How to Install Unity Editor
The Unity Editor is the application where you arrange assets, configure their properties, and compile them into the bundle format that Unturned™ loads at runtime. Installing the Editor is a separate step from installing Unity Hub, and the version of the Editor you install matters greatly. Unturned requires a specific Unity Editor version, and installing the wrong version produces bundles that the game cannot load.
This reference walks through every step of installing the correct Unity Editor version for Unturned mod authoring with the 57 Studios™ pipeline, including how to identify the required version, how to add the necessary build-support modules, and how to verify the installation.
The article is written for beginners who have installed Unity Hub but have not yet installed any Editor. It assumes the Hub is signed in with an active Personal license, and it does not assume any prior Unity experience. Every decision the install dialog asks you to make is explained in full so you do not have to guess at any step.
Prerequisites
Before installing the Editor, confirm the following.
- Unity Hub is installed and signed in. If you have not completed Hub installation, return to the previous article.
- You have an active Personal license attached to your Unity ID.
- You have at least 15 gigabytes of free disk space on your installation drive. The Editor and its modules together consume approximately 8 to 12 gigabytes.
- You have a steady internet connection. The Editor installer downloads several gigabytes during installation.
- You can leave the computer powered on for up to 45 minutes while the install runs.
Common mistake
Installing the latest Unity Editor version from the Hub is not the correct choice for Unturned modding. Unturned uses a fixed Editor version that lags behind the current Unity release. Always verify the required version from the official Smartly Dressed Games documentation before installing.
Pro tip
Before you start, find the required Unity Editor version on the Smartly Dressed Games documentation page and write it down on a sticky note. You will refer to the version string several times during the install. Having it visible reduces the chance of a misclick.
What you'll learn
- How to determine the exact Unity Editor version required by Unturned.
- How to add an Editor installation through Unity Hub.
- How to select the correct version from the Hub's version list.
- How to choose the appropriate build-support modules.
- How to verify that the Editor installed successfully.
- How to read the resulting Unity install folder structure.
- How to add modules to an existing Editor installation after the fact.
- How to recover from common install errors.
Background
Smartly Dressed Games, the studio that develops Unturned, locks the game to a specific Unity Editor version for each game release cycle. Mod content built in any other Editor version may load incorrectly, fail to load at all, or cause subtle visual and behavioral bugs once loaded.
The required version is published in the official Smartly Dressed Games documentation. The documentation is the authoritative source and updates whenever the studio bumps the engine version for a major game release.
Did you know?
Unity Editor versions are identified by a string such as "2021.3.29f1". The first three numbers identify the major release, the letter "f" indicates "final" (a stable release), and the final number identifies the patch within that release. Unturned mod authors must match all four parts exactly.
Why exact version matching matters
Unity's serialization format and engine internals change between versions. A prefab authored in version 2021.3.29f1 stores its data in a layout that the 2021.3.29f1 runtime understands. The same prefab loaded into a different runtime can decode incorrectly, miss fields, or silently substitute defaults for values that no longer match the new layout. Unturned ships with one specific runtime, and your mod must be built with the corresponding Editor to produce content the runtime can read without error.
The mismatch is not always loud. Sometimes a mismatched bundle loads but exhibits subtle bugs: a model that renders without textures, an item that produces no sound, a vehicle whose collision shape disagrees with its visible mesh. These bugs are hard to diagnose and easy to attribute to other causes. Matching the Editor version exactly prevents the entire class of problems.
How Smartly Dressed Games communicates version requirements
Smartly Dressed Games maintains the Unturned modding documentation at the URL referenced throughout this knowledge base. The required Unity Editor version is published prominently on the getting-started page. When the studio bumps the version for a major game release, the documentation updates at the same time, and the Unturned community forums post a sticky thread announcing the change.
The version requirement is rarely changed mid-cycle. A typical Unturned major release holds the same Unity Editor version for many months, and the cohort of mod authors plans around a stable version requirement for that period.
Primary content
Step 1: Verify the required Unity Editor version
Before installing anything, navigate to the official Smartly Dressed Games getting-started documentation at https://docs.smartlydressedgames.com/en/latest/about/getting-started.html. Locate the section that names the required Unity Editor version. Write down the full version string, including the patch number and the "f" suffix.
