# Model Unwrapping

When a 3D model is uploaded to Glossi, texture coordinates (UVs) determine how textures map onto the model's surfaces. If a model has missing or broken UVs, textures may appear stretched, misaligned, or entirely absent in the studio.

Glossi's unwrapping setting controls how texture coordinates are handled during model upload. You can configure this at the workspace level so it applies to all future uploads.

### What Is Unwrapping?

Unwrapping is the process of generating texture coordinates for a 3D model. Think of it like unfolding a 3D surface into a flat 2D layout — this flat layout tells the rendering engine how to apply textures to each part of the model.

Most 3D models exported from design tools already include UVs. However, some CAD formats and certain export workflows may produce models with missing or incomplete texture coordinates. The unwrapping setting lets you decide how Glossi handles these cases.

### Unwrapping Options

You can configure the unwrapping strategy from [**Settings** → **Workspace** → **Model Upload**](https://www.app.glossi.io/settings/workspace).

#### Auto-detect (Recommended)

Glossi analyzes each uploaded model and only regenerates texture coordinates when they appear to be missing or broken. This is the default and recommended option — it fixes problems without altering models that don't need it.

#### Always Unwrap

Glossi regenerates texture coordinates on every upload, even if the model already has valid UVs. This is the most aggressive option and guarantees consistent UV mapping, but it may overwrite intentional UV layouts from your design tool.

Use this if you consistently see texture issues and want to ensure every model is re-unwrapped.

#### Never Unwrap

Glossi uploads models exactly as they are, without modifying texture coordinates. This preserves your original UV layouts completely but means that models with missing or broken UVs will display incorrectly until you fix them in your 3D design tool.

Use this if your models always have correct UVs and you want to preserve them exactly as exported.

### When to Change the Setting

The default **Auto-detect** setting works well for most workflows. Consider changing it if:

* **You see texture issues on most uploads** — Switch to **Always Unwrap** to regenerate UVs consistently.
* **Your models have carefully crafted UVs that are being altered** — Switch to **Never Unwrap** to preserve your original texture mapping.
* **You're uploading CAD files (STEP, STP, STL)** — These formats rarely include UVs. **Auto-detect** or **Always Unwrap** will produce better results.

> **Note:** Changing the unwrapping setting only affects future uploads. Models that have already been processed are not re-unwrapped.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.glossi.io/uploading-3d-models/model-unwrapping.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.