Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about Zipoly (a 3D model compression and optimization tool), organized into six topics: compression, loading, format conversion, installation, licensing, and migration & refunds. Answers link to the relevant guide page where full details, code and screenshots live. For anything not covered here, see the contact info at the bottom of this page.
Compression Issues
Compression does not work?
Troubleshoot in this order:
- Open the Settings page → Tool Diagnostics → Run Diagnostics, and check the Draco / Meshopt engine status
- Handle the failure according to the diagnostic result — common causes fall into three groups:
- Missing VC++ runtime (install it and restart)
- Antivirus blocking (add Zipoly to the allowlist)
- Corrupted tool files (reinstall from the full package)
- If the problem persists, follow the support checklist on the Troubleshooting page and send us the diagnostic report
"The file is already Draco-compressed and cannot be compressed again"?
Draco does not support re-compressing compressed files. Use the original uncompressed file exported from your modeling software.
The compressed file is larger than the original?
This happens when compression metadata overhead exceeds the savings, common with two kinds of files:
- Very simple models (< 1000 faces)
- Very small files (< 100KB)
Try a lower compression level or skip compression.
The model is deformed or shows artifacts after compression?
Quantization precision is too low. Lower the compression level (e.g., 9 → 7), or increase the position precision qp in advanced parameters (Draco only).
Loading & Compatibility
The model fails to load after compression?
Compressed models need the matching decoder on the loading side. See Compression Optimization → Loading Compressed Models in Your Project for complete loader code covering Draco, Meshopt and KTX2.
Babylon.js and model-viewer have built-in Draco support — no extra configuration needed.
KTX2 texture fails to load?
You need to configure KTX2Loader — see Compression Optimization → Loading Configuration. If the target environment does not support KTX2, switch to JPEG or WebP in the texture settings.
Format Conversion
Materials are wrong after FBX conversion?
Complex FBX material graphs may be lost during conversion. We recommend opening the model in Blender and exporting GLB/glTF directly.
Do I still need to keep external textures after converting glTF to GLB?
No. GLB embeds all textures and is a fully self-contained single file — geometry, materials and textures travel together, which is what makes GLB the safest format for sharing and for Web3D loading.
Is there a recommended order for conversion and compression?
Yes: convert first (FBX → GLB), then compress (GLB → compressed GLB).
Which file formats are supported?
Seven formats convert between each other: GLB, glTF, FBX, OBJ, STL, DAE (Collada) and PLY. The most common path is converting FBX/OBJ/STL exports from modeling software to the Web3D-standard GLB, with textures embedded automatically. See Format Conversion for the full matrix.
Installation & Running
Is there a web version that runs without installing anything?
Yes. Zipoly Web runs in the browser with no installation: Draco compression, basic texture optimization (JPEG/WebP re-encoding), format conversion and model preview, with a 20MB per-file limit.
Does Zipoly upload my models to a server?
No. The desktop app runs fully offline — models and textures are processed on your machine and never leave it. This is also why Zipoly is suitable for confidential models.
How do I check for updates?
Open the Settings page — the current version is shown at the bottom with a one-click update check that fetches from Gitee Release. New releases are also announced via the in-app notice, so an update never installs silently.
Is macOS supported?
Yes — three platforms:
- Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
- Linux: Ubuntu 20.04+, Fedora 36+, Debian 11+, RedHat 8+
- macOS 10.15+ (Apple Silicon / Intel)
On macOS, download Zipoly.app.zip, unzip and run — right-click to open on first launch. Installation steps for all platforms are in the Installation Guide.
Does batch processing overwrite original files?
No. Output files get an _optimized suffix by default and sit alongside the originals; if the suffix is left empty, an _1 counter is appended automatically to prevent overwrites. Your source files are never modified in place.
What format are video recordings in?
WebM (VP9), recorded by the built-in 3D viewer. To convert a recording to MP4: ffmpeg -i recording.webm -c:v libx264 output.mp4
Licensing & Purchases
What are the free tier limits and how do I remove them?
The free tier is available forever — only limited to:
- 20MB per file (5MB textures)
- One file at a time (no batch processing)
Viewer, screenshots, operation logs and other features are unlimited. To remove the limits, purchase a license — see Licensing & Pricing:
- Trial ¥15/30 days
- Yearly ¥79 (recommended, save 56% vs Trial)
- Lifetime launch offer ¥199
- Team from ¥299/year
How do I purchase a license?
The purchase page opens from inside the desktop app: open the Account page and click "Open Purchase Page" (the link carries your Device ID and a verification code automatically). Pick a plan, pay by scanning the WeChat QR code, and your key is issued automatically — paste it into the Account page to activate. No manual processing involved.
The official purchase page only opens from inside the app — typing its URL in a browser brings you back to the docs site. Never pay through "purchase links" sent to you in private messages; see Official Channels & Anti-Phishing.
Do you offer compression-as-a-service?
Yes. Send us your model and we will compress it for you, ¥50 per model, with before/after comparison data. Contact us on QQ 2162788746 to send your model.
Can a license be used on multiple computers?
No, each device requires a separate license. For multiple devices, the Team Edition (private deployment) is licensed by seats.
Is there a renewal discount?
Yes — Yearly renewals are 10% off. After expiry only the free-tier per-file size limit returns; viewer and other features are unaffected. Lifetime licenses never need renewal.
Migration & Refunds
What happens to my license after a reinstall or hardware change?
Use device migration — no repurchase needed:
- Trial / Yearly: 1 free migration every 365 days
- Lifetime: migration fee declines yearly from ¥29 (¥29 → ¥24 → ¥19 → ¥14) down to a ¥9 floor from year 5
Migration covers your own device changes only; stop using the key on the old device afterwards.
Do you offer refunds?
License keys are non-refundable once activated. The free tier is free forever and the ¥15/30-day Trial unlocks every paid feature — a full evaluation path is already available, so please make sure Zipoly fits your needs before purchasing.
Other
Still have questions?
Contact us on QQ 2162788746, or visit zipoly.raychart.cn.