Pro tip
Copy the version string to a text file or sticky note. You will refer to it again during installation, and matching the version exactly matters more than any other decision in this article.
If the documentation is unreachable for any reason, do not guess. Wait for the documentation to come back online or consult the Unturned community forums for the current required version. Installing the wrong version forces an uninstall and reinstall cycle later.
Step 2: Open the Installs tab in Unity Hub
Launch Unity Hub. On the left sidebar, click the Installs tab. The main panel displays every Unity Editor version currently installed on your computer. If you have not installed any Editor versions before, the list is empty.
Step 3: Begin the install flow
Click the "Install Editor" button in the top-right corner of the Installs tab. Unity Hub opens an installation dialog that lists the currently recommended Unity versions.
The recommended list will likely not contain the exact version Unturned requires. Click the "Archive" tab inside the install dialog. The Archive tab opens a web link to the Unity Download Archive page in your browser.
Step 4: Locate your required version in the archive
On the Unity Download Archive page, browse the year and major version that matches the version string you wrote down in Step 1. Click the corresponding "Unity Hub" link next to the exact patch version. Your browser hands the install request back to Unity Hub.
Common mistake
The archive page lists three install buttons per version: "Unity Hub", "Downloads (Win)", and "Downloads (Mac)". For Hub-managed installations, always click "Unity Hub". The other buttons download standalone installers that the Hub cannot manage.
Step 5: Select build-support modules
Unity Hub displays a modules selection screen. Modules are optional additions that expand the Editor's capabilities. For Unturned mod authoring, the following modules are recommended.
| Module | Required for Unturned? | Disk space | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Visual Studio Community | Optional | 1.5 GB | Provides a C# editor; skip if you already have Visual Studio installed |
| Windows Build Support (IL2CPP) | Recommended | 400 MB | Allows building bundles compatible with Windows clients |
| Linux Build Support (IL2CPP) | Recommended | 400 MB | Allows building bundles compatible with Linux Unturned servers |
| Mac Build Support | Optional | 400 MB | Only needed if you target macOS Unturned clients |
| Android Build Support | Not required | 1 GB | Unturned does not run on Android; skip |
| iOS Build Support | Not required | 1 GB | Unturned does not run on iOS; skip |
| Documentation | Optional | 350 MB | Local copy of Unity documentation; convenient when offline |
| Language packs | Optional | 100 MB each | Only install if you need a non-English Editor |
Check the boxes for Windows Build Support (IL2CPP) and Linux Build Support (IL2CPP) at minimum. If you do not already have a C# editor on your computer, also check the Visual Studio Community module.
Best practice
Install both Windows Build Support and Linux Build Support even if you only plan to target one platform initially. Adding modules after the fact requires re-running the module installer, which can take half an hour. Selecting them upfront is faster.
Step 6: Accept the EULA and begin install
Click Continue. Read the Visual Studio terms if you selected that module, then accept them. Click Install. Unity Hub begins downloading and installing the Editor and the modules you selected.
The install takes 15 to 45 minutes depending on your internet speed and the modules you selected.
Step 7: Verify the installation
When installation completes, the Installs tab in Unity Hub displays the new Editor version. Hover over the entry to see the full version string. Confirm that it matches the version you wrote down in Step 1.
The Editor is now installed. You do not need to launch it directly; the Hub will launch it for you the next time you open or create a project.
Step 8: Understand the install folder layout
The Editor installs to a path managed by Unity Hub. By default, the installation folder lives inside the Hub's editor root. The structure looks approximately like this.
Unity Hub Editor Root/
├── 2021.3.29f1/
│ ├── Editor/
│ │ ├── Unity.exe
│ │ ├── UnityShaderCompiler.exe
│ │ └── Data/
│ │ ├── Managed/
│ │ ├── MonoBleedingEdge/
│ │ ├── PlaybackEngines/
│ │ │ ├── WindowsStandaloneSupport/
│ │ │ └── LinuxStandaloneSupport/
│ │ └── Resources/
│ └── modules.json
└── (other installed versions)You will rarely browse this folder directly. The Hub manages it for you. The most useful entry to know about is Editor/Unity.exe, which is the actual Editor executable.
Step 9: Confirm a healthy idle state
A healthy Editor installation idle state looks like this in the Hub.
- The Installs tab lists the new Editor version.
