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    <isConfidential>false</isConfidential>
    <filerInfo>

      <filer>
        <issuerCredentials>
          <cik>0000893818</cik>
          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
        </issuerCredentials>
      </filer>


      <seriesClassInfo>
        <seriesId>S000032778</seriesId>
        <classId>C000101144</classId>
        <classId>C000101143</classId>
        <classId>C000101145</classId>
        <classId>C000201971</classId>
      </seriesClassInfo>


    </filerInfo>
  </headerData>
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      <regName>BlackRock Funds III</regName>
      <regFileNumber>811-07332</regFileNumber>
      <regCik>0000893818</regCik>
      <regLei>5493008LW2651I1QB503</regLei>
      <regStreet1>100 Bellevue Parkway</regStreet1>
      <regCity>Wilmington</regCity>
      <regStateConditional regCountry="US" regState="US-DE"/>
      <regZipOrPostalCode>19809</regZipOrPostalCode>
      <regPhone>800-441-7762</regPhone>
      <seriesName>BlackRock LifePath Index 2030 Fund</seriesName>
      <seriesId>S000032778</seriesId>
      <seriesLei>549300C12H0XY7S0IX81</seriesLei>
      <repPdEnd>2021-12-31</repPdEnd>
      <repPdDate>2021-09-30</repPdDate>
      <isFinalFiling>N</isFinalFiling>
    </genInfo>
    <fundInfo>
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      <totLiabs>257432822.21</totLiabs>
      <netAssets>10852803546.10</netAssets>
      <assetsAttrMiscSec>0.00000000</assetsAttrMiscSec>
      <assetsInvested>0.00000000</assetsInvested>
      <amtPayOneYrBanksBorr>0.00000000</amtPayOneYrBanksBorr>
      <amtPayOneYrCtrldComp>0.00000000</amtPayOneYrCtrldComp>
      <amtPayOneYrOthAffil>0.00000000</amtPayOneYrOthAffil>
      <amtPayOneYrOther>0.00000000</amtPayOneYrOther>
      <amtPayAftOneYrBanksBorr>0.00000000</amtPayAftOneYrBanksBorr>
      <amtPayAftOneYrCtrldComp>0.00000000</amtPayAftOneYrCtrldComp>
      <amtPayAftOneYrOthAffil>0.00000000</amtPayAftOneYrOthAffil>
      <amtPayAftOneYrOther>0.00000000</amtPayAftOneYrOther>
      <delayDeliv>0.00000000</delayDeliv>
      <standByCommit>0.00000000</standByCommit>
      <liquidPref>0.00000000</liquidPref>
      <cshNotRptdInCorD>0.00000000</cshNotRptdInCorD>
      <borrowers>
        <borrower aggrVal="79817416.81000000" lei="9R7GPTSO7KV3UQJZQ078" name="MORGAN STANLEY &amp; CO LLC"/>
        <borrower aggrVal="23550700.00000000" lei="ZBUT11V806EZRVTWT807" name="JP MORGAN SECURITIES LLC"/>
      </borrowers>
      <isNonCashCollateral>N</isNonCashCollateral>
      <returnInfo>
        <monthlyTotReturns>
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          <monthlyTotReturn classId="C000101143" rtn1="0.92000000" rtn2="1.31000000" rtn3="-2.89000000"/>
          <monthlyTotReturn classId="C000101145" rtn1="0.98000000" rtn2="1.31000000" rtn3="-2.86000000"/>
          <monthlyTotReturn classId="C000201971" rtn1="0.92000000" rtn2="1.31000000" rtn3="-2.94000000"/>
        </monthlyTotReturns>
        <othMon1 netRealizedGain="226269.76000000" netUnrealizedAppr="95743239.80000000"/>
        <othMon2 netRealizedGain="3763398.24000000" netUnrealizedAppr="139509258.97000000"/>
        <othMon3 netRealizedGain="12110716.02000000" netUnrealizedAppr="-342400537.58000000"/>
      </returnInfo>
      <mon1Flow redemption="104508359.26000000" reinvestment="78704972.29000000" sales="138131155.76000000"/>
      <mon2Flow redemption="131746432.13000000" reinvestment="0.00000000" sales="174870241.41000000"/>
      <mon3Flow redemption="138927636.38000000" reinvestment="0.00000000" sales="225110178.26000000"/>


