SKP

An SKP file is a SketchUp 3D model. It stores editable geometry, components, materials, tags, and saved scenes. Use SketchUp to edit the original; export a separate copy when another application needs a different format.

Extension

.skp

Full name

SketchUp Document File

Introduced

2000, with the launch of @Last Software's SketchUp

Vendor

@Last Software (acquired by Google in 2006, then Trimble in 2012)

What is inside the container

A .skp file stores SketchUp's characteristic 'push-pull' polygon geometry, applied materials/textures, reusable nested 'components' and 'groups,' organizational layers, saved camera scenes, and optionally embedded 2D image entourage. Unlike open interchange formats, SKP's binary structure is proprietary and undocumented by Trimble, meaning third-party support depends on reverse-engineered libraries rather than an official public specification — a meaningful risk factor for long-term archival compared to open formats like STEP or glTF.

How to open it

Web browser SketchUp for Web: use the official browser application to work with a model; account and plan requirements depend on the workflow.

Windows/macOS SketchUp desktop: open the native model for editing. Check the file version and your installed SketchUp release.

Other 3D tools Export from SketchUp into a format supported by the receiving application. Check which export formats your SketchUp subscription includes.

For archives

Because SKP is a closed, proprietary format with no official public specification, a DAM relying on long-term SKP archival carries real format-risk that open formats like STEP or glTF don't — third-party parsing depends on reverse-engineered tools that can lag behind SketchUp's own format revisions. For architecture, interior design, and real-estate DAM use cases where SKP is unavoidable (it remains the dominant format for that market), best practice is retaining the native .skp alongside an exported, open-format derivative (glTF or COLLADA) specifically for long-term accessibility. As with other 3D formats, native in-DAM preview isn't available without a dedicated viewer or an embed of Trimble's own 3D Warehouse/SketchUp for Web preview capability.

What does SKP mean?

SKP is the extension used for a native SketchUp model, rather than a photograph or a rendered image. The file holds the editable model. A screenshot of that model is useful for a quick review, but it cannot replace the geometry, components, materials, and scenes in the original.

How to open an SKP file

Keep a copy of the original before changing it.
Open it in SketchUp desktop or use SketchUp for Web, depending on your account and workflow.
If the application reports a version problem, check the sender’s SketchUp release and the version supported by your application. Changing the filename extension does not convert a model.
Before sharing it onward, check that geometry, textures, and saved scenes appear as expected.

Do not follow old download guides for SketchUp Viewer for Desktop: SketchUp’s documentation says it stopped being available to download on April 22, 2025. An old viewer installation is not a substitute for checking current product support.

How to convert SKP for another application

Open the model in SketchUp and choose an export format supported by the destination. SketchUp documents options including COLLADA, OBJ, FBX, and STL, with availability depending on the subscription. Pick the format for the job: a fabrication export and an exchange file for a textured scene do not preserve the same information.

Keep the SKP original alongside the derivative. In the receiving program, inspect scale, orientation, materials, and component structure before approving the conversion. Do not assume every importer preserves an entire SketchUp project.

Is the SKP format documented for developers?

SKP is SketchUp’s native format, but it is incorrect to say third-party tools must always reverse-engineer it. The official SketchUp C API reads, creates, and modifies SKP files. That is a supported integration route, not a promise that any particular DAM or 3D application implements it.

Cataloging a library of SketchUp models

Record the project, author, source application version, revision, and approval status. Retain a review image and any exchange export beside the editable source. For broader library workflows, see our 3D asset management guide; a catalog should distinguish a model that can be downloaded from one it can actually preview.

Frequently asked

What is an SKP file?

An SKP file is a native SketchUp model containing editable 3D content rather than a flat image. Keep the original for continued modeling, and create a separate export when a collaborator needs a different application or a review image.

What does SKP stand for?

SKP is the file extension associated with SketchUp models. For practical identification, treat it as a SketchUp project file rather than an image extension. Renaming a JPEG, OBJ, or another file to .skp does not turn it into a valid model.

How can I open an SKP file?

Use SketchUp desktop or SketchUp for Web according to your workflow and account. If the file fails to open, check application and file-version compatibility before assuming corruption. Keep an untouched original when testing another release or exporting to another format.

Is SketchUp Viewer for Desktop still available to download?

SketchUp says Viewer for Desktop stopped being available to download on April 22, 2025. Older help pages can still describe its controls, so check the notice before following a download tutorial. Use current SketchUp products for a new viewing workflow.

Can other software read SKP without reverse engineering it?

Yes. The official SketchUp C API can read, create, and modify SKP models. Whether another product uses that API, an importer, or a conversion service depends on its implementation. Ask for a sample-file test rather than assuming universal SKP support.

How do I convert an SKP model?

Open it in SketchUp and export to a format accepted by the destination application. Available formats depend on the SketchUp subscription. Keep the native model, then inspect scale, geometry, materials, and structure in the exported copy before relying on it.

Does changing the file extension convert an SKP file?

No. Renaming an SKP file to another extension changes its name, not its internal model data. Use an actual export or conversion workflow, retain the original, and open the result in the destination program to check that it is usable.

What should an asset library store alongside an SKP model?

Store the native model with its project name, source application version, revision, author, and approval state. A review image helps people identify it without opening SketchUp. Keep exchange exports as linked derivatives rather than replacing the editable source with them.

Change log

21 Oct 2026 Added opening and conversion guidance, corrected SDK availability, and flagged the discontinued desktop viewer download.

Sources

The SketchUp C API reads, creates, and modifies SKP files. checked 2026-10-21 — SketchUp C API documentation
Viewer for Desktop stopped being available to download on April 22, 2025. checked 2026-10-21 — SketchUp Help: Getting Started with Desktop Viewer
Supported exchange formats and subscription requirements vary. checked 2026-10-21 — SketchUp Help: Using SketchUp with Other Applications