How to Use TRELLIS 2: Complete AI 3D Generation Guide

TRELLIS 2 offers two ways to generate 3D models:

For most users, an online platform is the fastest way to start. If you need local installation, see our TRELLIS 2 installation guide.

Try TRELLIS 2 online — no installation required

Method 1: Image-to-3D Generation

Image-to-3D is the most popular workflow. You upload a single photo and TRELLIS 2 reconstructs a full 3D model.

Step 1: Prepare Your Input Image

The quality of your output depends heavily on the input image. Follow these guidelines:

Ideal input images have:

• A single, clearly defined subject
• Clean background (solid color or transparent PNG)
• Even, diffused lighting
• Resolution of 512x512 pixels or higher
• The subject centered and fully visible

Avoid:

• Multiple overlapping objects
• Blurry or low-resolution photos
• Harsh shadows or extreme lighting
• Significant occlusion (parts hidden behind other objects)

A well-prepared image can improve output quality by 30-50% compared to a random snapshot.

Step 2: Upload Your Image

On our platform:

1. Navigate to the 3D generation page
2. Upload your image via drag-and-drop or file picker
3. The system automatically detects the subject and prepares it for 3D generation

If you're running TRELLIS 2 locally, place your image in the project directory and run:

Step 3: Configure Generation Parameters

TRELLIS 2 exposes several parameters that control output quality:

Recommended settings by use case:

Step 4: Generate and Review

Click generate and wait approximately 3-10 seconds (depending on resolution and hardware). After generation, review your model:

1. Rotate the model — check all angles, not just the front
2. Check the back side — AI estimates the unseen portions, which are less accurate
3. Inspect fine details — look for symmetry issues or distorted features
4. Evaluate texture quality — textures should match the original image

If the result needs improvement, try:

• A different source image angle
• Increasing sampling steps
• Adjusting the guidance scale

Step 5: Export Your Model

TRELLIS 2 supports multiple export formats:

Choose GLB for game development, STL for 3D printing, and Gaussian Splatting for web-based 3D experiences.

Export your 3D model in any format — try it free

Method 2: Text-to-3D Generation

Text-to-3D lets you describe what you want in natural language and TRELLIS 2 generates it.

Step 1: Write an Effective Prompt

Good prompts are specific and descriptive. Here's a formula that works well:

Example prompts:

Step 2: Generate from Text

On our platform:

1. Switch to Text-to-3D mode
2. Enter your prompt
3. Optionally add a negative prompt (what to avoid)
4. Click generate

Locally:

Step 3: Iterate and Refine

Text-to-3D often requires iteration. If the first result isn't what you envisioned:

1. Add more detail to the prompt
2. Use a reference image — combine text with an image for more control
3. Try different seeds — the same prompt can produce varied results
4. Use negative prompts — specify what you don't want ("blurry", "low quality", "deformed")

Advanced Techniques

Multi-View Generation

TRELLIS 2 can accept multiple views of the same object to improve reconstruction quality. If you have photos from the front, side, and back, upload all of them:

Multi-view input significantly improves back-side accuracy and overall geometric fidelity.

Local Editing

One of TRELLIS 2's unique features is local editing — modify specific parts of a generated 3D model without regenerating everything:

1. Generate the initial 3D model
2. Select the region you want to modify
3. Provide new instructions (text or image patch)
4. The model updates only the selected region

This is particularly useful for:

• Fixing artifacts in specific areas
• Changing materials on certain parts
• Adding details to a base model

Batch Processing

For generating multiple models, use batch mode:

This processes all images in the input directory sequentially, saving results to the output directory.

