UE5 “Plugin Failed to Load Because Module Could Not Be Loaded” Fix

Table of Contents

Works in Unreal Engine 5.0 to 5.8. Updated October 2026.

Quick answer: the plugin’s files are there, but Windows couldn’t load them. Usually a file the plugin needs is missing, or the plugin was built for a different engine version.

  1. Open your project’s Saved/Logs folder and open the newest .log file.
  2. Search for Missing import. The line tells you which DLL is missing.
  3. Fix that one thing: enable the plugin that provides it, reinstall the plugin for your exact engine version, or (if it’s your plugin) ship the missing DLL with it.

What the error means

“Plugin ‘X’ failed to load because module ‘Y’ could not be loaded” appears when Unreal finds the plugin’s module DLL but Windows refuses to load it. The editor then closes.

It’s different from “module could not be found”, which means the DLL isn’t there at all. If that’s your message, see module could not be found.

Is the plugin Fab? See Plugin ‘Fab’ failed to load. It covers the Fab-specific causes, including Windows Smart App Control blocking the Fab DLL.

Step 1: Find the real reason in the log

The log is at YourProject/Saved/Logs/YourProject.log. Search it for the plugin’s DLL name (UnrealEditor-ModuleName.dll) or for Missing import.

Ignore the GetLastError=126 lines for aqProf.dll, VtuneApi.dll and WinPixGpuCapturer.dll near the top. They appear in every log and are harmless.

What the error codes mean:

CodeMeaning
126A DLL the plugin needs is missing
127A DLL was found but it’s the wrong version, often a plugin built for another engine version
193The DLL is damaged or the wrong type

Step 2: Fix it

A plugin you downloaded (Fab, Marketplace, GitHub):

  1. Make sure you installed the version built for your exact engine version (5.7, 5.8…).
  2. If there are two copies of the plugin (one in your project’s Plugins folder and one in the engine), delete the old one.
  3. Plugins that come with the engine (Fab, Bridge) break when an old copy sits in your project. Delete the copy from your project’s Plugins folder, then verify the engine in the Epic Games Launcher.

Can’t open the editor to turn the plugin off? Open your .uproject file in a text editor and set the plugin to disabled:

				
					"Plugins": [
	{
		"Name": "Bridge",
		"Enabled": false
	}
]

Your own plugin:

  • If your module uses another plugin’s module, list that plugin in your .uplugin under "Plugins". Unreal warns about this when you build: “does not list plugin … as a dependency”.
  • If you use a third-party DLL, add it with RuntimeDependencies in your Build.cs so it’s copied next to your plugin.
  • Rebuild the plugin for each engine version you support.

If the module belongs to one of our plugins, download the build for your exact engine version from where you bought it.

FAQ

Why does the editor close after this error?

The plugin is enabled in the project, so Unreal can’t start without it. Fix the DLL or disable the plugin in the .uproject.

Does deleting Binaries and Intermediate help?

Only for your own C++ code, which then gets rebuilt. For a downloaded plugin, reinstall the right version instead.

I get this after updating the engine. Why?

The plugin was built for the old version. Download the build for your new engine version.

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