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How to Import Heightmaps into UE5: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Published: February 13, 2026
Reading Time: 7 minutes
Tags: Tutorial, Heightmaps, Landscape, Import, Beginners

Heightmaps are the fastest way to create large-scale terrain in Unreal Engine 5. Whether you’ve generated your own or purchased a pack, this guide walks you through importing heightmaps correctly.

What is a Heightmap?

A heightmap is a grayscale image where:

• White pixels = highest elevation
• Black pixels = lowest elevation
• Gray values = everything in between

When imported into UE5, this 2D image becomes 3D terrain.

Technical Requirements

For best results:

• Format: 16-bit PNG or RAW (16-bit preferred for detail)
• Resolution: Power of 2 plus 1 (1025, 2049, 4097, 8193)
• Color mode: Grayscale
• Bit depth: 16-bit (65,536 height levels)

Method 1: Import New Landscape

Step 1: Open Landscape Mode

1. Open your UE5 project
2. Create a new level or open existing
3. Press Shift+3 or click Landscape in mode toolbar

Step 2: Select Import Tab

1. In Landscape panel, click Import from File tab
2. You’ll see heightmap import settings

Step 3: Choose Your Heightmap

1. Click … next to Heightmap File
2. Browse to your heightmap PNG or RAW
3. Select and open

Step 4: Configure Import Settings

Section Size: 63x63 quads (standard)

• Smaller = more components, finer control
• Larger = fewer components, better performance

Sections Per Component: 1x1 or 2x2

• 1x1 for smaller landscapes
• 2x2 for larger landscapes

Number of Components: Auto-calculated from heightmap resolution

Overall Resolution: Shows total vertices

Step 5: Set Scale

Location: Where landscape center will be

• Default: 0, 0, 0

Scale:

• X/Y: 100 = 1 meter per vertex (standard)
• Z: Controls vertical scale
  • Start with 100
  • Increase for taller mountains
  • Decrease for flatter terrain

Step 6: Verify Dimensions

Check the calculated size:

• For a 4097x4097 heightmap at 100 scale:
  • Width: ~4km
  • Height: ~4km

Adjust scale if needed for your game.

Step 7: Import

Click Import and wait.

For large heightmaps (8K), this may take a minute.

Result: Your heightmap is now a 3D landscape!

Method 2: Import Layer from Heightmap

If you already have a landscape and want to add heightmap data:

Step 1: Select Existing Landscape

Click your landscape in the viewport or World Outliner.

Step 2: Open Import Options

1. Landscape mode
2. Sculpt tab
3. Right-click on landscape
4. Select “Import Heightmap”

Step 3: Choose Heightmap

Select your heightmap file.

Important: Heightmap resolution must match your landscape resolution exactly.

Step 4: Apply

The heightmap data replaces your current terrain.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue: Landscape is Flat

Cause: Z scale too low or heightmap has no contrast

Fix:

1. Increase Z scale to 200-500
2. Check heightmap in image editor (should have black to white range)
3. Adjust levels in Photoshop/GIMP to increase contrast

Issue: Terrain is Too Tall/Short

Cause: Z scale mismatch

Fix:

• Too tall: Reduce Z scale
• Too short: Increase Z scale
• Start at 100, adjust by 50 until correct

Issue: Resolution Mismatch Error

Cause: Heightmap dimensions don’t match component setup

Fix:

1. Check your heightmap resolution
2. Adjust sections and components to match
3. Use power-of-2-plus-1 dimensions (1025, 2049, 4097, 8193)

Issue: Seams or Cracks in Landscape

Cause: Component boundaries not matching

Fix:

1. Ensure heightmap edges are seamless
2. Rebuild landscape LODs
3. Check section size settings

Issue: Blocky/Pixelated Terrain

Cause: Heightmap resolution too low

Fix:

1. Use higher resolution heightmap
2. 8K heightmaps for AAA quality
3. 4K minimum for production

Issue: Import Taking Forever

Cause: Large heightmap + many components

Fix:

1. Be patient (8K heightmaps take time)
2. Use fewer sections per component
3. Consider starting with lower resolution for testing