Parameter Tuning Deep Dive

Sampling Steps

Sampling steps control the denoising process. More steps produce cleaner geometry and sharper textures:

Guidance Scale

Guidance scale controls how closely the output follows the input. Think of it as "creativity vs. accuracy":

• Low (1-5): More creative, may deviate from input
• Medium (5-10): Balanced creativity and accuracy
• High (10-20): Strict adherence to input, less variation

Resolution Trade-offs

Higher resolution means more detail but requires more VRAM and time:

Output Format Guide

For Game Development

Export as GLB with these considerations:

• Polygon count: AI models often generate 50k-200k polygons — decimate to 10k-50k for real-time rendering
• Textures: Check UV mapping quality in Blender
• Scale: Set real-world units in your 3D software

For 3D Printing

Export as STL or OBJ:

• Run mesh repair to ensure watertight geometry
• Check for non-manifold edges and flipped normals
• Verify scale matches your intended print size

For Web/AR

Export as 3D Gaussian Splatting or GLB:

• Gaussian Splatting provides real-time rendering in browsers
• GLB is widely supported in WebXR frameworks
• Optimize file size for web delivery

Resources

• Source code: github.com/microsoft/TRELLIS.2 (MIT license)
• Model weights: Hugging Face — TRELLIS.2-4B
• Research paper: "Native and Compact Structured Latents for 3D Generation" — arXiv:2512.14692
• v1 paper: "Structured 3D Latents for Scalable and Versatile 3D Generation" — arXiv:2412.01506
• Online demo: Hugging Face Spaces

Common Issues and Solutions

TRELLIS 2 vs Other 3D Generation Tools

According to community testing on Reddit and benchmarks published by 3D AI Studio, TRELLIS 2 currently leads in generation speed and overall output quality among open-source 3D generation models.

Best Practices Summary

1. Prepare your input — a clean, well-lit image dramatically improves results
2. Start with default settings — generate a preview before tweaking parameters
3. Review from all angles — the back side is estimated and may need attention
4. Choose the right format — match your export format to your end goal
5. Iterate — AI generation is fast enough to try multiple approaches
6. Post-process — use Blender or MeshLab for final cleanup and optimization

FAQ

What is TRELLIS 2?

TRELLIS 2 is a 4-billion parameter AI model developed by Microsoft Research that generates high-quality 3D assets from text prompts or images. It uses a Sparse 3D VAE and DiT architecture to produce 3D models in approximately 3 seconds. The source code is available on GitHub under the MIT license.

Is TRELLIS 2 free to use?

Yes. TRELLIS 2 is open source under the MIT license. You can run it locally for free if you have a compatible NVIDIA GPU. For those without GPU hardware, our online platform offers a free tier for 3D generation.

What file formats does TRELLIS 2 export?

TRELLIS 2 supports GLB, OBJ, STL, 3D Gaussian Splatting (.ply), and NeRF (.npz) export formats. GLB is recommended for game engines, STL for 3D printing, and Gaussian Splatting for web-based 3D viewers.

Can I use TRELLIS 2 generated models commercially?

Yes. TRELLIS 2 is released under the MIT license, which permits commercial use. However, always verify the license of any input images you use and check for potential trademark issues in generated content. See the GitHub license discussion for details.

How much VRAM does TRELLIS 2 need?

TRELLIS 2 requires a minimum of 8 GB VRAM for 256-resolution generation. For standard 512-resolution output, 12 GB VRAM is recommended. High-quality 1024-1536 resolution generation requires 16-24 GB VRAM. If your GPU doesn't meet these requirements, use the online platform instead.

How does TRELLIS 2 compare to Tripo3D and Meshy AI?

TRELLIS 2 generates 3D models in approximately 3 seconds, significantly faster than Tripo3D (~10s) and Meshy AI (~30s). It supports higher resolution (up to 1536³), offers local editing, and is the only fully open-source option among the three. See the detailed comparison table above for specifics.

Get Started with TRELLIS 2

The fastest way to try TRELLIS 2 is through our online platform:

Generate Your First 3D Model — Free

No GPU needed. No Python installation. Upload an image or describe what you want and get a production-ready 3D model in seconds.

Start Creating 3D Models Now →

Related articles:

• What is TRELLIS 3D?: learn about the AI model behind our 3D generation
• How to Install TRELLIS 2: set up TRELLIS 2 locally on your machine
• How to Test TRELLIS 2: evaluate output quality with benchmarks and comparisons
• How to Turn an Image into a 3D Model: broader guide covering multiple methods