Header image

Mineways is a free, open-source program for exporting your Minecraft models for 3D printing on your own printer or through a service such as Shapeways or Sculpteo, viewing on the web through Sketchfab, and rendering with Blender, 3DS MAX, Maya, Cinema 4D, or other rendering system.

Download Mineways for Windows or download Mineways for Mac. The latest Windows version is 5.05; for Mac it's version 5.04, 32-bit only, doesn't run on Sierra (read the notes for the Mac). For Linux, use WINE to emulate Windows.

What's next? Go to the quickstart page, or read what follows for a little more background.

You normally need the world to be saved on your computer (with this exception), running classic Minecraft on Windows, Mac, or Linux (or converting from the Pocket Edition). You interactively select a model from your world map, which creates a 3D print or rendering file. See the step-by-step guide or the first minute of this YouTube video for the basic process. Preview the output OBJ file with G3D, STL or VRML file with MeshLab or other 3D file viewer.

At this point you can upload your model for free to share, or make pictures of it with a rendering package, or have it 3D printed. For this last option, use your own 3D printer or upload the zip file Mineways produces to a 3D printing service. Prices of 3D prints range from $5 to $500, depending on size - my mantra is "smaller is cheaper, cuter, and cooler", such as this castle or home. See the gallery for some 3D printed models.

News: Sketchfab is having a Minecraft/Mineways Mystery Contest; enter by November 14th, 2016.

BTW, secret tip: click at the top of this page on the teapot and you'll cycle through all Mineways documentation pages.

Exported with Mineways

Exported with Mineways

Rendered using G3D

Rendered

3D printed at Shapeways

3D print

Shared on Sketchfab (click it!)

L'Effie Tower by Mauricio Vives, from Vokselia

If you're wondering, Mineways is a hobby of mine, I don't make money on it (just the opposite). In this podcast I talk about why I made it. Short version: for fun! My payoff is seeing what people do with Mineways, so please do send me pictures of 3D prints or renders or movies you make.

Kids like Mineways, too. We've done 2-hour workshops about 3D printing at Parts & Crafts in Somerville, Mass. - here are the presentation slides. I've also presented at Minecon 2016; here's my report, slides, and almost-audible talk.