhone, lets you edit vertices, edges, faces, repaint color regions, and export modified 3MF back to a slicer — no desktop required.
What is the difference between editing STL and 3MF?
STL stores only bare geometry. 3MF additionally stores per-face colors, units, and printer metadata, so editing 3MF preserves multi-filament paint data that STL loses on export.
Can Forma3D change the colors inside an existing 3MF?
Yes. Open the 3MF, repaint regions with the face paint tools, then export — the new per-face color assignments are written into the 3MF for multi-filament printing.
Get started
Forma3D is free to download on the App Store. Full-access features use in-app purchases — monthly, annual, or lifetime.
Next steps: multi-filament 3MF painting guide, print without Bambu Studio, split STL with alignment joints, or STL mesh editing.