diff --git a/src/components/ui/menu.tsx b/src/components/ui/menu.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bdc78e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ui/menu.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { Menu as MenuPrimitive } from '@base-ui/react/menu'
+
+import { cn } from '../../lib/utils'
+
+function Menu(props: MenuPrimitive.Root.Props) {
+  return <MenuPrimitive.Root {...props} />
+}
+
+function MenuTrigger(props: MenuPrimitive.Trigger.Props) {
+  return <MenuPrimitive.Trigger {...props} />
+}
+
+function MenuContent({ className, ...props }: MenuPrimitive.Popup.Props) {
+  return (
+    <MenuPrimitive.Portal>
+      <MenuPrimitive.Positioner className="z-50" sideOffset={6}>
+        <MenuPrimitive.Popup
+          className={cn(
+            'min-w-56 rounded-lg border border-border bg-popover p-1 text-popover-foreground shadow-xl outline-none',
+            className
+          )}
+          {...props}
+        />
+      </MenuPrimitive.Positioner>
+    </MenuPrimitive.Portal>
+  )
+}
+
+function MenuItem({ className, ...props }: MenuPrimitive.Item.Props) {
+  return (
+    <MenuPrimitive.Item
+      className={cn(
+        'flex cursor-default items-center gap-2 rounded-md px-2.5 py-2 text-sm outline-none select-none data-[disabled]:pointer-events-none data-[disabled]:opacity-50 data-[highlighted]:bg-muted',
+        className
+      )}
+      {...props}
+    />
+  )
+}
+
+export { Menu, MenuContent, MenuItem, MenuTrigger }
diff --git a/src/features/avatar/__tests__/import-avatar-definition-test.ts b/src/features/avatar/__tests__/import-avatar-definition-test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..348964d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/avatar/__tests__/import-avatar-definition-test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+
+import strobi from '../../../../examples/react-vite-consumer/src/strobi.avatar.json'
+import { createAvatarDefinition } from '../avatarDefinition'
+import { isAvatarDefinitionSource, studioAvatarFromDefinition } from '../importAvatarDefinition'
+
+describe('studioAvatarFromDefinition', () => {
+  it('recognises a definition and rejects a studio project', () => {
+    expect(isAvatarDefinitionSource(strobi)).toBe(true)
+    expect(isAvatarDefinitionSource({ version: 2, library: { avatars: [] } })).toBe(false)
+    expect(isAvatarDefinitionSource(null)).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('rejects a file that is not a valid definition', () => {
+    expect(() => studioAvatarFromDefinition({ schema: 'bible-strong/avatar-definition' })).toThrow()
+  })
+
+  it('round-trips back to the same definition', () => {
+    const { avatar, expressions, sequences } = studioAvatarFromDefinition(strobi)
+
+    expect(avatar.name).toBe(strobi.name)
+    expect(avatar.colors).toEqual(strobi.colors)
+    expect(avatar.body.primary).toEqual(strobi.body.primary)
+    expect(avatar.body.nodes).toHaveLength(strobi.body.nodes.length)
+    // `neutral` becomes the avatar's eye defaults rather than an expression.
+    expect(expressions).toHaveLength(strobi.expressionOrder.length - 1)
+    expect(expressions.map(e => e.semanticKey)).not.toContain('neutral')
+    expect(sequences).toHaveLength(strobi.animationOrder.length)
+
+    // Eye defaults are taken from `neutral`, the resting pose.
+    expect(avatar.eyes.spacing).toBe(strobi.expressions.neutral.eyes.spacing)
+
+    const result = createAvatarDefinition({ avatar, behavior: { expressions, sequences } })
+    expect(result.ok).toBe(true)
+    if (!result.ok) return
+
+    expect(result.value.body).toEqual(strobi.body)
+    expect(result.value.colors).toEqual(strobi.colors)
+    expect(result.value.expressionOrder).toEqual(strobi.expressionOrder)
+    expect(result.value.animationOrder).toEqual(strobi.animationOrder)
+    expect(result.value.expressions).toEqual(strobi.expressions)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/features/avatar/importAvatarDefinition.ts b/src/features/avatar/importAvatarDefinition.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..257ff55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/avatar/importAvatarDefinition.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+import {
+  validateAvatarDefinition,
+  type AvatarAnimationDefinition,
+  type AvatarDefinition,
+  type AvatarExpressionDefinition,
+} from '@bible-strong/avatar-core'
+
+import type { AvatarSequence, SequenceStep } from '../animation/sequences'
+import type { StudioAvatar } from './avatars'
+import type { Expression } from './geometry'
+
+/**
+ * Reads a `.avatar.json` runtime definition back into studio state.