- Hovering the entry shows the full version string including the patch and "f" suffix.
- The entry is not marked as in-progress, errored, or incomplete.
- The modules.json file in the install folder lists the modules you selected.
If any of these indicators are off, repeat the relevant step or use the recovery procedures in the appendices below.
Comparison
The table below compares the four most relevant module options for Unturned mod authoring.
| Module | Bundle target platform | Required? | Install time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Build Support (IL2CPP) | Windows Unturned clients | Recommended | 2 minutes |
| Linux Build Support (IL2CPP) | Linux Unturned dedicated servers | Recommended | 2 minutes |
| Mac Build Support | macOS Unturned clients | Optional | 2 minutes |
| Visual Studio Community | C# script editing | Optional if VS already installed | 10 minutes |
Editor footprint by module
The disk footprint of a full Editor installation with the recommended modules is documented in the table below. Use this table to plan disk allocation before installing.
| Component | Disk footprint | Recommended for Unturned modding |
|---|---|---|
| Editor core | 4-6 GB | Required |
| Windows Build Support (IL2CPP) | 400 MB | Yes |
| Linux Build Support (IL2CPP) | 400 MB | Yes |
| Mac Build Support | 400 MB | Optional |
| Visual Studio Community | 1.5 GB | Optional |
| Documentation | 350 MB | Optional |
| Language packs | 100 MB each | Optional |
| Total typical Unturned install | ~7 GB | The reference figure |
Install time by network speed
Install time is dominated by network throughput, not by disk speed or CPU performance. The table below summarizes typical install times observed across the 57 Studios pipeline.
| Network speed | Editor only | Editor + 2 build modules | Editor + 4 modules + Visual Studio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 Mbps fiber | 8 minutes | 12 minutes | 22 minutes |
| 50 Mbps cable | 14 minutes | 20 minutes | 35 minutes |
| 25 Mbps DSL | 28 minutes | 38 minutes | 65 minutes |
| 10 Mbps mobile | 70 minutes | 90 minutes | 160 minutes |
If your install runs significantly longer than the figures above, the Hub may have hit a transient slow patch with Unity's download CDN. Pause and resume the install from the Installs tab; the resume picks up from where the pause stopped.
Decision flowchart
Module selection decision tree
When the modules screen appears, the decisions follow a small decision tree. The diagram below documents the tree as the 57 Studios pipeline applies it.
Advanced considerations
Disk space planning matters. A single Editor installation consumes 4 to 6 gigabytes before modules. Each build-support module adds 400 megabytes to 1.5 gigabytes. If you intend to install multiple Unity versions for other projects, plan for 10 to 15 gigabytes per Editor version.
The Editor and its modules can be relocated to a different drive after installation only through complete uninstall and reinstall. If you anticipate disk pressure on your system drive, change the editor install location in Hub preferences before installing the Editor.
Critical warning
Never delete files from inside the Unity Editor install folder manually. Doing so corrupts the installation and forces a full uninstall and reinstall through Unity Hub. If you need to remove an Editor version, always use the "Uninstall" entry in the Installs tab.
Best practice
Update the Hub itself when prompted, but do not update the Editor version until you confirm the new version is compatible with the current Unturned release. Unturned mod compatibility ties tightly to Editor version.
Changing the default editor install location
If your system drive is small, change the default editor install location before installing the Editor. Open the Hub, click the gear icon, navigate to Preferences, select the Installs tab inside Preferences, and change the "Editors location" path. Subsequent editor installs land in the new location. Previously installed editors stay at their original location.
The change is reversible. You can move the default location again at any time. The Hub picks up the new default on next install.
Pro tip
A typical 57 Studios modder dedicates a fast secondary drive (NVMe or SATA SSD) to editor installations and projects. Keeping the system drive uncluttered improves Windows responsiveness and gives the editor and project Library folders plenty of headroom for growth.
Adding modules to an existing editor installation
If you forgot to check a module during the initial install, add it later through the Installs tab. Open the Hub, click Installs, locate the editor entry, click the gear icon next to the entry, choose "Add modules," and select the missing modules. The Hub downloads and installs the modules without reinstalling the editor itself.
Module additions take 5 to 20 minutes depending on the modules and your network speed. The editor itself does not need to be closed unless the module updates a file the running editor has open, which is rare.
