Quick answer: Unreal Build Tool can’t find a C++ compiler it accepts. Having the Visual Studio IDE isn’t enough: the C++ build tools must be installed too.
- Open the Visual Studio Installer and click Modify on Visual Studio 2022.
- Under Workloads, tick Desktop development with C++ and Game development with C++.
- Under Individual components, make sure MSVC v143 – VS 2022 C++ x64/x86 build tools and a Windows 11 SDK (or Windows 10 SDK) are ticked, then install.
- Right-click your
.uproject, choose Generate Visual Studio project files, and build again.
Which Visual Studio your engine version needs
From Epic’s Visual Studio setup page:
| Unreal Engine | Visual Studio 2022 | Visual Studio 2019 | Visual Studio 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.8 | 17.14 or later | Not supported | 18.0 or later |
| 5.7 | 17.8 or later (17.14 recommended) | Not supported | Experimental |
| 5.6 | 17.8 or later (17.14 recommended) | Not supported | Not supported |
| 5.5 | 17.8 or later (17.10 recommended) | Not supported | Not supported |
| 5.4 | 17.4 or later (17.8 recommended) | Not supported | Not supported |
| 5.3 | 17.4 or later (17.6 recommended) | 16.11.5 or later | Not supported |
UE 5.4 dropped Visual Studio 2019. If you upgraded a project from 5.3 or older and only have VS 2019, this is your error. Install VS 2022.
Step 1: Install the C++ components
In the Visual Studio Installer, click Modify and check:
- Workloads: Desktop development with C++ and Game development with C++. Epic’s list also includes .NET desktop development.
- Individual components: MSVC v143 – VS 2022 C++ x64/x86 build tools (Latest), a Windows 10 or 11 SDK, and Unreal Engine installer (under Game development with C++).
Recent engine versions need MSVC 14.38 or newer. Epic recommends 14.50 for UE 5.8. Restart your PC after installing.
Step 2: Check BuildConfiguration.xml
A BuildConfiguration.xml left over from an older setup can force Unreal to look for a compiler you no longer have. Unreal Build Tool reads it from all of these places:
Engine/Saved/UnrealBuildTool/BuildConfiguration.xml%APPDATA%/Unreal Engine/UnrealBuildTool/BuildConfiguration.xmlDocuments/Unreal Engine/UnrealBuildTool/BuildConfiguration.xmlYourProject/Saved/UnrealBuildTool/BuildConfiguration.xml
Open each one that exists. Set the compiler and project file version to Visual Studio 2022, and remove any CompilerVersion line that names a toolset you haven’t installed:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Configuration xmlns="https://www.unrealengine.com/BuildConfiguration">
<WindowsPlatform>
<Compiler>VisualStudio2022</Compiler>
</WindowsPlatform>
<VCProjectFileGenerator>
<Version>VisualStudio2022</Version>
</VCProjectFileGenerator>
</Configuration>
If several files disagree, keep just one so you know which settings apply.
Step 3: Read the exact reason
If it still fails, the build output or the Unreal Build Tool log names the toolchain it was looking for. A line like “requires, at minimum, the MSVC 14.38 toolchain” tells you exactly which MSVC version to add under Individual components.
Common situations
| Situation | Fix |
|---|---|
| Upgraded from UE 5.3 or older, only VS 2019 installed | Install Visual Studio 2022 (Step 1). |
| VS 2022 installed for C# or web work only | Add the two C++ workloads (Step 1). |
| Using Rider or VS Code | They don’t include a compiler. Install VS 2022 with the C++ workloads alongside them. |
| Packaging a Blueprint project that contains a C++ plugin | Packaging compiles the plugin, so you need the C++ tools too. |
| Error appeared after changing VS versions | Check every BuildConfiguration.xml (Step 2). |
FAQ
I get “Visual Studio 2019 must be installed” instead.
That’s an older engine (5.3 or earlier) or a BuildConfiguration.xml asking for VS 2019. The same steps apply: install the C++ components, or set the compiler to VisualStudio2022 in BuildConfiguration.xml.
Can I use Visual Studio 2026?
With UE 5.8, yes (18.0 or later). It’s experimental in 5.7 and not supported in 5.6 or older.
Do I need Visual Studio for a Blueprint-only project?
Not to open or package it, unless the project contains C++ plugins that need compiling.