Ambient occlusion baking for 3D models
Trice Studio renders AO in real time, but it costs performance. Bake AO into your model and import it back — same look, faster scene.
How it works
Drop a 3D file
Drag any GLB, FBX, OBJ, STL, 3MF or other supported format into the app.
Configure & bake
Choose a quality preset, adjust radius and intensity, then hit Bake AO. Compare before and after in split view.
Export GLB
Save the result as GLB and drag it straight into Trice Studio — AO is already baked in.
Built for quality
Ray tracing meets a simple interface.
Ray Tracing
Hardware-accelerated ray tracing with hundreds of rays per surface point, computed in parallel on Apple Silicon for fast, physically accurate occlusion.
Zero Extra Weight
AO is stored in vertex colors — no extra textures, no UV overhead. Your file size stays virtually the same after baking.
Split-View Comparison
Side-by-side viewports with synchronized camera navigation. Instantly compare original geometry against baked AO to evaluate the result.
10 File Formats
GLB, GLTF, FBX, OBJ, STL, 3MF, DAE, 3DM, PLY, VOX and ZIP archives. Just drag and drop.
Fast & Lightweight
15 MB download. Native Apple Silicon binary that runs entirely offline with no account required.
System requirements
Frequently asked questions
Trice Studio already has real-time AO — why bake it?
Real-time AO (SSAO) is computed every frame and costs GPU performance. Baked AO is free at runtime — the shadows are already part of the model. If you're embedding a scene on a website or need the best performance on mobile devices, baking AO and disabling the real-time effect gives you the same visual quality at a fraction of the cost.
What is ambient occlusion baking?
Ambient occlusion (AO) baking is a technique that pre-computes how much ambient light reaches each point on a 3D model's surface. Crevices, corners, and tight spaces receive less light and appear darker, adding realistic depth and contact shadows without runtime cost. Trice AO Baker uses ray tracing to cast hundreds of rays per point for physically accurate results.
How does AO baking improve 3D models?
Baked AO adds depth, grounding, and visual richness to 3D models without any runtime performance cost. Models appear more realistic because surfaces show natural shadowing in crevices and contact areas. This is particularly valuable for product visualization, e-commerce, architectural models, and game assets where visual quality matters.
Does AO baking require UV unwrapping?
No. Trice AO Baker works with any mesh out of the box — no UV unwrapping needed. The baked occlusion is stored directly in the model, so it works with CAD models, scanned objects, and assets that don't have clean UVs.
What file formats does Trice AO Baker support?
Trice AO Baker supports GLB, GLTF, FBX, OBJ, STL, 3MF, DAE, 3DM, PLY files, and ZIP archives containing any of these formats. You can drag and drop files directly into the app. Results are exported as standard GLB.
Is Trice AO Baker free?
Yes, Trice AO Baker is completely free to download and use. There are no subscriptions, watermarks, or usage limits. It runs entirely on your Mac with no internet connection required.
Does it work on Intel Macs?
Trice AO Baker is built for Apple Silicon (M1 and later) and runs natively for maximum performance. Intel Macs are not currently supported.
Bake ambient occlusion in seconds
Free, fast, offline.