Installing Unreal Engine 5
Unreal Engine 5 is distributed via the Epic Games Launcher. Follow these steps to get up and running on Windows, macOS, or Linux.
1. Download the Epic Games Launcher
Go to epicgames.com/unrealengine and click "Download". The launcher is free and manages all your engine installations, purchased assets, and games.
2. Install Visual Studio (Windows)
UE5 requires Visual Studio 2022 (Community edition is free). During setup select the "Game development with C++" workload. Also install ".NET 6.0 Runtime" and "Windows 10/11 SDK".
3. Choose an Engine Version
Inside the launcher go to Library → Engine Versions → Add. Choose the latest stable 5.x release. The install is typically 70–100 GB with all optional components.
4. Verify Installation
Once installed, launch the Editor from the launcher. You should see the Project Browser. Create a "Blank" or "Third Person" template to verify everything works.
5. Optional: Xcode (macOS)
On macOS install Xcode from the App Store before launching UE5. Set the active developer directory via "xcode-select --switch /Applications/Xcode.app".
💡 Pro Tip
Enable "Derive Data Cache" (DDC) on a fast SSD by setting DDC location in Editor Preferences → Derivatives. This dramatically speeds up shader compilation on subsequent launches.