Free online LAZ to PLY converter

LiDAR and 3D scanning applications often save point clouds as LAZ, while modeling tools and viewers may require PLY. Converting the file makes the point coordinates available in a format that many 3D programs can read.

What LAZ is

LAZ is the compressed form of LAS, a format for LiDAR point-cloud data. It is used to store measured 3D coordinates and attributes such as intensity, classification, and color. Surveying and mapping workflows, laser scanners, and tools such as PDAL and CloudCompare commonly produce or handle LAZ files.

What PLY is

PLY (Polygon File Format) stores 3D geometry, including point clouds and polygon meshes. A PLY point cloud can include vertex coordinates and, depending on the file and software, properties such as color or normals. It is useful when a 3D editor or visualization tool supports PLY but not LAZ.

Convert online on 101convert.com

1. Open the LAZ-to-PLY converter page on 101convert.com and upload the LAZ file or files.
2. Choose PLY as the output format and start the conversion.
3. Download the converted PLY file or files.

The converter supports batch conversion. Its per-file size limit is shown on the page.

Convert offline with CloudCompare

CloudCompare is free, open-source desktop software for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Open the LAZ file with File → Open. Select the loaded cloud in the DB Tree, then use File → Save or File → Save as and choose PLY in the format list. Review the PLY export options, if shown, and save.

Quality and compatibility

PLY stores point geometry, not the full LAZ/LAS geospatial record. Coordinate reference system metadata and LAS-specific attributes may be omitted or represented differently, depending on the exporter. Check the exported file in the target application, especially if you rely on classification, intensity, or precise coordinates. PLY is generally uncompressed, so the result can be larger than the source LAZ.