Removing an editor installation
To remove an editor installation, open the Hub, click Installs, locate the editor entry, click the gear icon, choose Uninstall, and confirm. The Hub removes the editor and its modules from disk. Projects that reference the removed editor will show as needing an editor version on next open, and you can either reinstall the editor or migrate the projects to a different version.
Common mistake
Manually deleting the editor folder from disk leaves the Hub's editors.json file referencing a path that no longer exists. The Hub will display a broken entry on the Installs tab. Always uninstall through the Hub.
FAQ
Q: I clicked the wrong version. How do I cancel the install?
In the Installs tab, hover over the in-progress install entry. A cancel icon appears. Click it to cancel.
Q: The download is extremely slow. Is something wrong?
Unity's download servers occasionally throttle during peak hours. Pause the download from the Installs tab and resume it later. The download resumes from where it stopped.
Q: Can I have multiple Unity Editor versions installed at the same time?
Yes. Unity Hub supports any number of Editor versions side by side. Each version installs to its own folder.
Q: How do I update an installed Editor to a newer patch?
In the Installs tab, click the gear icon next to the Editor entry and choose "Add modules" or "Show in Explorer." There is no in-place patch update; switching to a newer patch requires installing the new patch as a separate version and migrating your project.
Q: My install failed halfway through with an error. What do I do?
Open the Installs tab and inspect the entry. If the entry shows a retry option, click it. If not, click the gear icon and choose Uninstall to clean up the partial install, then restart the install flow. Most halfway-through failures trace to a transient network issue and succeed on retry.
Q: Can I install the Editor without an internet connection?
No. The Editor download is online-only. Unity does not distribute the Editor as a single downloadable installer file that can be transferred to an offline machine through the Hub flow. If you need an offline install, contact Unity Support for the standalone installer URL appropriate for your version.
Q: How do I confirm the Editor will produce bundles compatible with Unturned?
The Editor version itself is the primary confirmation. If you matched the version string from the Smartly Dressed Games documentation exactly, the Editor will produce compatible bundles once the Unturned project package is imported (covered in a later article). The Master Bundle Tool's build flow further validates compatibility at build time.
Q: My computer ran out of disk space during the install. What now?
The Hub pauses the install when the disk fills. Free disk space on the install drive (uninstall other applications, clear the Recycle Bin, move large files to another drive), then resume the install from the Installs tab. The download resumes from where it paused.
Q: I see two entries for the same Editor version in the Installs tab. Why?
Two entries usually mean the Hub registered the same Editor twice, often because a previous install was canceled and a fresh install added a new entry without cleaning up the old one. Uninstall both entries through the Hub, then reinstall once. The duplicate goes away.
Q: The Editor opens but the menu bar is missing modules I selected. What happened?
The modules screen is per-install. If you canceled and restarted the install, the second attempt may have inherited the first attempt's module selection without your latest checks. Reopen the Add Modules flow from the Installs tab and verify the modules are checked.
Q: Can I run two Editor versions side by side at the same time?
Yes. Two Editor versions can run as separate processes simultaneously, each with its own project. Memory consumption doubles, so plan for adequate RAM (16 gigabytes is comfortable for two Editor instances).
Best practices
- Verify the required Unity Editor version from the Smartly Dressed Games documentation before clicking Install.
- Install both Windows and Linux build support modules even if you only need one initially.
- Do not delete editor files manually; always uninstall through the Hub.
- Keep your installed Editor versions list short. Remove versions you no longer use.
- Pin your active Unturned modding Editor version in the Hub for quick visibility.
- Plan for 10-15 gigabytes of disk space per Editor version when scoping disk allocations.
- Use the Pause/Resume controls on the Installs tab rather than canceling and restarting failed installs.
- Cross-reference the version string from the documentation against the Hover tooltip in the Installs tab after install.
Appendix A: Detailed installer state machine
The editor install runs through a documented sequence of states. The diagram below shows the state machine the Hub follows during a typical install.
Each state has its own progress indicator in the Hub UI. If the install gets stuck in a state for more than 10 minutes without progress, pause and resume to nudge the state machine forward. If pause-resume does not help, cancel and restart.
