Add Free Assets: The Content Browser, Starter Content and Fab

Where your stuff lives

Every level you build is made of assets — the 3D models (meshes), textures, materials, sounds and Blueprints that you place into a scene. In Unreal, all of those assets live in one panel: the Content Browser, usually docked along the bottom of the editor. Think of it as the file explorer for your project.

Right now your project is probably nearly empty, which is the loneliest feeling for a beginner. This lesson fixes that three ways: by adding Epic's free Starter Content (a ready-made kit of meshes and materials), by dragging in your own files, and by browsing Fab — Epic's content marketplace — for free assets to add to your project. By the end you'll always have something to build with.

Find your way around the Content Browser

Open any project (the Third Person template from the navigation lesson is perfect). The Content Browser is the panel along the bottom — if you can't see it, open the 'Window' menu at the top and choose 'Content Browser'. Tick each step as you go.

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   1Open and pin the Content Browser

   Look along the bottom of the editor for a panel full of folders and thumbnails — that's the Content Browser. If it's collapsed, click the small 'Content Drawer' button at the bottom-left, or press the keyboard shortcut to pop it open.

   To keep it open permanently, click the 'Dock in Layout' button (a small pin/dock icon) in the top-right of the drawer.

   TipPressing Ctrl + Spacebar toggles the Content Drawer open and shut from anywhere in the editor — the fastest way to reach your assets.

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   2Understand the folder tree

   On the left is a folder tree. The most important folder is 'Content' (sometimes shown as 'All > Content') — this is your project's own assets, the part you own and edit.

   The big browsing area on the right shows the contents of whatever folder you've selected, as thumbnails. Single-click a thumbnail to select it; double-click to open that asset in its editor.

   TipIf thumbnails look tiny or huge, use the slider at the bottom-right of the browser to resize them.

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   3Use the search and filters

   There's a search box at the top of the browser. Start typing a name (for example 'chair' or 'grass') and it filters instantly across the current folder and below.

   Next to it is a 'Filters' button. Use it to show only one type of asset — for example only Static Meshes, or only Materials — which is a lifesaver once a project fills up.

   TipRight-click any asset and choose 'Find in Content Browser' (or press the browse-to shortcut) to jump straight to where it lives in the folder tree.

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   4Learn the two folders you'll see most

   'Content' is your project. 'StarterContent' (once added in the next section) is a sub-folder of it. You may also see an 'Engine' folder if you enable showing engine content — that's Unreal's own built-in assets; leave those alone for now.

   Anything you drag in or import lands in your 'Content' folder. Keeping it tidy with sub-folders early will save you real pain later.

Add Starter Content to your project

Starter Content is a free kit of basic meshes, materials, textures and props from Epic. If you didn't tick it when creating the project, you can add it any time. Tick each step.

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   1Open Add → Add Feature or Content Pack

   In the Content Browser toolbar, click the green '+ Add' button (top-left of the browser) and choose 'Add Feature or Content Pack…'. A window opens with two tabs: Blueprint/code features, and Content packs.

   Switch to the 'Content' tab in that window.

   TipYou can also reach the same window from the main toolbar's 'Tools' or settings menu in some layouts — but the green '+ Add' button in the Content Browser is the reliable route.

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   2Choose the Starter Content pack

   In the Content tab you'll see sample packs, including 'Starter Content'. Select it and click 'Add to Project'.

   Unreal copies the pack into your project. A new 'StarterContent' folder appears under 'Content' in the browser.

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   3Browse what you just got

   Open Content > StarterContent and explore the sub-folders: there are basic shapes and props (Props, Shapes), a set of Materials, Textures, and some Audio.

   Drag any mesh — say a chair or a wall piece — from the browser into the viewport to place it in your level. That's the core 'asset to scene' move you'll use forever.

   TipHolding the asset and dropping it onto the floor in the viewport snaps it roughly where your cursor is. You can move it precisely afterwards with the transform gizmo.

