How to import 3D models into Unreal Engine 5

Choose the format

Unreal Engine 5 imports FBX, glTF/GLB, OBJ and USD, among others. For most assets:

• FBX is the long-standing default, and the safest for skeletal meshes and animation.
• glTF/GLB works well for static meshes with PBR materials, and is what many web and AI tools export.
• OBJ is geometry-only for practical purposes. Expect to set up materials by hand.

Epic's documentation covers each importer; check the current pages for your engine version.

Before you export: units

Unreal works in centimetres. Blender and most other tools default to metres. If your model comes in 100 times too small or too big, it's units. Imported model the wrong size has the fix for each tool. In short: model at real size, apply transforms, and let the exporter and importer handle the unit conversion.

Also set the pivot where you want it (usually bottom centre for props) before export. Fix a pivot point.

Importing

1. Open the Content Browser, go to a folder (make one per asset type).
2. Drag the file in, or click Import.
3. The import dialog opens. The options that matter most:
   • Static mesh vs skeletal mesh: static for props, skeletal for rigged characters.
   • Import materials and textures: on, if the file carries them.
   • Generate collision: a quick automatic collision; you can refine it later.
   • Combine meshes: on if the file has several parts that should be one asset.
   • Build Nanite: on for dense static meshes. See Nanite and AI-generated models.
   • Normals: import normals from the file rather than recomputing, unless they're broken.
4. Click Import.

After importing

Check scale

Drop the mesh into a level next to the default mannequin or a 100 cm cube. If it's wrong, fix the scale in your DCC tool and re-import rather than scaling the actor in the level.

Fix materials

• glTF and FBX with embedded or linked textures usually create a material instance automatically.
• If textures are missing, import them separately and connect them to a material: base colour, normal, and a packed ORM (occlusion, roughness, metallic) if available. Textures missing after import covers common causes.
• Check the normal map is set to the Normal map compression in the texture settings.

Review collision

Open the Static Mesh Editor and turn on collision display. Replace auto collision with simpler shapes if it's messy: Collision › Add Box Simplified Collision or a convex decomposition. Adding collision compares options.

LODs

For non-Nanite meshes, set up LODs in the Static Mesh Editor's LOD settings. See level of detail.

Importing a Vi3W model

Vi3W exports FBX and GLB, both suitable for Unreal Engine 5. GLB carries the PBR textures in one file. Vi3W's models are retopologised, so they're lighter than a raw generation; for very dense props you can still enable Nanite. The Unreal Engine integration guide has Vi3W-specific settings.

Checklist

1. Real-world scale, transforms applied.
2. Pivot at the right place.
3. Static or skeletal chosen correctly.
4. Materials and textures connected; normal map compression correct.
5. Simple collision.
6. Nanite or LODs.
7. Tested in a level with the mannequin for scale.

Need props for an Unreal level? Generate one in Vi3W and import the GLB or FBX with the settings above.