The basic process: export from Blender, import into Moon Animator

To move an animation from Blender into Moon Animator, you export the animation as an FBX file from Blender, then import that FBX file into Moon Animator. Moon Animator is a Roblox plugin that lets you build and edit animations inside Roblox Studio, so the workflow involves getting your Blender work into a format Roblox can read.

The key is that Blender and Moon Animator don't talk to each other directly — they both understand FBX, which is a common 3D animation format. When you export from Blender as FBX, you're creating a file that contains the skeleton (the bones that move) and the keyframes (the positions those bones move through). Moon Animator then reads that skeleton and keyframes and lets you refine or adjust them inside Roblox Studio.

This process works best when your Blender model uses a humanoid skeleton — the standard rig that Roblox expects. If your rig is custom or non-standard, the import may fail or produce unexpected results.

Key Takeaways

  • Export your animation from Blender as an FBX file, making sure to include the armature (skeleton) and animation data in the export settings.
  • In Moon Animator, create a new animation and use the import function to load your FBX file into the plugin.
  • Your Blender model should use a humanoid rig structure that matches Roblox's expectations, or the import may not work correctly.
  • After import, you can edit keyframes, adjust timing, and refine the animation inside Moon Animator before publishing it to Roblox.

Exporting animation from Blender as FBX

Open your Blender project and select your armature (the skeleton that controls the animation). Go to File > Export > FBX (.fbx). A dialog box will open with export options.

In the export settings, check these boxes: Animation, NLA Strips (if you're using the Nonlinear Animation editor), and Armature. Make sure Bake Animation is checked — this converts your animation into a format that Moon Animator can read. Leave Smoothing Groups unchecked unless your model has specific shading requirements. Choose a location and filename, then click Export FBX.

The file size should be relatively small — usually under 5 MB for a straightforward humanoid animation. If your FBX file is much larger, you may have exported mesh data you don't need. You can re-export and uncheck Mesh if you only care about the skeleton and animation.

Setting up Moon Animator in Roblox Studio

Moon Animator is a plugin for Roblox Studio, not a standalone program. If you haven't installed it yet, search for "Moon Animator" in the Roblox Studio plugin marketplace and click Install. Once installed, it appears as a button in the Studio toolbar.

Open Roblox Studio and load the place where you want to use the animation. Click the Moon Animator button to open the plugin window. You'll see options to create a new animation or import an existing one. Click Import Animation or the import button (usually an arrow pointing into a folder).

A file browser will open. Navigate to the FBX file you exported from Blender and select it. Moon Animator will read the file and attempt to load the skeleton and keyframes. If your rig is humanoid and properly structured, the animation should appear in the timeline.

Troubleshooting common import problems

If Moon Animator doesn't recognize your skeleton, the most common cause is a non-humanoid rig. Roblox expects a specific bone structure: a root bone, a spine, a head, two arms, and two legs. If your Blender rig uses different bone names or a different hierarchy, Moon Animator may fail to import or may import with broken joints.

To fix this, you can rename your bones in Blender to match Roblox's naming convention before exporting. The standard names are: Root, Spine, Chest, LeftShoulder, LeftArm, LeftHand, RightShoulder, RightArm, RightHand, LeftHip, LeftLeg, LeftFoot, RightHip, RightLeg, RightFoot, and Neck. If your rig uses different names, rename them in Blender's outliner, then re-export.

Another common issue is scale mismatch. Blender and Roblox may measure units differently. If your imported animation looks stretched or compressed, try scaling your Blender model up or down before exporting. A humanoid character in Roblox is typically 5 to 6 units tall; if yours is much larger or smaller, adjust the scale in Blender's export settings or in the model itself.

Editing the animation inside Moon Animator

Once your animation imports, you can edit it directly in Moon Animator. The timeline shows each keyframe as a vertical line. You can click and drag keyframes to adjust timing, or right-click a keyframe to delete it or copy it to another bone.

To add new keyframes, move the playhead (the vertical line showing the current frame) to the frame where you want to add movement, select a bone in the skeleton view, and click Add Keyframe. Then rotate or move the bone, and Moon Animator will record the change. This lets you refine your Blender animation or add details that are easier to do in Moon Animator's interface.

When you're satisfied with the animation, Moon Animator saves it as an animation object inside your Roblox place. You can then use that animation in scripts by referencing its ID or by loading it through the Animator service in Roblox Lua.

Exporting the finished animation back to Blender (optional)

If you want to make further changes in Blender after editing in Moon Animator, you can export the animation from Moon Animator back to FBX. In the Moon Animator window, right-click the animation and select Export. This creates a new FBX file that you can open in Blender, make changes, and re-import if needed.

This back-and-forth workflow is useful when you're refining an animation and want to use both tools' strengths — Blender for complex rigging and modeling, Moon Animator for quick adjustments and Roblox-specific tweaks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import animations from other 3D programs besides Blender?

Yes. Any program that exports FBX — including Maya, 3ds Max, and MotionBuilder — can send animations to Moon Animator. The same rules explore: your skeleton must be humanoid, and you must export the armature and animation data in the FBX file.

What happens if my Blender rig has extra bones that Roblox doesn't use?

Moon Animator will import them, but Roblox won't animate them when you play the animation in-game. Extra bones won't break the import, but they'll clutter your timeline. Before exporting, delete any bones you don't need, or rename your rig to match Roblox's standard structure exactly.

Does the animation have to be the same length in Blender and Moon Animator?

No. Moon Animator shows the animation length based on the keyframes it imports. If your Blender animation is 120 frames but only uses keyframes up to frame 60, Moon Animator will show it as 60 frames. You can extend or shorten it in Moon Animator after import.

Can I import multiple animations at once?

Moon Animator imports one FBX file at a time. If you have multiple animations in Blender, export each one as a separate FBX file, then import them one by one into Moon Animator. Each becomes a separate animation object in your Roblox place.