+ *
+ * This is the inverse of `createAvatarDefinition`: the definition keys expressions
+ * by semantic key with nested head/eyes objects, while the studio keeps a flat
+ * `Expression` record carrying its own id. Keep this in sync with `mapExpression`
+ * in ./avatarDefinition.ts — the two must round-trip.
+ */
+
+const AVATAR_DEFINITION_SCHEMA = 'bible-strong/avatar-definition'
+
+export const isAvatarDefinitionSource = (value: unknown): boolean =>
+  typeof value === 'object' &&
+  value !== null &&
+  (value as { schema?: unknown }).schema === AVATAR_DEFINITION_SCHEMA
+
+const slugify = (value: string) =>
+  value
+    .normalize('NFD')
+    .replace(/[̀-ͯ]/g, '')
+    .toLowerCase()
+    .replace(/[^a-z0-9]+/g, '-')
+    .replace(/^-+|-+$/g, '') || 'avatar'
+
+const toExpression = (
+  slug: string,
+  semanticKey: string,
+  expression: AvatarExpressionDefinition
+): Expression => ({
+  id: `expression-${slug}-${semanticKey}`,
+  semanticKey,
+  headX: expression.head.x,
+  headY: expression.head.y,
+  headZ: expression.head.z,
+  widthLeft: expression.eyes.left.width,
+  widthRight: expression.eyes.right.width,
+  heightLeft: expression.eyes.left.height,
+  heightRight: expression.eyes.right.height,
+  spacing: expression.eyes.spacing,
+  positionXLeft: expression.eyes.left.x,
+  positionXRight: expression.eyes.right.x,
+  positionYLeft: expression.eyes.left.y,
+  positionYRight: expression.eyes.right.y,
+  leftAngle: expression.eyes.left.angle,
+  rightAngle: expression.eyes.right.angle,
+  perspective: expression.perspective,
+  eyeMotion: expression.motion.eyes,
+  bodyMotion: expression.motion.body,
+  ...(expression.colors?.body ? { bodyColor: expression.colors.body } : {}),
+  ...(expression.colors?.eyes ? { eyeColor: expression.colors.eyes } : {}),
+})
+
+const toSequence = (
+  slug: string,
+  semanticKey: string,
+  animation: AvatarAnimationDefinition,
+  expressionIdByKey: Map<string, string>
+): AvatarSequence => {
+  const steps: SequenceStep[] = []
+  animation.steps.forEach((step, index) => {
+    const expressionId = expressionIdByKey.get(step.expression)
+    // A step pointing at an expression the definition never declared cannot be
+    // represented; dropping it keeps the sequence playable.
+    if (!expressionId) return
+    steps.push({
+      id: `step-${slug}-${semanticKey}-${index}`,
+      expressionId,
+      holdMs: step.holdMs,
+      transitionMs: step.transitionMs,
+      transition: step.transition,
+    })
+  })
+  return {
+    id: `sequence-${slug}-${semanticKey}`,
+    semanticKey,
+    name: animation.metadata?.label ?? semanticKey,
+    group: animation.metadata?.group ?? 'Importé',
+    description: animation.metadata?.description ?? '',
+    builtIn: false,
+    playbackMode: animation.playbackMode,
+    steps,
+    blink: animation.blink,
+  }
+}
+
+export type ImportedAvatarDefinition = {
+  avatar: StudioAvatar
+  expressions: Expression[]
+  sequences: AvatarSequence[]
+}
+
+/** Throws when the file is not a valid v1 avatar definition. */
+export const studioAvatarFromDefinition = (value: unknown): ImportedAvatarDefinition => {
+  const result = validateAvatarDefinition(value)
+  if (!result.ok) {
+    const first = result.errors[0]
+    throw new Error(first ? `${first.path}: ${first.message}` : 'Invalid avatar definition')
+  }
+  const definition: AvatarDefinition = result.value
+  const slug = slugify(definition.name ?? 'avatar')
+
+  // `neutral` is reserved: the studio does not keep it as an editable expression,
+  // it lives on the avatar as eye defaults and is re-emitted on export.
