This guide walks you through how to convert light to static in Unreal Engine 5, helping you optimize scene performance and achieve high-quality baked lighting. You’ll learn the difference between light types, when to use static lighting, and how to avoid common pitfalls.
Key Takeaways
- Understand light mobility types: Learn the differences between static, stationary, and movable lights and when to use each.
- Optimize performance with static lighting: Static lights are precomputed, reducing runtime cost and improving frame rates.
- Use Lightmass for high-quality baked lighting: Configure Lightmass settings to get realistic shadows and ambient occlusion.
- Convert existing lights to static: Change light mobility in the Details panel and rebuild lighting to apply changes.
- Avoid common mistakes: Ensure static meshes are marked correctly and lighting builds complete without errors.
- Leverage the Build menu: Always rebuild lighting after making changes to see accurate results.
- Test in different scenarios: Validate your lighting setup in various times of day or environments for consistency.
Introduction: Why Convert Light to Static in Unreal Engine 5?
If you’re working in Unreal Engine 5, you’ve probably noticed how lighting can make or break the realism of your scene. One of the most effective ways to improve both visual quality and performance is by converting lights to static. But what does that really mean, and why should you do it?
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to convert light to static in Unreal Engine 5. We’ll cover the basics of light mobility, walk you through the conversion process step by step, and share pro tips to avoid common issues. Whether you’re building a cinematic environment or a high-performance game level, mastering static lighting is a must.
Understanding Light Mobility in Unreal Engine 5
Before converting any light, it’s important to understand the three types of light mobility in Unreal Engine 5:
Visual guide about How to Convert Light to Static Unreal Engine 5
Image source: mobidevices.com
- Static: These lights are baked into lightmaps during the build process. They don’t change at runtime, which makes them very performance-friendly. Use them for environments where lighting doesn’t need to change, like outdoor scenes or static interiors.
- Stationary: These lights are partially baked but can still cast dynamic shadows and change intensity or color at runtime. They’re a middle ground between performance and flexibility.
- Movable: Fully dynamic lights that update in real time. Great for moving light sources like flashlights or car headlights, but they’re more expensive on performance.
For most environments—especially large or complex ones—static lighting is the best choice. It gives you high-quality, realistic lighting with minimal runtime cost.
Step-by-Step: How to Convert Light to Static in Unreal Engine 5
Now that you know why static lighting matters, let’s get into the actual process. Converting a light to static is simple, but there are a few key steps to follow to ensure everything works correctly.
Step 1: Open Your Level in Unreal Engine 5
Launch Unreal Engine 5 and open the project containing the level where you want to convert lights. Make sure your scene is set up with the lights and geometry you plan to use.
Step 2: Select the Light You Want to Convert
In the Viewport or World Outliner, click on the light you’d like to convert. This could be a Directional Light (for sunlight), a Point Light, or a Spot Light. Most lights in a static environment should be set to static.
Step 3: Change the Light Mobility to Static
With the light selected, go to the Details Panel (usually on the right side of the screen). Look for the Light section and find the Mobility dropdown menu.
Click the dropdown and select Static from the options: Static, Stationary, or Movable.
Pro Tip: If you’re converting multiple lights, hold Ctrl and click to select them all, then change the Mobility setting once to apply it to all selected lights.
Step 4: Ensure Static Meshes Are Marked Correctly
Static lights only work properly if the objects they illuminate are also static. In the World Outliner, select your static meshes (like walls, floors, furniture).
In the Details Panel, under the Lighting section, make sure Mobility is set to Static. Also, check that Cast Shadow is enabled if you want shadows.
If a mesh is set to Movable, it won’t receive baked lighting properly, even if the light is static. This is a common mistake that leads to dark or missing shadows.
Step 5: Configure Lightmass Settings (Optional but Recommended)
To get the best quality from your static lighting, tweak the Lightmass settings. Lightmass is Unreal’s global illumination system that calculates how light bounces around your scene.
