This guide teaches you how to add light in Unreal Engine 4 using directional, point, spot, and sky lights. You’ll learn essential lighting techniques to enhance realism and mood in your 3D environments.
Key Takeaways
- Understand light types: Learn the differences between Directional, Point, Spot, and Sky Lights and when to use each.
- Place lights correctly: Position lights strategically to avoid flat or overly harsh lighting in your scene.
- Adjust intensity and color: Fine-tune brightness and color temperature to match the mood and time of day.
- Use real-time vs. baked lighting: Choose between dynamic and static lighting based on performance and visual needs.
- Optimize with Lightmass: Improve baked lighting quality using Lightmass settings for realistic shadows and ambient occlusion.
- Troubleshoot common issues: Fix problems like light leaks, dark spots, or performance drops with proven solutions.
- Enhance with post-processing: Combine lighting with post-process volumes for cinematic depth and realism.
How to Add Light in Unreal Engine 4: A Complete Guide for 2026
Lighting is one of the most powerful tools in Unreal Engine 4. It shapes how players experience your game world. Whether you’re building a moody horror scene or a bright, sunny landscape, knowing how to add light in Unreal Engine 4 is essential. In this guide, we’ll walk you through every step—from placing your first light to optimizing it for performance and realism.
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be able to confidently add and customize different types of lights, understand lighting modes, and troubleshoot common issues. We’ll use practical examples and real-world tips to make sure you get professional results—even if you’re new to Unreal Engine.
Let’s get started!
Why Lighting Matters in Unreal Engine 4
Before we dive into the technical steps, let’s talk about why lighting is so important. Lighting isn’t just about making things visible—it sets the tone, guides the player’s attention, and adds depth to your environment.
In 2026, Unreal Engine 4 remains a top choice for indie developers and studios alike. Its robust lighting system supports both real-time and precomputed (baked) lighting, giving you flexibility depending on your project’s needs.
Good lighting can:
– Make your scene feel alive and immersive
– Highlight important objects or paths
– Create emotional impact (e.g., fear, wonder, calm)
– Improve performance by reducing the need for complex geometry
Now, let’s learn how to add light in Unreal Engine 4 step by step.
Step 1: Open Your Level and Access the Modes Panel
To begin, open your Unreal Engine 4 project and load the level where you want to add lighting.
Navigate to the Modes Panel
The Modes panel is where you’ll find all the tools for placing actors, including lights. It’s usually located on the left side of the screen. If you don’t see it, go to Window > Modes to enable it.
Visual guide about How to Add Light in Unreal Engine 4
Image source: awesometuts.com
Select the Place Mode
In the Modes panel, click on the Place tab (it looks like a cube with a plus sign). This will show you a list of all placeable actors, including lights, meshes, and effects.
Find the Lights Section
Scroll down or use the search bar to find the Lights category. Here, you’ll see several light types you can add to your scene.
Step 2: Choose the Right Type of Light
Unreal Engine 4 offers several types of lights, each with unique properties. Choosing the right one depends on the effect you want.
Directional Light
The Directional Light mimics sunlight. It casts parallel rays across the entire level, making it perfect for outdoor scenes. Use this for day or night environments where you need consistent lighting from one direction.
Point Light
A Point Light emits light in all directions from a single point. Think of it like a light bulb. It’s great for indoor scenes, lamps, or any area where you need localized illumination.
Spot Light
The Spot Light shines light in a cone shape, like a flashlight or stage spotlight. You can adjust the angle and falloff to control how wide or narrow the beam is. Use this for dramatic effects or to highlight specific objects.
Sky Light
The Sky Light captures the brightness and color of the sky and applies it to your scene. It helps create realistic ambient lighting and soft shadows. It’s especially useful when combined with a Directional Light for outdoor environments.
Rect Light (Bonus)
Though not always listed under “Lights,” the Rect Light emits light from a rectangular surface. It’s ideal for simulating fluorescent panels or TV screens. You can find it under the Place tab by searching “Rect Light.”
Step 3: Place a Light in Your Scene
Now that you know the types, let’s place one.
Drag and Drop the Light
Click on the light type you want (e.g., Point Light) and drag it into your level. Release the mouse to place it. You’ll see a glowing icon representing the light’s position and influence.
Move and Rotate the Light
Use the transform tools (Move, Rotate, Scale) to position your light. Press W to move, E to rotate, and R to scale. For lights, scaling usually affects the visual gizmo, not the light itself—so focus on position and rotation.
Example: Lighting a Room with a Point Light
Imagine you’re lighting a small bedroom. Place a Point Light near the ceiling. Move it to the center of the room. You’ll notice the walls and floor brighten up. If the light is too harsh, we’ll adjust it in the next step.
Step 4: Adjust Light Properties
Every light has settings you can tweak. Let’s explore the most important ones.
Intensity
This controls how bright the light is. Higher values make the scene brighter. For a cozy room, try an intensity of 500–1000. For a bright outdoor scene, go up to 10,000 or more.
Light Color and Temperature
You can change the color of your light using the Light Color property. Or, use Temperature (Kelvin) for realistic color tones. For example:
- 2700K = warm, yellowish (like incandescent bulbs)
- 5500K = neutral white (like daylight)
- 6500K = cool, bluish (like overcast sky)
This is a great way to match real-world lighting conditions.
Attenuation Radius
This determines how far the light reaches. A larger radius means the light affects more of the scene. Be careful—too large a radius can hurt performance. Start with a radius that just covers your intended area.
Source Radius and Length (for Point and Spot Lights)
These settings control the physical size of the light source. A larger source radius creates softer shadows, which look more natural. For a soft, diffused glow, increase the source radius slightly.