+  const keys = definition.expressionOrder.filter(
+    key => key !== 'neutral' && definition.expressions[key]
+  )
+  const expressions = keys.map(key => toExpression(slug, key, definition.expressions[key]!))
+  const expressionIdByKey = new Map(keys.map((key, i) => [key, expressions[i]!.id]))
+
+  const sequences = definition.animationOrder
+    .filter(key => definition.animations[key])
+    .map(key => toSequence(slug, key, definition.animations[key]!, expressionIdByKey))
+
+  // The studio stores one flat set of eye defaults per avatar; `neutral` is the
+  // resting pose, so it is the expression those defaults come from.
+  const neutral = definition.expressions.neutral
+  const avatar: StudioAvatar = {
+    id: `avatar-${slug}-${definition.body.nodes.length}-${expressions.length}`,
+    name: definition.name ?? slug,
+    body: {
+      primary: definition.body.primary,
+      // Definition nodes are anonymous; the studio addresses them by id in the editor.
+      nodes: definition.body.nodes.map((node, index) => ({
+        id: `shape-${slug}-${index}`,
+        name: `${node.surface.type} ${index + 1}`,
+        surface: node.surface,
+        position: node.position,
+        rotation: node.rotation,
+      })),
+    },
+    colors: definition.colors,
+    eyes: {
+      widthLeft: neutral.eyes.left.width,
+      widthRight: neutral.eyes.right.width,
+      heightLeft: neutral.eyes.left.height,
+      heightRight: neutral.eyes.right.height,
+      spacing: neutral.eyes.spacing,
+      positionXLeft: neutral.eyes.left.x,
+      positionXRight: neutral.eyes.right.x,
+      positionYLeft: neutral.eyes.left.y,
+      positionYRight: neutral.eyes.right.y,
+      leftAngle: neutral.eyes.left.angle,
+      rightAngle: neutral.eyes.right.angle,
+    },
+    renderStyle: { type: 'vector' },
+    behavior: { expressions, sequences },
+  }
+
+  return { avatar, expressions, sequences }
+}
diff --git a/src/features/studio/components/AvatarDrawer.tsx b/src/features/studio/components/AvatarDrawer.tsx
index f244ca9..db66c62 100644
--- a/src/features/studio/components/AvatarDrawer.tsx
+++ b/src/features/studio/components/AvatarDrawer.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-import { Copy, Pencil, Plus, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react'
+import { Copy, Pencil, Plus, Trash2, Upload } from 'lucide-react'
 import { motion } from 'motion/react'
 
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
+import { Menu, MenuContent, MenuItem, MenuTrigger } from '@/components/ui/menu'
 import {
   ContextMenu,
   ContextMenuContent,
@@ -24,12 +25,15 @@ export function AvatarPage({ controller }: { controller: StudioController }) {
     avatarsRef,
     cancelAvatarMove,
     commitAvatarMove,
+    avatarImportRef,
     createNewAvatar,
     draggedAvatarId,
     draggingAvatarId,
     duplicateAvatar,
     expressions,
+    prepareStudioProjectImport,
     previewAvatarMove,
+    projectImportError,
     reduceMotion,
     setDeleteAvatarOpen,
     setDraggingAvatarId,
@@ -133,15 +137,44 @@ export function AvatarPage({ controller }: { controller: StudioController }) {
               </ContextMenu>
             </motion.div>
           ))}
-          <Button
-            variant="outline"
-            className="avatar-add creation-card"
-            onClick={createNewAvatar}
-            aria-label={t('Nouvel avatar')}
-          >
-            <Plus />
-          </Button>
+          <Menu>
+            <MenuTrigger
+              render={
+                <Button
+                  variant="outline"
+                  className="avatar-add creation-card"
+                  aria-label={t('Ajouter un avatar')}
+                >
+                  <Plus />
+                </Button>
+              }
+            />
+            <MenuContent>
+              <MenuItem onClick={createNewAvatar}>
+                <Plus /> {t('Nouvel avatar')}
+              </MenuItem>
+              <MenuItem onClick={() => avatarImportRef.current?.click()}>
+                <Upload /> {t('Importer un .avatar.json')}
+              </MenuItem>
+            </MenuContent>
+          </Menu>
+          <input
+            ref={avatarImportRef}
+            className="project-import-input"
+            type="file"
+            accept="application/json,.json,.avatar.json"
+            aria-label={t('Importer un .avatar.json')}
+            onChange={event => {
+              prepareStudioProjectImport(event.currentTarget.files?.[0])
+              event.currentTarget.value = ''
+            }}
+          />
         </div>
+        {projectImportError && (
+          <p className="project-transfer-error" role="alert">
+            {projectImportError}
+          </p>
+        )}
       </section>
     </div>
   )
diff --git a/src/features/studio/components/StudioDialogs.tsx b/src/features/studio/components/StudioDialogs.tsx
index caa6ff6..0c32ba9 100644
--- a/src/features/studio/components/StudioDialogs.tsx
+++ b/src/features/studio/components/StudioDialogs.tsx
@@ -108,11 +108,19 @@ export function StudioDialogs({ controller }: { controller: StudioController })
       >
         <AlertDialogContent>
           <AlertDialogHeader>
-            <AlertDialogTitle>{t('Importer ce projet ?')}</AlertDialogTitle>
+            <AlertDialogTitle>
+              {pendingProjectImport?.kind === 'avatar'
+                ? t('Importer cet avatar ?')