Per-state diagnostics
The table below maps the install state machine to common diagnostic actions.
| State | Stuck duration | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
| Queued | >2 minutes | Confirm the Hub has network access |
| Downloading | >15 minutes with no progress | Pause and resume |
| Extracting | >10 minutes | Check disk space; ensure no antivirus is scanning the install folder |
| InstallingModules | >20 minutes per module | Inspect the Hub log file at %APPDATA%\UnityHub\logs\info-log.json |
| Verifying | >5 minutes | Pause and resume; if still stuck, cancel and restart |
| Failed | Any | Open the gear icon, remove the entry, then start a fresh install |
Appendix B: Common install errors and recoveries
The table below documents the most common error messages the Hub shows during an editor install and their typical resolutions.
| Error message | Likely cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| "Failed to download package" | Transient network issue | Pause and resume the install |
| "Insufficient disk space" | Drive ran out of space during install | Free space and resume |
| "Permission denied" | The install path is read-only or owned by another user | Change the Editors location in Preferences to a writable path |
| "Version already installed" | A previous install left an entry the Hub thinks is current | Uninstall the existing entry first, then retry |
| "Module verification failed" | A module download was corrupted | Use Add Modules to reinstall the failing module |
| "Editor failed to launch after install" | The install completed but a runtime dependency is missing | Reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable and relaunch |
If the error message in your case is not in the table, search the Unity forum for the exact text. Most install errors are documented in forum threads with detailed resolution steps.
Appendix C: How the Editor relates to the rest of the toolchain
The editor sits at the center of the Unity Setup section. The Hub launches it, the project package adds menus to it, and the Master Bundle Tool runs inside it. The diagram below shows the relationship.
Each arrow in the diagram represents a step covered by an article in this section. The editor is the second arrow in the chain: the Hub points at it, the project, package, and tooling extend from it, and the final bundle is the output the runtime consumes.
What the editor is and is not
The editor is a graphical application for arranging Unity content. It is not a code editor, a 3D modeling tool, a texture painter, a sound editor, or a video editor. Each of those roles is filled by a separate tool in the broader 57 Studios pipeline.
- C# code is authored in Visual Studio Community (or another C# editor of your choice).
- 3D models are authored in Blender (covered in the Blender Setup section).
- Textures are authored in Photoshop, Krita, or any other 2D image editor.
- Sound is authored in Audacity, Reaper, or any other audio tool.
The editor is the place where all of these external assets are arranged, configured, and compiled into the bundle format. It is the integrator, not the author of any single asset type.
Appendix D: The editor install folder in detail
The editor install folder at C:\Program Files\Unity\Hub\Editor\<version>\ contains the editor binary, the editor's runtime data, the module-specific playback engines, and the editor's configuration files. The table below documents the most relevant subfolders.
| Path | Purpose |
|---|---|
Editor\Unity.exe | The editor executable |
Editor\UnityShaderCompiler.exe | The shader compiler invoked by the editor during builds |
Editor\Data\Managed\ | The editor's managed (C#) assemblies |
Editor\Data\MonoBleedingEdge\ | The Mono runtime the editor uses |
Editor\Data\PlaybackEngines\WindowsStandaloneSupport\ | The Windows build support module |
Editor\Data\PlaybackEngines\LinuxStandaloneSupport\ | The Linux build support module |
Editor\Data\Resources\ | Editor resources (built-in shaders, fonts, icons) |
modules.json | The list of modules installed for this editor version |
You will rarely browse this folder directly. The Hub manages it on your behalf. The most useful entry to know about is modules.json, which you can inspect to confirm the modules the Hub installed for your editor version.
Did you know?
The editor's playback engine folders contain the runtime libraries Unity links into a build for each target platform. The Windows playback engine produces Windows-compatible bundles; the Linux playback engine produces Linux-compatible bundles. Bundles built without the appropriate playback engine will not load on the target platform.
Appendix E: A note on Visual Studio Community
If you selected the Visual Studio Community module, the editor installer chains the Visual Studio installer behind the editor install. The Visual Studio installer is a separate application owned by Microsoft. It downloads and installs its own set of components, which can take an additional 10 to 30 minutes.
When the Visual Studio installer runs, accept the default workload labeled "Game development with Unity." This workload installs the C# toolchain and the Unity integration that lets the editor open scripts directly in Visual Studio. Other workloads are not necessary for Unturned mod authoring.
