Unreal Engine Level Snapshots Guide: Safely Manage Scene Variations

Unreal Engine’s Level Snapshots feature lets you save the state of Actors, their components, and their properties in a level at a specific point in time, then restore it later. Epic’s documentation says the feature can be used for virtual production as well as managing complex scene setups and variations. This guide is based on the workflow described in the documentation; the page does not specify a particular Unreal Engine version for the feature.

1. Enable the plugin and restart the editor

Enable the plugin before using Level Snapshots:

1. Open the Project Settings window in Unreal Editor.

2. Follow Project Settings › Plugins › LevelSnapshots and enable the LevelSnapshots plugin.

3. Confirm the editor’s restart prompt. After restarting, you can access the Level Snapshots menu from the main toolbar and the Level Snapshots window.

4. For projects that use nDisplay only, also enable the optional nDisplay Support For Level Snapshots plugin. Epic notes that nDisplay support is provided through a separate plugin; if you don’t use nDisplay, you don’t need to enable it.

If you can’t find the plugin in Project Settings, first make sure you’ve completed these setup steps and restarted the editor. The documentation does not specify another installation method or hardware requirements.

2. Save the initial scene state

There are three ways to create a snapshot: use the Level Snapshot button in the main toolbar, click Take Snapshot in the Level Snapshots window, or run the Take Snapshot command through the Remote Control Web Application. Each method opens the Create Level Snapshot window.

In this window, give the snapshot a descriptive name and, optionally, a description. The default naming format combines the level name, username, and time; you can change the name before saving. The snapshot is saved as an Asset in the directory specified in the Root Directory field. The default root directory is LevelSnapshots; the subdirectory is determined by the level name and the date the snapshot was taken. You can change the root directory and the subdirectory for the snapshot, and edit the default naming pattern for new snapshots.

Take care not to overwrite an existing snapshot when changing its name. According to the documentation, a name changed before saving can become the default for subsequent snapshots. Using names that distinguish the scene, variation, and purpose can help prevent confusion among team members.

3. Review changes before restoring

To apply a saved state, select the relevant Level Snapshot and click Restore Level Snapshot. This returns changes made to Actors after the snapshot was taken to the saved state. Actors added later are removed from the level; Actors deleted after the snapshot are added back. Actor transforms and properties are also restored to their saved state. The operation can be undone.

Before restoring, review the list in the right-hand section of the Level Snapshots window. It shows which Actors, components, and properties will be affected. Use the checkbox next to each change to apply or exclude specific results. This lets you restore just the lighting, for example, or the position of a single Actor, rather than rebuilding the entire scene.

If a project has multiple levels, the window shows only snapshots associated with the currently open level. To view snapshots for another level, open that level in the editor. Actors that weren’t visible in the World Outliner when the snapshot was taken are also included. So checking only visible items may not be enough when reviewing the scene; check Actor visibility as well.

4. Narrow down the selection with custom filters

In levels with many Actors, filters provide more control over which saved states are included in a restore. Add a filter group with the + Filter Group button, then choose a built-in filter, a C++ filter, or a project-specific Blueprint filter from the Add Filter menu. After selecting a filter, configure the properties it needs to work. For example, Actor Has Tag Filter requires you to specify the Actor tag to use.

Filters within a group use AND logic: an Actor must meet all the group’s criteria to appear. Additional filter groups are combined using OR logic, so Actors that meet any one of the criteria can appear in the results. Once you’ve configured the filters, select a snapshot and click Refresh Results. To reuse filters later, save or load them from the Load / Save Filter menu. Give filters clear names that describe what they do, especially if multiple people will use them.

A filter’s Default Result setting can be Include, Exclude, or Do Not Care. These options determine whether the filter result is included, excluded, or whether the state of Actors not directly affected by the filter is ignored. You can also invert a filter; however, inverting a filter set to Exclude can include results. It’s useful to test the filter logic on a small selection before building complex rules.

Common mistakes

• Assuming Asset changes are included in a snapshot: The state of Assets such as Materials isn’t saved. Track these changes separately with source control.

• Overlooking untracked items: Level Snapshots does not track Landscapes, USD Actors, or console variables; these require separate tracking.

• Renaming a sublevel: If a sublevel is renamed after a snapshot is taken, the system may treat the Actors inside it as new Actors rather than existing ones that have changed.

• Mixing different filter types in one group: Epic generally advises against using Is Actor Valid and Is Property Valid filters together; don’t combine them in the same filter group.

Impact on architecture and visualization workflows

For architectural presentations, Level Snapshots can record and selectively restore variables such as lighting setups, scene layouts, or individual Actor positions. This is useful for teams comparing different scene states in the same level and for virtual production work. However, the workflow should be understood as applying only to the state of Actors and their properties: Asset changes such as Materials aren’t included in a snapshot. Landscapes, USD Actors, and console variables also need to be tracked separately.

The Level Snapshots documentation page does not specify version compatibility, licensing terms, or hardware requirements; verify this information separately when planning a project. If you use nDisplay, account for the additional support plugin and the editor restart after enabling it. In large scenes, reviewing the Actors and properties that will be affected before restoring is especially important to avoid unwanted changes.