+                : t('Importer ce projet ?')}
+            </AlertDialogTitle>
             <AlertDialogDescription>
-              {t(
-                'Le projet local actuel sera remplacé par les avatars, expressions, animations et état de lecture de ce fichier.'
-              )}{' '}
+              {pendingProjectImport?.kind === 'avatar'
+                ? t(
+                    'Cet avatar sera ajouté à ta bibliothèque avec ses expressions et animations, puis sélectionné. Les autres avatars sont conservés.'
+                  )
+                : t(
+                    'Le projet local actuel sera remplacé par les avatars, expressions, animations et état de lecture de ce fichier.'
+                  )}{' '}
               {pendingProjectImport?.fileName}
             </AlertDialogDescription>
           </AlertDialogHeader>
diff --git a/src/features/studio/components/StudioInspector.tsx b/src/features/studio/components/StudioInspector.tsx
index 7a8cee3..7ae7bf6 100644
--- a/src/features/studio/components/StudioInspector.tsx
+++ b/src/features/studio/components/StudioInspector.tsx
@@ -1065,6 +1065,17 @@ export function StudioInspector({ controller }: { controller: StudioController }
                     <Copy />
                     {t('Dupliquer')}
                   </Button>
+                  <Button
+                    variant="outline"
+                    disabled={!runtimeDefinitionResult.ok}
+                    // downloadAvatarRuntimeDefinition is a no-op on an invalid
+                    // definition, so surface why the button is dead.
+                    title={runtimeExportErrors[0] ?? undefined}
+                    onClick={downloadAvatarRuntimeDefinition}
+                  >
+                    <Download />
+                    {t('Exporter')}
+                  </Button>
                 </div>
                 <Button onClick={saveAvatarEditing}>{t('Enregistrer')}</Button>
               </footer>
diff --git a/src/features/studio/useStudioController.ts b/src/features/studio/useStudioController.ts
index 044af14..292c712 100644
--- a/src/features/studio/useStudioController.ts
+++ b/src/features/studio/useStudioController.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,10 @@ import {
   type AvatarEyeDefaults,
   type StudioAvatar,
 } from '@/features/avatar/avatars'
+import {
+  isAvatarDefinitionSource,
+  studioAvatarFromDefinition,
+} from '@/features/avatar/importAvatarDefinition'
 import {
   bodyPrimitiveTypes,
   createBodyNode,
@@ -207,9 +211,11 @@ export function useStudioController() {
   const [pendingProjectImport, setPendingProjectImport] = useState<{
     document: StudioDocument
     fileName: string
+    kind: 'project' | 'avatar'
   } | null>(null)
   const [projectImportError, setProjectImportError] = useState<string | null>(null)
   const projectImportRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null)
+  const avatarImportRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null)
   const [statePlayerExpanded, setStatePlayerExpanded] = useState(false)
   const [activeExpression, setActiveExpression] = useState<number | null>(null)
   const [editing, setEditing] = useState<{ index: number | null; draft: Expression } | null>(null)
@@ -1809,19 +1815,41 @@ export function useStudioController() {
     setProjectImportError(null)
     if (file.size > 10_000_000) {
       setProjectImportError(
-        t('Ce fichier ne contient pas un projet Avatar Studio valide et compatible.')
+        t('Ce fichier n’est ni un avatar .avatar.json ni un projet Avatar Studio valide.')