If you already have a different C# editor (such as JetBrains Rider or Visual Studio Code with the C# extension), skip the Visual Studio Community module. The editor will use your existing C# editor through the External Tools setting in Preferences.
Pro tip
57 Studios modders commonly use Visual Studio Code with the C# extension as a lightweight C# editor. It opens faster than Visual Studio Community and uses less disk space. Either choice works; the editor's external tools setting determines which is launched.
Appendix F: A summary of the article
This article walked through every step of installing the Unity Editor version that Unturned requires. The high-level flow is:
- Verify the required version from the Smartly Dressed Games documentation.
- Open the Installs tab in the Hub.
- Click Install Editor and switch to the Archive tab.
- Locate the required version on the Unity Download Archive page.
- Hand the install request back to the Hub.
- Select the Windows and Linux Build Support modules.
- Accept the EULA and start the install.
- Wait 15 to 45 minutes for the install to complete.
- Verify the new editor entry in the Installs tab.
The next article in the section walks through creating a new Unity project with the correct render pipeline template for Unturned mod authoring.
Appendix G: Long-term maintenance of editor installations
An editor installation that you use daily for Unturned modding will need occasional maintenance over the years. The table below documents the maintenance tasks and a recommended cadence for each.
| Task | Recommended cadence | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Verify the editor version still matches Unturned | At each Unturned major release | Cross-check the documentation and update if needed |
| Add modules forgotten at install time | As needed | Use Add Modules from the Installs tab |
| Remove editor versions no longer used | Quarterly | Cleans up disk space and shortens the Installs tab list |
| Verify modules.json against expected modules | Annually | Confirms no modules were lost in a partial reinstall |
| Update the Hub | When the Hub prompts | Hub updates are independent of the editor version |
| Reinstall the editor from scratch | Only when troubleshooting demands it | Avoid as a routine action |
The cadence above is a guideline. Most modders maintain a single active editor version for many months at a time and revisit the Installs tab only when Unturned bumps its required version or when they switch projects.
Appendix H: A cohort note on version migration timing
When Smartly Dressed Games bumps the Unity Editor version for a major Unturned release, the 57 Studios pipeline recommends a deliberate migration window of one to two weeks. The migration window gives the cohort time to install the new editor, verify that existing mods still build, and resolve any issues that surface during the build verification.
During the migration window:
- Install the new editor alongside the old one. Do not uninstall the old editor yet.
- Open one or two of your existing mod projects in the new editor. The Hub will warn you about the version change.
- Build a representative bundle in the new editor and verify it loads in the corresponding Unturned version.
- Once verified, migrate your remaining projects.
- Once all projects are migrated and stable, uninstall the old editor.
The deliberate window avoids the failure mode of uninstalling the old editor before the new editor proves itself, which historically has been the most common cause of mod-build outages during version transitions.
Appendix I: A timeline view of the editor install
For readers who learn well from a timeline, the diagram below maps the entire editor install from first click in the Hub to a healthy idle state.
Appendix J: Why the install dialog flow is the way it is
The Hub's editor install flow has two unusual properties that occasionally confuse first-time users: it sends you to a web browser for the archive page, and it presents the modules screen after you select a version rather than before. Both choices make sense once you understand the rationale.
The archive page exists on the Unity website rather than inside the Hub because Unity maintains a long catalog of historical editor versions and updates that catalog frequently. Embedding the catalog in the Hub would mean shipping a new Hub version whenever the catalog changes. Keeping the catalog on the web lets the Hub stay small and lets Unity update the catalog without updating the Hub.
The modules screen comes after version selection because modules are version-specific. Different editor versions support different module sets. Picking the version first lets the Hub present the correct module list for that version. The reverse ordering would require the Hub to filter modules dynamically as you switched versions, which is more complex and less reliable.
Once you have done one editor install, the flow becomes second nature. The article above documents every screen so the first install is straightforward; subsequent installs typically complete in a few minutes of clicking through familiar dialogs.
Appendix K: How the Editor knows about Unturned
The Editor does not know about Unturned until you import the Unturned project package. Before the import, the Editor is a generic Unity Editor with no Unturned-specific behavior. After the import, the editor scripts inside the imported package add the Master Bundle Tool menu and the Unturned-specific behaviors that mod authors rely on.
