Quick answer: nothing is broken. Unreal Engine 5.7 and 5.8 simply don’t include Starter Content any more, but the copy from 5.6 still works:
- Install Unreal Engine 5.6 from the Epic Games Launcher if you don’t have it.
- Copy the Samples folder from the 5.6 install folder into your 5.7 or 5.8 install folder.
- Copy FeaturePacks\StarterContent.upack from 5.6 into the FeaturePacks folder of 5.7 or 5.8.
- Restart the editor. In the Content Browser, click + Add > Add Feature or Content Pack… > Content > Starter Content > Add to Project.
What changed in 5.7
Since 5.7, the engine download no longer contains the Starter Content pack: the basic props, materials, textures and effects that used to be one tick away. It’s gone from the launcher’s install options too. Epic hasn’t said whether it will come back.
We checked our own installs. In 5.7 and 5.8 the FeaturePacks folder still has the templates (First Person, Third Person and so on) but no StarterContent.upack, and there is no Samples folder. In 5.6 both are still there.
Method 1: Add it back to the engine (recommended)
This puts Starter Content back in every 5.7 or 5.8 project, the way it used to be.
The default install folders are:
| Engine | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| 5.6 (copy from) | C:\Program Files\Epic Games\UE_5.6 | /Users/Shared/Epic Games/UE_5.6 |
| 5.7 or 5.8 (copy to) | C:\Program Files\Epic Games\UE_5.8 | /Users/Shared/Epic Games/UE_5.8 |
- Close Unreal Editor.
- In the Epic Games Launcher, open Unreal Engine > Library, click + next to Engine Versions, pick 5.6 and install it.
- Copy the whole
UE_5.6\Samplesfolder (about 600 MB) intoUE_5.8\(orUE_5.7\). If Windows asks for administrator permission, click Continue. - Copy
UE_5.6\FeaturePacks\StarterContent.upackintoUE_5.8\FeaturePacks\. - Open your project. In the Content Browser, click + Add > Add Feature or Content Pack…, open the Content tab, select Starter Content and click Add to Project.
Unreal compiles shaders for the new materials the first time, so give it a minute.
Copy both items. The .upack file is small and only points to the assets; the assets themselves are in the Samples folder. With only the .upack, the editor shows a “failed to create asset from StarterContent.upack” error every time it opens.
Once the files are copied you can uninstall 5.6. If Starter Content disappears after an engine update, copy the two items again.
Method 2: Migrate it into one project
Use this if you only need it in one project, or can’t write to the engine folder.
- In Unreal Engine 5.6, create a blank project with Starter Content ticked.
- In its Content Browser, right-click the StarterContent folder and choose Migrate.
- Click OK on the list of assets.
- Select the Content folder of your 5.7 or 5.8 project.
Open the 5.7 or 5.8 project and the StarterContent folder is there.
Do you still need it?
Starter Content is great for blocking out levels and following older tutorials, which often assume you have it. For a finished game you’ll want better art anyway. The template projects still ship with 5.7 and 5.8, and Fab has plenty of free packs; see our guide to free Unreal Engine assets and their licences.
FAQ
Was Starter Content removed on purpose?
It’s no longer in the 5.7 and 5.8 downloads, and Epic hasn’t explained why. Treat it as gone and use one of the methods above.
Does this work on Mac?
Yes. The same two items work on macOS; the engine folders are under /Users/Shared/Epic Games/.
I don’t see a Content tab in Add Feature or Content Pack
The editor didn’t find the pack. Check you copied StarterContent.upack into the FeaturePacks folder of the engine version you’re running, then restart the editor.
Can I copy it from 5.5 instead?
Yes, 5.5 has the same two items. 5.6 is the newest version that still includes them.