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   4Save the project

   Adding a content pack changes your project, so save it. Press Ctrl + S or click 'Save All' so the StarterContent folder and your placed props are written to disk.

   Now those sample assets are a permanent part of this project — they'll be there every time you open it.

   TipAdding Starter Content to one project doesn't affect any other project; each project keeps its own copy of the content.

Import your own files by drag-and-drop

Got a texture, a model from a free site, or a sound effect on your hard drive? Importing it is mostly drag-and-drop. Tick each step.

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   1Pick a folder to import into

   In the Content Browser, click the folder where you want the new asset to land — for example a 'Textures' folder you made earlier. Imported files always go into the currently selected folder.

   TipSelecting the right folder first saves you from hunting for a misplaced asset later.

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   2Drag the file in from your file explorer

   Open your operating system's file explorer next to the editor, find the file (e.g. a .png texture, a .fbx 3D model, or a .wav sound), and drag it straight onto the Content Browser's thumbnail area.

   Unreal recognises the file type and starts importing. For images and audio it's usually instant; for 3D models a small import dialog appears.

   TipYou can also click the '+ Add' button and choose 'Import to /Game…' to open a file picker instead of dragging — same result.

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   3Handle the import dialog (for meshes)

   When you import a 3D model (commonly .fbx or .obj), an import options window opens. The defaults are sensible for a first import — you generally don't need to change anything to get the mesh in.

   Click 'Import' (or 'Import All'). The new mesh, plus any materials it brought along, appears as assets in your folder.

   TipIf a model imports facing the wrong way or at the wrong size, that's an export setting from the original tool, not a mistake on your end — you can fix scale and rotation after placing it.

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   4Save your new assets

   Importing creates assets in memory but doesn't write them to disk until you save. Newly imported assets show a little asterisk or 'dirty' marker.

   Press Ctrl + S, or click 'Save All' in the Content Browser, to write them out. Get into the habit of saving after every import.

   TipIf you close the editor without saving an imported asset, it's gone — Unreal warns you, but it's easy to dismiss. Save early, save often.

Get free assets from Fab into your project

Fab is Epic's content marketplace, and it lives inside the Epic Games Launcher. There are loads of free assets — Epic regularly gives some away too. Here's how to claim one and add it to a project. Tick each step.

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   1Open Fab in the Epic Games Launcher

   Open the Epic Games Launcher (the same app you installed the engine with). Go to the 'Unreal Engine' section, then open the 'Fab' tab/marketplace from there. You can also browse Fab in a web browser, but claiming to your library is easiest through the launcher.

   Make sure you're signed in with the same Epic account you use for the engine — that's the account your library is tied to.

   TipBrowsing Fab in your web browser and the launcher both work; the launcher is what actually adds an asset to a local project.

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   2Filter to free assets and claim one

   Use the price filter to show free items (look for a 'Free' option). Open an asset you like and choose to acquire it — for free items this adds it to your account at no cost.

   Once claimed, a free asset stays in your account library permanently, so you can add it to any project later.

   TipCheck the asset's listed engine-version support before claiming, so you know it works with the version you installed.

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   3Find it in your Library

   Back in the launcher's Unreal Engine section, open your 'Library' and scroll to the 'Fab Library' (your claimed content). Your newly claimed asset appears there as a tile.

   TipIf you just claimed it and don't see it yet, click the refresh icon on the library or restart the launcher.

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   4Add the asset To Project

   On the asset's tile in your library, click 'Add To Project'. A list of your local projects appears — pick the project you want it in.

   You may be asked which engine version and, for some assets, given a target folder. Confirm, and the launcher copies the content into that project's Content folder.

   TipClose the project in the editor before adding content to it, so the launcher can copy files without conflicts. Reopen the project afterwards.

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   5Open the project and use it

   Launch the project. In the Content Browser you'll find a new folder containing the asset you added. Drag its meshes into your level, open its materials, or play its sounds — it's now part of your project just like anything else.

   From here it behaves exactly like Starter Content or your own imports: yours to place, edit and build with.