This separation is intentional. The Editor stays a clean general-purpose tool, and Smartly Dressed Games owns the Unturned-specific behavior through the project package they distribute with the game. Updates to Unturned can change the editor-side behavior without requiring a new Editor install; only the project package needs to be reimported.
The import flow itself is covered in a later article. The relevant point for this article is that the Editor install is complete and useful even though it has no Unturned-specific behavior yet. The next two articles cover creating a project and importing the package, and together they bring the Unturned-specific behavior into the Editor.
Appendix L: A short note on editor hotkeys
The Editor uses a set of keyboard shortcuts that are documented in the Edit menu and in Unity's online documentation. For Unturned mod authoring, the most commonly used shortcuts are listed below.
| Shortcut | Effect |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+S | Save the current scene |
| Ctrl+Shift+S | Save scene as |
| Ctrl+P | Enter or exit Play mode |
| Ctrl+R | Reimport the selected asset |
| Ctrl+D | Duplicate the selected GameObject |
| F | Frame the selected GameObject in the Scene view |
| W, E, R, T, Y | Move, rotate, scale, rect, transform tools |
| Q | Hand tool (pan the Scene view) |
| Ctrl+Shift+F | Apply Scene view camera to selected GameObject |
The 57 Studios pipeline does not customize the editor's default hotkey set. Modders who later customize the hotkeys do so through Edit > Shortcuts.
Appendix M: Editor uninstall procedure
To uninstall an editor version, open the Hub, click Installs, locate the editor entry, click the gear icon next to the entry, choose Uninstall, and confirm. The Hub removes the editor and its modules from disk and removes the entry from the Installs tab.
After the uninstall:
- Projects that referenced the uninstalled editor will show as needing an editor version on next open.
- Other editor versions on the same machine remain unaffected.
- The Hub's user profile and license activation remain unaffected.
The uninstall is reversible by reinstalling the same editor version from the archive page. The reinstall will produce a fresh install folder; any per-editor configuration you made (such as External Tools settings or installed editor packages from the Asset Store) does not persist across reinstalls.
Pro tip
Before uninstalling an editor version, ensure you have access to the version's installer on the archive page. Some very old Unity Editor versions are eventually removed from the archive, and a reinstall would require the standalone installer distributed through Unity Support. For currently supported versions this is rarely an issue.
Appendix N: Disk allocation strategy across multiple editor versions
Modders who work on multiple Unity projects (Unturned mods plus other Unity work) often end up with multiple editor versions installed. The table below documents a disk allocation strategy that the 57 Studios pipeline recommends for such cases.
| Drive | Purpose | Approximate footprint |
|---|---|---|
| System drive (C:) | Hub binary, Hub user profile | 200-300 MB |
| Editor drive (e.g., D:) | Editor installations | 5-15 GB per editor version |
| Project drive (e.g., D: or separate) | Unity projects | 1-10 GB per project |
| Backup drive (separate) | Periodic backups of projects | grows over time |
Centralizing the editor installations on a dedicated drive simplifies disk management. The Hub's default editor install location is configurable through Preferences (covered above in the Advanced considerations section).
Appendix O: Cohort observations on first-time editor installs
Across the 57 Studios pipeline, the editor install step is the second most reliable step in the Unity Setup section, after the Hub install itself. First-time install success rate sits near 95 percent, with the remaining 5 percent of cases tracing to a small set of documented causes.
| Cause | Frequency in cohort | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Selected the wrong editor version from the archive | One third of failures | Uninstall and reinstall with the correct version |
| Skipped the Windows or Linux Build Support module | One third of failures | Use Add Modules to install the missing module |
| Disk filled up during install | One sixth of failures | Free space and resume |
| Network issue during download | One sixth of failures | Pause and resume; switch network if needed |
The version-mismatch failure is the most expensive of the four because it surfaces only later, when the modder attempts to build a bundle and gets a compatibility error. The Pre-install verification step at the top of the Primary content section exists specifically to prevent this failure.
Appendix P: A final reminder on version exactness
The single most important point in this article is the importance of matching the Unity Editor version to the version Unturned requires. Every other decision in this article is recoverable through a re-run of the Add Modules flow or a quick uninstall and reinstall. A version mismatch is also recoverable, but it costs an entire install and reinstall cycle and may not surface until you try to build a bundle for the first time.