       )
       return
     }
     file
       .text()
       .then(source => {
+        // One picker, two formats: a `.avatar.json` definition adds a single avatar
+        // to the current library, a studio project replaces the whole document.
+        const parsed: unknown = JSON.parse(source)
+        if (isAvatarDefinitionSource(parsed)) {
+          const { avatar } = studioAvatarFromDefinition(parsed)
+          const document = currentStudioDocument()
+          setPendingProjectImport({
+            document: {
+              ...document,
+              library: {
+                activeAvatarId: avatar.id,
+                avatars: [
+                  ...document.library.avatars.filter(existing => existing.id !== avatar.id),
+                  avatar,
+                ],
+              },
+            },
+            fileName: file.name,
+            kind: 'avatar',
+          })
+          return
+        }
         const imported = parseImportedStudioDocument(source, currentStudioDocument())
-        setPendingProjectImport({ document: imported, fileName: file.name })
+        setPendingProjectImport({ document: imported, fileName: file.name, kind: 'project' })
       })
       .catch(() => {
         setProjectImportError(
-          t('Ce fichier ne contient pas un projet Avatar Studio valide et compatible.')
+          t('Ce fichier n’est ni un avatar .avatar.json ni un projet Avatar Studio valide.')
         )
       })
   }
@@ -1995,6 +2023,7 @@ export function useStudioController() {
     previewSelectedBodyNode,
     previewStateMove,
     projectImportError,
+    avatarImportRef,
     projectImportRef,
     reduceMotion,
     renameActiveAvatar,
diff --git a/src/i18n/index.ts b/src/i18n/index.ts
index c3cac44..9cd76e8 100644
--- a/src/i18n/index.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/index.ts
@@ -392,8 +392,13 @@ const english: Record<string, string> = {
     'Transfer every avatar, expression and animation to another browser.',
   'Télécharger le projet JSON': 'Download JSON project',
   'Importer un projet JSON': 'Import JSON project',
-  'Ce fichier ne contient pas un projet Avatar Studio valide et compatible.':
-    'This file does not contain a valid, compatible Avatar Studio project.',
+  'Ce fichier n’est ni un avatar .avatar.json ni un projet Avatar Studio valide.':
+    'This file is neither a .avatar.json avatar nor a valid Avatar Studio project.',
+  'Ajouter un avatar': 'Add an avatar',
+  'Importer un .avatar.json': 'Import a .avatar.json',
+  'Importer cet avatar ?': 'Import this avatar?',
+  'Cet avatar sera ajouté à ta bibliothèque avec ses expressions et animations, puis sélectionné. Les autres avatars sont conservés.':
+    'This avatar will be added to your library with its expressions and animations, then selected. Your other avatars are kept.',
   'Importer ce projet ?': 'Import this project?',
   'Le projet local actuel sera remplacé par les avatars, expressions, animations et état de lecture de ce fichier.':
     'The current local project will be replaced with the avatars, expressions, animations and playback state from this file.',
diff --git a/src/i18n/zh.ts b/src/i18n/zh.ts
index c13d474..1f97bf2 100644
--- a/src/i18n/zh.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/zh.ts
@@ -352,8 +352,13 @@ export const chinese: Record<string, string> = {
     '将所有头像、表情和动画传输到另一个浏览器。',
   'Télécharger le projet JSON': '下载 JSON 项目',
   'Importer un projet JSON': '导入 JSON 项目',
-  'Ce fichier ne contient pas un projet Avatar Studio valide et compatible.':
-    '此文件不包含有效且兼容的头像工作室项目。',
+  'Ce fichier n’est ni un avatar .avatar.json ni un projet Avatar Studio valide.':
+    '此文件既不是 .avatar.json 头像，也不是有效的头像工作室项目。',
+  'Ajouter un avatar': '添加头像',
+  'Importer un .avatar.json': '导入 .avatar.json',
+  'Importer cet avatar ?': '导入此头像？',
+  'Cet avatar sera ajouté à ta bibliothèque avec ses expressions et animations, puis sélectionné. Les autres avatars sont conservés.':
+    '该头像及其表情和动画将被添加到你的库中并选中，其他头像会保留。',
   'Importer ce projet ?': '导入此项目？',
   'Le projet local actuel sera remplacé par les avatars, expressions, animations et état de lecture de ce fichier.':
     '当前本地项目将被此文件中的头像、表情、动画和播放状态替换。',