    </fundInfo>
    <invstOrSecs>
      <invstOrSec>
        <name>BlackRock Funds III</name>
        <lei>5493008LW2651I1QB503</lei>
        <title>BlackRock Cash Funds: Institutional, SL Agency Shares</title>
        <cusip>066922519</cusip>
        <identifiers>
          <isin value="US0669225197"/>
        </identifiers>
        <balance>105887409.26800000</balance>
        <units>NS</units>
        <curCd>USD</curCd>
        <valUSD>105940352.97000000</valUSD>
        <pctVal>0.976156552728</pctVal>
        <payoffProfile>Long</payoffProfile>
        <assetCat>STIV</assetCat>
        <issuerCat>RF</issuerCat>
        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
        <isRestrictedSec>N</isRestrictedSec>

        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
        <securityLending>
          <cashCollateralCondition cashCollateralVal="105940352.97000000" isCashCollateral="Y"/>
          <isNonCashCollateral>N</isNonCashCollateral>
          <isLoanByFund>N</isLoanByFund>
        </securityLending>
      </invstOrSec>
      <invstOrSec>
        <name>SMALL CAP LIFEPATH</name>
        <lei>N/A</lei>
        <title>SMALL CAP LIFEPATH MUTUAL FUND</title>
        <cusip>000000000</cusip>
        <identifiers>
          <other otherDesc="BlackRock Identifier" value="BRSC7UH02"/>
        </identifiers>
        <balance>9307384.63600000</balance>
        <units>NS</units>
        <curCd>USD</curCd>
        <valUSD>280267689.11000000</valUSD>
        <pctVal>2.582445060573</pctVal>
        <payoffProfile>Long</payoffProfile>
        <assetCat>EC</assetCat>
        <issuerCat>RF</issuerCat>
        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
        <isRestrictedSec>N</isRestrictedSec>

        <fairValLevel>N/A</fairValLevel>
        <securityLending>
          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
          <isNonCashCollateral>N</isNonCashCollateral>
          <isLoanByFund>N</isLoanByFund>
        </securityLending>
      </invstOrSec>
      <invstOrSec>
        <name>iShares TIPS Bond ETF</name>
        <lei>549300EHD1VQKMRQ0829</lei>
        <title>iShares TIPS Bond ETF</title>
        <cusip>464287176</cusip>
        <identifiers>
          <isin value="US4642871762"/>
        </identifiers>
        <balance>5475050.00000000</balance>
        <units>NS</units>
        <curCd>USD</curCd>
        <valUSD>699109134.50000000</valUSD>
        <pctVal>6.441737672025</pctVal>
        <payoffProfile>Long</payoffProfile>
        <assetCat>EC</assetCat>
        <issuerCat>RF</issuerCat>
        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
        <isRestrictedSec>N</isRestrictedSec>

        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
        <securityLending>
          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
          <isNonCashCollateral>N</isNonCashCollateral>
          <loanByFundCondition isLoanByFund="Y" loanVal="8178416.81000000"/>
        </securityLending>
      </invstOrSec>
      <invstOrSec>
        <name>iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF</name>
        <lei>5493000KJHTQW5I5L936</lei>
        <title>iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF</title>
        <cusip>46432F834</cusip>
        <identifiers>
          <isin value="US46432F8344"/>
        </identifiers>
        <balance>35133775.00000000</balance>
        <units>NS</units>
        <curCd>USD</curCd>
        <valUSD>2494498025.00000000</valUSD>
        <pctVal>22.98482612722</pctVal>
        <payoffProfile>Long</payoffProfile>
        <assetCat>EC</assetCat>
        <issuerCat>RF</issuerCat>
        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
        <isRestrictedSec>N</isRestrictedSec>

        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
        <securityLending>
          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
          <isNonCashCollateral>N</isNonCashCollateral>
          <loanByFundCondition isLoanByFund="Y" loanVal="95189700.00000000"/>
        </securityLending>
      </invstOrSec>
      <invstOrSec>
        <name>RUSSEL 1000 LIFEPATH</name>
        <lei>N/A</lei>
        <title>RUSSEL 1000 LIFEPATH MUTUAL FUND</title>
        <cusip>000000000</cusip>
        <identifiers>
          <other otherDesc="BlackRock Identifier" value="BRSC7UGQ6"/>
        </identifiers>
        <balance>90855714.53600000</balance>
        <units>NS</units>
        <curCd>USD</curCd>
        <valUSD>3566577416.40000000</valUSD>
        <pctVal>32.86318969333</pctVal>
        <payoffProfile>Long</payoffProfile>
        <assetCat>EC</assetCat>
        <issuerCat>RF</issuerCat>
        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
        <isRestrictedSec>N</isRestrictedSec>