Before you click Install, look at the version string in the install dialog and compare it character by character with the version string on the Smartly Dressed Games documentation page. The two should match exactly, including the patch number and the "f" suffix. If they do not match, switch to a different version in the archive page before continuing.
Critical warning
A version mismatch will not always produce a loud error. Sometimes the Editor will appear to install correctly and only later, when the Master Bundle Tool builds a bundle, will the mismatch produce a compatibility issue at the game runtime. Verify the version match before clicking Install.
Appendix Q: The relationship between editor version and project Library
When the Editor opens a project for the first time, it generates a Library folder inside the project that caches every imported asset's processed form. The Library folder is editor-version-specific because the processed form of an asset (texture compression, mesh layout, shader compilation) varies between editor versions.
If you switch a project from one editor version to another, the Editor regenerates the Library folder on first open under the new version. The regeneration can take several minutes for a project with many assets. During the regeneration, the Editor appears to hang on a loading bar; the apparent hang is normal.
For Unturned modding, the Library regeneration only matters when Smartly Dressed Games bumps the required editor version and you migrate a project from the old version to the new version. The first open under the new version takes longer than usual; subsequent opens return to normal speed.
Best practice
After a version migration, the first build of a bundle may also take longer than usual because the asset bundle cache needs to rebuild against the new Editor's serialization format. Plan for one extra hour on the day you migrate a project to a new Editor version.
Appendix R: A note on Unity LTS releases
Unity Technologies publishes editor versions in two cadences: the regular release cadence (with versions ending in "f1", "f2", etc.) and the Long Term Support (LTS) cadence (with versions ending in "f1" for a specific minor release that Unity supports for a longer window). LTS releases receive bug fixes for two years from the initial LTS release date and are the recommended choice for production work.
For Unturned modding, the version Unturned requires is the version Unturned requires, regardless of whether it is an LTS release. Always defer to the Smartly Dressed Games documentation. Unturned has historically used LTS releases, which is consistent with general Unity best practice.
If you have a choice between two patch versions that differ only in patch number (such as 2021.3.29f1 versus 2021.3.30f1), and Unturned permits either, the higher patch number is generally preferred for the bug fixes it contains. In practice, Smartly Dressed Games pins one specific patch version per Unturned release, and the choice is made for you.
Appendix S: Editor performance characteristics
The Unity Editor is a memory-intensive application that benefits from a modern CPU, fast storage, and ample RAM. The table below documents recommended hardware for Unturned mod authoring.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended | 57 Studios baseline |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | 4-core 64-bit x86 | 8-core | 12-core or better |
| RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB |
| Storage | 7200 RPM HDD | SATA SSD | NVMe SSD |
| GPU | Integrated graphics | Mid-range dedicated GPU | Mid-range or better dedicated GPU |
| Display | 1080p | 1440p | 1440p or higher |
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10 or 11 64-bit | Windows 10 or 11 64-bit |
The 57 Studios baseline is provisioned for comfort across long modding sessions and is well above Unity's minimum. A modder on the minimum spec can still author Unturned mods successfully; the experience is just slower and more frustrating.
Pro tip
The fastest way to improve Editor responsiveness on an older machine is to move the project Library folder to a faster drive. Library reads dominate the Editor's load and project-open times. An NVMe SSD makes a dramatic difference even on an otherwise slow machine.
Appendix T: A glossary of editor terminology
The terms below appear throughout this article and are worth defining once.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Editor version | The version string identifying a specific editor release (e.g., 2021.3.29f1) |
| Module | An optional addition to the editor that enables a build target or feature |
| Build target | The platform the editor produces output for |
| Playback engine | The runtime libraries the editor links into a build for a specific platform |
| Library | The per-project cache the editor generates from the Assets folder |
| Project | The folder on disk that holds the assets, scripts, and settings for one Unity body of work |
| Bundle | A compiled binary that packs assets together; the format Unturned loads at runtime |
| Master Bundle Tool | The Unturned-specific tool added by the imported project package; covered in a later article |
| Personal license | The free Unity license tier appropriate for Unturned mod authoring |
| LTS release | A Long Term Support release that receives bug fixes for two years |
The glossary is reproduced and expanded in later articles in the section as new terms become relevant.
Next steps
With the correct Unity Editor version installed and the build-support modules in place, you are ready to create a new Unity project. Continue to How to Create a New Unity Project.