Spot Light Angle and Inner Cone
For Spot Lights, adjust the Outer Cone Angle to control the beam width. The Inner Cone Angle creates a brighter center. A good starting point is 45° outer and 30° inner.
Step 5: Choose Between Real-Time and Baked Lighting
Unreal Engine 4 supports two main lighting modes: real-time (dynamic) and baked (static). Your choice affects performance and visual quality.
Real-Time Lighting
Real-time lights update as the scene changes. They’re great for interactive games where lights turn on/off or characters move through dark areas. However, they can be performance-heavy if overused.
Baked Lighting (Lightmass)
Baked lighting pre-calculates shadows and light bounces using Lightmass. It’s much faster at runtime but doesn’t change during gameplay. Use this for static environments like levels or cutscenes.
How to Enable Baked Lighting
- Select your light.
- In the Details panel, find Lighting settings.
- Set Mobility to Static or Stationary.
- For full baking, use Static. For lights that can change color or intensity (but not move), use Stationary.
Baking Your Lighting
Once your lights are set to Static or Stationary, go to Build > Build Lighting. Unreal will calculate the lighting and save it to lightmaps. This may take a few minutes depending on scene complexity.
Step 6: Optimize with Lightmass Settings
To get the best baked lighting, tweak the Lightmass settings.
Open Lightmass Settings
Go to Window > World Settings. In the Details panel, expand the Lightmass section.
Adjust Key Settings
- Static Lighting Level Scale: Lower values (e.g., 0.5) increase resolution for sharper shadows. Higher values speed up baking.
- Num Indirect Lighting Bounces: More bounces create richer ambient light. Start with 4–6.
- Indirect Lighting Quality: Higher values improve accuracy. Use 2–4 for most scenes.
- Environment Intensity: Controls how much the sky contributes to ambient light. Useful for outdoor scenes.
Example: Improving Indoor Lighting
If your room looks too dark or has harsh shadows, increase the Indirect Lighting Quality and add a Sky Light. This will simulate light bouncing off walls and ceilings, creating a softer, more natural look.
Step 7: Combine Lights for Realistic Scenes
Great lighting often uses multiple lights working together.
Example: Daytime Outdoor Scene
- Add a Directional Light for sunlight. Set intensity to 8000–10000 and color to 5500K.
- Add a Sky Light to capture ambient sky color. Enable Real Time Capture if the sky changes.
- Use a Post Process Volume to adjust exposure and contrast for a cinematic look.
Example: Cozy Indoor Scene
- Place a Point Light on a lamp. Set intensity to 600, color to 2700K.
- Add a second Point Light near a window to simulate daylight. Use 4000K and lower intensity.
- Use a Spot Light to highlight a painting or bookshelf.
- Bake the lighting for smooth shadows.
Step 8: Use Post-Processing to Enhance Lighting
Lighting doesn’t end with placing lights. Post-processing adds the final polish.
Add a Post Process Volume
Go to the Modes panel, search for Post Process Volume, and place it in your scene. Make sure Unbound is checked so it affects the entire level.
Adjust Key Settings
- Exposure: Controls overall brightness. Use Auto Exposure for dynamic adjustment.
- Color Grading: Shift the color tone (e.g., warm for sunset, cool for night).
- Bloom: Adds a glow around bright lights. Great for lamps or sunlight.
- Vignette: Darkens the edges of the screen for focus.
Tip: Use LUTs for Cinematic Looks
Load a Look-Up Table (LUT) in the post-process volume to apply film-like color grading. You can find free LUTs online or create your own.
Troubleshooting Common Lighting Issues
Even experts run into problems. Here’s how to fix the most common ones.
Problem: Light Leaks
Cause: Gaps between geometry allow light to bleed through.
Solution: Seal all gaps in your level. Use the Blockout tool to check for holes. Increase Lightmap Resolution on affected meshes.
Problem: Dark or Flat Lighting
Cause: Not enough light sources or poor light placement.
Solution: Add a Sky Light or increase indirect bounces. Use fill lights (low-intensity Point Lights) to soften shadows.
Problem: Performance Drops
Cause: Too many real-time lights or high-resolution lightmaps.
Solution: Bake static lights. Reduce the number of dynamic lights. Lower Lightmass settings if baking takes too long.
Problem: Harsh Shadows
Cause: Small or point-like light sources.
Solution: Increase the Source Radius on Point or Spot Lights. Use area lights (like Rect Lights) for softer shadows.
Problem: Lights Not Baking
Cause: Lights set to Movable or missing lightmap UVs.
Solution: Set light mobility to Static or Stationary. Ensure all static meshes have valid lightmap UVs (check in the mesh editor).
Best Practices for Lighting in 2026
As Unreal Engine evolves, these tips will keep your lighting sharp and efficient.
- Start simple: Use one Directional Light and one Sky Light as a base. Add others as needed.
- Use reference images: Study real-world lighting to match mood and color.
- Test on different devices: Check how your lighting looks on low-end hardware.
- Name your lights: Label them (e.g., “Sun_Directional”, “Lamp_Point”) for easy management.
- Use layers: Organize lights into layers for complex scenes.
- Iterate: Lighting is an art. Don’t be afraid to tweak and rebuild.
Conclusion
Learning how to add light in Unreal Engine 4 opens up endless creative possibilities. From dramatic spotlights to soft ambient glows, lighting shapes how players feel and interact with your world.
In this guide, we covered everything from placing your first light to optimizing with Lightmass and post-processing. You now know how to choose the right light type, adjust properties, bake lighting, and troubleshoot common issues.
Remember, great lighting is both technical and artistic. Experiment, observe real life, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. With practice, you’ll create scenes that look stunning and run smoothly—even in 2026.
Now go light up your world!