Go to Window > World Settings, then scroll down to the Lightmass section. Here are a few key settings to adjust:
- Static Lighting Level Scale: Lower values (like 0.5) increase lighting detail but take longer to build. Start with 1.0 and go lower if needed.
- Num Indirect Lighting Bounces: Increase this (e.g., to 8 or 10) for more realistic light bouncing, especially in interiors.
- Indirect Lighting Quality: Higher values improve quality but increase build time. Use 1.0 for testing, 2.0 or 3.0 for final builds.
- Environment Intensity: Controls how much sky light affects your scene. Adjust based on your environment.
Note: These settings affect build time. Test with lower values first, then increase for final lighting.
Step 6: Rebuild Lighting
This is the most important step. After changing light mobility or Lightmass settings, you must rebuild lighting to see the results.
Go to the top menu and click Build > Build Lighting Only. Alternatively, press Ctrl + Shift + L.
Unreal Engine will now calculate the static lighting and bake it into lightmaps. This may take a few seconds to several minutes, depending on scene complexity and Lightmass settings.
Once complete, your scene should show improved lighting with realistic shadows, color bleeding, and ambient occlusion—all without runtime performance cost.
Tips for Better Static Lighting Results
Converting lights to static is just the beginning. Here are some practical tips to get the best results:
Use Lightmap UVs
Static lighting relies on lightmap UVs—a second set of UV coordinates that define how light is baked onto a mesh. If your static meshes don’t have proper lightmap UVs, you’ll see dark spots or incorrect lighting.
To fix this, select your mesh, go to the Details Panel, and under Lightmap Settings, increase the Light Map Resolution (e.g., to 128 or 256). You can also generate lightmap UVs automatically by right-clicking the mesh in the Content Browser and selecting Generate Lightmap UVs.
Avoid Overlapping Geometry
Overlapping or intersecting static meshes can cause lighting artifacts like dark spots or light leaks. Use the Show > Advanced > Lightmap Density view mode to check for issues. Blue areas are fine; red areas need higher resolution or fixes.
Use Stationary Lights for Mixed Scenarios
If part of your scene needs dynamic lighting (like a flickering lamp), use Stationary lights instead of converting everything to static. You can mix static and stationary lights in the same level for the best balance of quality and flexibility.
Test in Different Lighting Conditions
After rebuilding lighting, test your scene at different times of day (if using a Directional Light with a Sky Atmosphere). Make sure shadows and ambient lighting look consistent and realistic.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Even with careful setup, you might run into problems. Here’s how to fix the most common ones:
Lighting Looks Too Dark or Flat
This often happens when Indirect Lighting is too low. Increase the Indirect Lighting Intensity in the Lightmass settings or boost the Indirect Lighting Scale on individual lights.
Shadows Are Missing or Incorrect
Check that Cast Shadow is enabled on both the light and the static meshes. Also, ensure the light’s Source Radius isn’t too large—this can blur shadows too much.
Lighting Build Fails or Takes Too Long
If the build process crashes or takes hours, reduce Lightmass quality settings. Lower the Static Lighting Level Scale and Indirect Lighting Quality. Also, check for overly complex geometry or high-resolution textures that increase build time.
Light Doesn’t Appear After Conversion
Make sure the light is not disabled. Check the Intensity and Light Color in the Details Panel. Also, verify that the light is within range of your scene and not blocked by geometry.
Conclusion: Master Static Lighting for Better Performance and Visuals
Converting lights to static in Unreal Engine 5 is a powerful way to enhance both the visual quality and performance of your projects. By baking lighting into lightmaps, you get realistic shadows, global illumination, and ambient occlusion—without the runtime cost of dynamic lights.
Remember: always set both your lights and static meshes to Static mobility, configure Lightmass for quality, and rebuild lighting after any changes. With these steps, you’ll create stunning, optimized environments that look great and run smoothly.
Now that you know how to convert light to static in Unreal Engine 5, try it in your next project. Experiment with different settings, and don’t be afraid to mix static and stationary lights for the perfect balance. Happy building!