Resolution Guide

Match heightmap to your project needs:

Resolution	Landscape Size	Best For
1K (1025)	~1km x 1km	Prototypes, small areas
2K (2049)	~2km x 2km	Medium levels, indie games
4K (4097)	~4km x 4km	Large worlds, detailed terrain
8K (8193)	~8km x 8km	Massive worlds, AAA quality

Scaling Math

At default scale (100):

• Each vertex = 1 meter apart
• 1025 vertices = ~1km
• 4097 vertices = ~4km
• 8193 vertices = ~8km

Adjust X/Y scale to change physical size:

• Scale 50 = 0.5 meters/vertex (2x larger in world)
• Scale 200 = 2 meters/vertex (2x smaller in world)

Using Heightmap Packs

Professional packs like Massive Open World Landscape Pack include multiple resolutions. Here’s how to use them:

Step 1: Choose Starting Resolution

For development:

1. Start with 2K version
2. Fast iteration
3. Same topology, less detail

For production:

1. Switch to 4K or 8K
2. Full detail
3. Same topology, maximum quality

Step 2: Use Included Projects

Many packs include complete UE5 projects:

1. Open the project file
2. Landscape already imported
3. Materials already applied
4. Ready to customize

This skips import entirely!

Step 3: Apply AutoMaterial

If the pack includes an AutoMaterial:

1. Select landscape
2. In Details, find Landscape Material
3. Apply the included material instance
4. Terrain automatically textured

Post-Import Steps

After importing:

1. Apply Material

Bare landscape needs texturing:

• Use pack’s AutoMaterial if included
• Create your own landscape material
• Apply Megascans materials

2. Adjust Scale

Play-test to verify scale feels right:

• Walk around as player
• Check mountain heights
• Adjust Z scale if needed

3. Add World Partition

For large landscapes:

1. Enable World Partition in World Settings
2. Let UE5 split landscape into streaming cells
3. Essential for performance

4. Enable Nanite

If using Nanite meshes on landscape:

1. Select landscape
2. Enable Nanite support
3. Rebuild

5. Add Foliage

Empty terrain needs life:

• Use PCG for procedural placement
• Paint foliage manually
• Add Megascans vegetation

Complete Workflow Example

Let’s import a 4K heightmap from Massive Open World Landscape Pack:

Step 1: Preparation

1. Create new UE5 project
2. Open empty level
3. Enable Water plugin (for island maps)

Step 2: Import

1. Landscape mode (Shift+3)
2. Import from File tab
3. Select “OpenWorld5_4K.png”
4. Section Size: 63x63
5. Sections Per Component: 2x2
6. Scale: X=100, Y=100, Z=150
7. Import

Step 3: Material

1. Select landscape
2. Apply M_AutoMaterial_Inst
3. Terrain auto-painted

Step 4: Water

1. Place Water Body Ocean actor
2. Position at sea level
3. Island now surrounded by water

Step 5: Polish

1. Adjust lighting (Directional Light)
2. Add Sky Atmosphere
3. Enable fog
4. Play and verify scale

Result: Playable island world in 15 minutes.

Tips for Best Results

Preview Before Import

Open heightmap in image editor:

• Check for artifacts
• Verify contrast range
• Identify features (mountains, valleys)

Start Small, Scale Up

1. Import 1K for initial testing
2. Verify it’s the right map
3. Upgrade to 4K/8K for production

Keep Original Heightmaps

Never modify originals:

1. Copy to project folder
2. Work on copies
3. Keep pristine backups

Document Your Settings

Record what worked:

• Z scale used
• Component settings
• Material applied

Makes reimporting consistent.

Conclusion

Importing heightmaps into UE5 is straightforward once you know the process:

1. Get quality heightmaps (Massive Open World Landscape Pack)
2. Configure import settings correctly
3. Apply materials for instant texturing
4. Add water and foliage

Skip the terrain generation grind. Import professional heightmaps and start building your game.

Get Massive Open World Landscape Pack →

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More terrain tutorials: Creating terrain from scratch and best terrain tools.