3D images can often be found attached to data sheets or components from component suppliers and manufacturers.
3D images found on the internet are stored the same way for use with your Kicad program in Windows, Apple & Linux.
You need to create a Folder with your Operating System somewhere that is Read/Write accessible.
eg. Documents. It is probably worthwhile, to allow for future expansion, to create sud-folders, inside your original Folder, to place the images; much like Kicad supplied 3D images. These sub-folders are also created with your OS.
Your path to the images you have found may look like this:
Documents > 3D_for_kicad > Connectors > an image (for a connector you have found).
- Documents is a read/write section of your Windows11.
- 3D_for_Kicad is the Folder you created in Documents to contain all the sub-folders.
- Connectors is a sub-folder inside the 3D_for_kicad Folder to contain connectors.
- an image is the 3D image for a connector you found on the internet.
Along with a Connectors sub-folder, you may eventually wish to create several/many other sub-folders. As you find images to complete your 3D PCB, create new sub-folders to suit the category of the images found.
In your PCB Editor, Right Mouse Button on the footprint and Left Mouse Button select Properties (or hotkey E). This will open the Footprint Properties Window.
The window will usually open with the “General” tab highlighted (red arrow). Select the 3D Models tab (green arrow). If a 3D image is associated, that image path will show in the 3D Model(S) box.
If there is no image, you need to associate (show the path) to the image you have placed in your eg. Documents.
To show the path, LMB click on the “+” sign (blue arrow) then LMB click on the now showing folder (magenta arrow). This will now open your Win 11.
Using the example I created above, you will now LMB click on Documents, then 3D_for_Kicad folder, then Connectors sub-folder, then “an image”, then Enter.
This whole path will now show in the box and the 3D image will show below in the “Preview”.
This FAQ, although written some time ago, is still current for Kicad 9. It helps explain 3D.