Nothing leaves your machine
The file is read with the browser File API and parsed in JavaScript. There is no upload, no temporary storage and no server-side processing.
Formats
PCD in ASCII, binary and compressed binary, plus PLY as a secondary format. XYZ, RGB and intensity fields are read when present.
Size guidance
Files up to 500 MB are accepted. Above 5 million points we decimate the cloud for display and tell you how many points were rendered.
A free 3D point cloud viewer that runs in your browser
This is a free online PCD viewer for anyone who needs to look at a scan quickly: robotics and autonomous vehicle engineers checking a LiDAR recording, surveyors and site-capture teams reviewing a deliverable, and researchers sharing a cloud with a colleague who does not have CloudCompare or MeshLab installed. There is no download, no license and no sign up. The file never leaves your computer, because every byte is parsed and rendered by your own browser.
How to view a point cloud online
- 1. Load the file. Drag a .pcd or .ply file onto the viewer, or click to pick one from disk.
- 2. Move around. Left drag orbits, right drag pans, scroll zooms. View presets snap you to top, front and side.
- 3. Tune the render. Use the point size slider for sparse or dense clouds, and switch colour mode between RGB, intensity and height so structure is easy to read.
- 4. Check the stats. Point count, file size and bounding box dimensions are shown next to the canvas.
What is a PCD file?
PCD stands for Point Cloud Data, the native file format of the Point Cloud Library (PCL). It stores a header describing the fields on each point followed by the point records themselves, in ASCII, binary or compressed binary form. PCD files are produced by LiDAR sensors, depth cameras and 3D scanners, and are the usual output of SLAM and reconstruction pipelines in robotics.
Supported here: .pcd (ASCII, binary, binary compressed) and .ply. XYZ is required, RGB and intensity are used when present. Very large clouds are decimated for display, so treat this as a fast inspection tool rather than a processing suite.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open a PCD file?
Drop the file into the point cloud viewer above or pick it with the file browser. It opens straight away, with no software install and no account.
Can I view point cloud files online?
Yes. This is a free online PCD viewer that renders .pcd and .ply files directly in the browser tab, so you can inspect a scan from any machine with a modern browser.
Do I need to install anything to view a point cloud file?
No. The viewer is client side, so there is nothing to download and nothing to configure. Your file is never uploaded to a server.
What is a PCD file?
PCD (Point Cloud Data) is the Point Cloud Library format for storing 3D points, usually produced by LiDAR sensors, depth cameras and 3D scanners. Each point carries XYZ coordinates and can also carry RGB colour or intensity.
Is there a file size limit?
Files up to 500 MB are accepted. Above 5 million points we decimate the cloud for display and tell you how many points were rendered.
Can I convert PCD to PLY here?
Not yet. This page reads both .pcd and .ply for viewing, but it does not write files. For converted, georeferenced outputs in PCD, LAS, PLY and trajectory form, use the LidarFlow reconstruction workflow.
Related guides
If you still need to produce the cloud, read the rosbag to PCD guide or the walkthrough for turning an MCAP recording into a point cloud. For the mapping itself see LiDAR SLAM mapping and camera 3D reconstruction, and for downstream localisation see georeferenced Autoware export.
Free while we launch
Need to produce the .pcd in the first place? Upload a recording and get a map.