        <fairValLevel>N/A</fairValLevel>
        <securityLending>
          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
          <isNonCashCollateral>N</isNonCashCollateral>
          <isLoanByFund>N</isLoanByFund>
        </securityLending>
      </invstOrSec>
      <invstOrSec>
        <name>BLACKROCK CASH FUNDS TREASURY SL AGENCY SHARES</name>
        <lei>5493008LW2651I1QB503</lei>
        <title>BlackRock Cash Funds: Treasury, SL Agency Shares</title>
        <cusip>066922477</cusip>
        <identifiers>
          <isin value="US0669224778"/>
        </identifiers>
        <balance>21884613.76000000</balance>
        <units>NS</units>
        <curCd>USD</curCd>
        <valUSD>21884613.76000000</valUSD>
        <pctVal>0.201649404847</pctVal>
        <payoffProfile>Long</payoffProfile>
        <assetCat>STIV</assetCat>
        <issuerCat>RF</issuerCat>
        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
        <isRestrictedSec>N</isRestrictedSec>

        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
        <securityLending>
          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
          <isNonCashCollateral>N</isNonCashCollateral>
          <isLoanByFund>N</isLoanByFund>
        </securityLending>
      </invstOrSec>
      <invstOrSec>
        <name>iShares Developed Real Estate Index Fund</name>
        <lei>549300CCO72SBIYZNP24</lei>
        <title>iShares Developed Real Estate Index Fund</title>
        <cusip>091936187</cusip>
        <identifiers>
          <isin value="US0919361875"/>
        </identifiers>
        <balance>29538377.96200000</balance>
        <units>NS</units>
        <curCd>USD</curCd>
        <valUSD>326989844.04000000</valUSD>
        <pctVal>3.012952760556</pctVal>
        <payoffProfile>Long</payoffProfile>
        <assetCat>EC</assetCat>
        <issuerCat>RF</issuerCat>
        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
        <isRestrictedSec>N</isRestrictedSec>

        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
        <securityLending>
          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
          <isNonCashCollateral>N</isNonCashCollateral>
          <isLoanByFund>N</isLoanByFund>
        </securityLending>
      </invstOrSec>
      <invstOrSec>
        <name>Bond Index Lifepath Mutual Fund</name>
        <lei>N/A</lei>
        <title>Bond Index Lifepath Mutual Fund</title>
        <cusip>000000000</cusip>
        <identifiers>
          <other otherDesc="BlackRock Identifier" value="BRSC7UGG8"/>
        </identifiers>
        <balance>253953972.24200000</balance>
        <units>NS</units>
        <curCd>USD</curCd>
        <valUSD>3507459892.22000000</valUSD>
        <pctVal>32.31846847057</pctVal>
        <payoffProfile>Long</payoffProfile>
        <assetCat>EC</assetCat>
        <issuerCat>RF</issuerCat>
        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
        <isRestrictedSec>N</isRestrictedSec>

        <fairValLevel>N/A</fairValLevel>
        <securityLending>
          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
          <isNonCashCollateral>N</isNonCashCollateral>
          <isLoanByFund>N</isLoanByFund>
        </securityLending>
      </invstOrSec>
    </invstOrSecs>
    <explntrNotes>

      <explntrNote note="Monthly returns presented in Item B.5(a) have been calculated without deducting any applicable sales loads or redemption fees." noteItem="B.5.a"/>

    </explntrNotes>
    <signature>
      <ncom:dateSigned>2021-10-29</ncom:dateSigned>
      <ncom:nameOfApplicant>BlackRock Funds III</ncom:nameOfApplicant>
      <ncom:signature>Ann Frechette</ncom:signature>
      <ncom:signerName>Ann Frechette</ncom:signerName>
      <ncom:title>Assistant Treasurer</ncom:title>
    </signature>
  </formData>
  <documents>XXXX</documents>
</edgarSubmission>
